Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » SSL

Premium Web Hosting and Security Features Available in the Public Domain

Art — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:41:44 +0000

Namesco recently announced discounts of up to 50 percent on premium web hosting products that greatly add professionalism to websites of all sizes. Since the transmission of data, especially payment information, has become a major issue to the online consumer, a solution had to be developed. In a short amount of time, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates were released which provide protection for eCommerce.

Professional Security Discount

Unfortunately in the past the cost of SSL certificates has prohibited many smaller websites. Therefore, the 40 percent discount on the professional security layer offered through Namesco Summer Sale will greatly assist many businesses. These certificates guarantee that sensitive information like credit card and banking details are transferred through the user to the website in an encrypted manner.

Also, the certificates protect against online fraud, phishing and other nefarious activities by confirming the identity of the server and website connected to by the user. There are three tiers of SSL certificates from Geotrust, the world’s second largest digital certificate provider, each of which is included in the sale.

Search Engine Submission Discount

Also, Namesco is offering an automatic search engine submission service known as Hypersubmit. Although basic web hosting packages can put any old website online, they are not automatically identified by search engines. Therefore, Hypersubmit ensures new websites are indexed by hundreds of search engines from around the world. The software is available at a 40 percent discount and is guaranteed to be seen by those browsing online.

Email Service Discount

Additionally, premium email costs can be extremely high. Luckily, Namesco is offering a 50 percent cost reduction with all five of their email services. Since organizing, accessing, sending, receiving and synchronizing emails across many computers is critical for most eCommerce, the price reduction will be extremely helpful. Startup businesses can utilize the professional email service giving them a major edge over similar companies.

Namesco Company Information

Founded in 1996, Namesco has been involved in a variety of business purchases such as the acquisition of Simply.com and NDO Limited. Namesco is an industry-leader in web hosting, domain registration and broadband services.

Discounts on any product or service are excellent. However, Namesco is offering major discounts on expensive website hosting products in which small businesses could never afford. The Summer Sale is likely to attract many more customers to purchase their products.

Is SSL Essential for eCommerce Sites?

Art — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:41:32 +0000

As the number of eCommerce websites grows, the security software must improve to protect webmasters from hackers acquiring sensitive customer information. One such technology is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) which permits the site administrator to transfer the contents of web pages to visitors over a secure protocol (HTTPS versus HTTP). One example of this technology is with banking websites.

Should eCommerce Websites Use SSL?

However, this begs the question, should eCommerce websites also use this type of security? They all handle important customer data that could be harmful if released to the wrong hands. This really depends on the type of business and functions the website serves. For instance, for websites like online stores that collect credit card numbers, addresses, emails, phone numbers and names, SSL is a necessity.

SSL and the Front-End Store

However, there are a multitude of websites that only serve as the front-end of the store and all transactions are managed by a third-party payment processor which utilizes SSL encryption. In this situation, SSL may not be a requirement. However, webmasters in this situation may still wish to add the security software. This is especially important if collecting user information such as names and email addresses; even if no financial information is transferred.

Find an eCommerce Package

For websites that only provide basic contact information, SSL encryption is not necessary. If you decide to implement SSL encryption onto your website, it is critical to find a web hosting provider that offers some type of eCommerce package. Many of these plans provide a specific IP address for SSL to ensure the highest level of protection.

Ask About Specific Items Included in the Package

In addition to the basic eCommerce plan, you will also need to purchase an SSL certificate which is a digital item that may be provided as part of your eCommerce web hosting package. It is always a good idea to ask about the items specifically included in the eCommerce package prior to signing a contract.

SSL technology has become a vital part of the eCommerce industry. However, it is not essential to every site. Those that will be most affected by the technology are sites that collect specific information such as banking, detailed contact information, telephone numbers and email addresses. Since this could compromise the most important data about an individual, it should always be protected by SSL encryption.

Three Ways Web Hosting Providers Secure E-Commerce Transactions

Art — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:27:30 +0000

E-commerce has been contributing to the global economy significantly during the past decade, as more business owners and entrepreneurs look to build their own online empire. As the Internet continues to grow, and more people start to use the Internet, companies in all industries are beginning to compete heavily for customers on the World Wide Web. This creates a situation in which hundreds of thousands of online purchases take place on a daily basis, with millions (or even billions) of dollars being spent and made in online purchases. However, most people don’t realize that the job of securing such transactions is entirely up to the web hosting provider, who is responsible for utilizing the correct applications, security precautions, and technological advancements to ensure the safety of your financial details and those of your customers. The following are three ways Web hosting providers secure e-commerce transactions.

Advanced Data Encryption

The first line of defense web hosting providers use to secure online transactions is advanced data encryption. When a visitor comes to your site and decides to make a purchase they are directed to a secured checkout page. All data that is submitted by the site visitor through this page is completely scrambled before it is securely transmitted to the web server, where it is unscrambled and decoded using a key that is only generated once, and is only accessed by the receiving server. In essence, even if someone was able to intercept the data as it moved through your website to your web server, they would not be able to understand any of it because it would be completely encrypted. The current industry standard for webpage encryption is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which is why it is common to see SSL certificates posted on checkout pages. In fact, some online shoppers will not even place an order if they do not see an SSL certificate, or a checkout page URL that begins in HTTPS.

