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Secure Server

If you're conducting e-commerce over the web, you'll need to offer your customers a secure way to transmit their credit card and other personal information to you. A Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate is needed to encrypt the data.

Harris Media provides two types of secure server.

Shared Secure Server
You can use our server-wide certificate at no additional charge at one of our generic domains, such as secureserver100.com. (Please email support@harrismedia.com to find out which domain to use for your site.)

Most of our clients choose this option because it's free and easy. The level of security is the same as it would be if you had your own certificate. To use the shared secure server, simply place the file you want secured in your regular directory. Then link to it using this convention:

https://secureserver100.com/yourdomain/file.html

Notice that the link begins with https://. Also notice that yourdomain should not include the .com, .org or .net at the end. Make sure to change the variables in red to reflect your domain name and the file you want to secure.

To link to a secure file in your cgi-bin:
https://secureserver100.com/yourdomain/cgi-bin/file.html

Your Own Secure Server
If it's important to you to be able to call your secure page from your own domain (https://yourdomain.com/file.html), you'll need your own certificate. This requires applying for and purchasing a certificate. You can buy and install GeoTrust certificates from within your control panel, starting at $99 per year. This is a low-cost, quick setup certificate that works quite well.

Other secure certificate providers include Verisign or Thawte. These are more expensive, and you will have to submit documentation (proof of your organization's name and proof of your right to use your domain name). These cost from $199 - $895 per year, depending on which company you choose and the level of security you need.

To begin the process of setting up your secure certificate, go to the GeoTrust or the Secure Server icon in your Control. Step-by-step directions are provided there. Here are the instructions from the Secure Server Manager:

How To Set up Secure Server on Your Site:

1. From the Control Panel, select the Secure Server option. The Secure Server manager displays.

2. Setting up a secure server requires that you purchase a secure digital certificate from either GeoTrust, Verisign or Thawte. For GeoTrust certs, choose the GeoTrust icon in your Control Panel Manual instead.

3. Fill-out the form with the correct information.

4. Click on Generate Request at the bottom of the screen. This will generate a Certificate Signing Request [CSR]. The CSR looks like this:

5. Make and save a back-up copy of the CSR and key (and key decryption password)

6. Then send the CSR to GeoTrust, Verisign or Thawte. GeoTrust will send back a certificate. Verisign or Thawte will request business verification information before sending back a certificate. The certificate looks like this:

7. Go back to the Control Panel and install the certificate and previously saved key.

The private key looks like this:

Test
To test the creation and installation of a secure certificate with “dummy” data, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and select the Generate a Dummy Certificate link in Step 3 of the on-screen procedure. Follow the instructions that are provided.

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