Instant Suspicious Activity Notifications

Another way web hosting providers keep your e-commerce transactions safe is by providing instant notifications via e-mail or cell phone text. These notifications can be enabled within your web hosting control panel, and are automatically sent out if any suspicious activity occurs. Activities that would cause a notification to be issued may include account detail changes (for example if someone changed the default e-mail address on the web hosting account), or any personal details related to account administration or domain ownership. By having the ability to have notifications sent to your e-mail and cell phone text you can keep a hacker or cyber criminal from stealing ownership of your domains or web hosting account and utilizing the financial details of your customers nefariously.

Payment Processing Technology

Web hosting providers also secure checkout pages by utilizing payment processing technology, which allows your customers to provide their credit/debit card or payment details to a third party online payment processor (such as PayPal). Payment processors are simply financial institutions that collect and accept payments on behalf of web site owners, so that no sensitive financial data can be intercepted by someone that is spying on a secured checkout page. By utilizing a business-class web hosting plan that includes payment processing capabilities you can sure that you’ll be able to accept all popular payment types.

The Benefits of Using Multiple Domain Hosting for E-Commerce

Art — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:21:20 +0000

The keys to being successful with an online business are diversification, diligence, and persistence. Unfortunately, a single revenue stream is often not enough to create a full-time income, especially if you are depending only one website. Most successful online entrepreneurs continually expand their network of websites by building new sites and entering new niches on a constant basis. Rather than giving up and becoming disheartened when one endeavor does not go your way, you should grab motivation and experience from such occurrences and begin working on a new endeavor. In order to continuously expand your online reach you need to build new websites and have access to your own network of sites.

Diversifying Your Business through Several Websites

In the online world, each website that you own represents a new business opportunity – the ability to penetrate a new niche and begin creating a new revenue stream. With each revenue stream you can significantly increase your monthly and yearly income gradually. Unfortunately, if you operate your entire online business through a single website, you’ll be unable to adequately target multiple markets and optimize your site for keywords that are commonly searched for in search engines. As you continuously explore new niches and business opportunities online, you’ll undoubtedly be registering multiple domains. In fact, the average webmaster registers about 10 domains per year.

Recognizing the Importance of Multiple Domain Hosting

Although the majority of hosting providers offer plans that allow for the hosting of an unlimited amount of domains, it is still important to ensure that your hosting plan includes multiple domain capabilities. It is, however, important to note that although a plan may allow you to host an unlimited amount domains, this does not mean that you have access to an adequate amount of server resources to host more than several hundred domains simultaneously. Each website that you associate with your web hosting account consumes server resources, and therefore places an additional burden on your hosting Web server.

Security and Business Presence

By owning a network of sites you can efficiently build links to your main sites in each niche, and also have smaller websites within the same niche that are designed to funnel traffic to your heavily monetized sites. This can improve conversion rates by allowing you to introduce presell articles and concepts to your site visitors and it can also diversifying your search engine optimization efforts. You will also be able to create more leverage within each industry/niche because you’ll have a significant online presence, which ultimately results in thousands of unique visitors within your control on a daily basis. When new products or services are released in each industry you can take advantage of their popularity instantly using one of your many sites within your network.

If you are planning on selling products or services or accepting payments on your website then you need an SSL certificate. Therefore, it is important to make sure that your web hosting plan includes capability to host a wildcard SSL certificate (at SSL certificate can be used on my website), or you’ll have to purchase multiple web hosting plans in order to gain access to multiple SSL certificates.

Dedicated IP Web Hosting

Dmitry — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:10:59 +0000

There is a kind of web hosting available that is called dedicated IP web hosting. This is also sometimes called static web hosting. This type of hosting provides a unique IP address that is used exclusively for each individual server space or domain. An individual browsing the Internet can access this information held in any one of these servers by going onto a website with a certain domain name or IP address.

There will be differences in these web hosting accounts depending on whether the IP address is shared or unique. A unique IP address can be bought simply by placing an order with any of the multitude service providers that are available. These web hosting companies will provide a unique IP address after full payment has been made. These websites allow the customer to upload content and other files to their own personal, secure web space.

These types of web hosting accounts are ideal for larger businesses or for e-commerce websites that need to be certain that their site offers the most in security. Dedicated IP web hosting is also ideal for individuals that want to buy the unique IP addresses for a premium price. Some individuals may find that they want to go this route due to the fact that it will prevent the website from collecting spam, a problem that can often occur when using a shared website.

Another advantage to using a dedicated IP web hosting service is that it provides for greater flexibility while also allowing for more complex hosting. Two advantages of this are that they include a private SSL certificate and an anonymous FTP. An SSL certificate provides for online businesses that need to make sure that their customers will have secure transactions. The advantage of an anonymous FTP allows people to share information on the Internet. This will allow anybody who is using the Internet to go to that company’s website and access a public directory by using FTP software.

By gaining a dedicated IP web hosting account and securing a unique IP address, it allows the business owner to have full control over their website. By obtaining a dedicated IP address, it allows individuals or business owners to get the most benefit out of their website. This will result in better search engine results, which are much sought after by businesses.

Dedicated IP addresses are highly valued and are considered as prime Internet real estate. Because of this, there are sometimes high service fees associated with this kind of service. It is possible however to find a web hosting company that will offer dedicated IP addresses for a very reasonable price. If a company thinks that they will benefit the most from dedicated IP addresses, it’s very important that research be done on many different companies. Besides the differences in price that all companies are bound to have, there will also be differences that are dependant on the company’s needs and goals.

e-Commerce Hosting: What You Need, What You Don’t

Art — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 19:09:28 +0000

If you’re looking for a specialized web hosting service that caters to entrepreneurs seeking an online e-commerce endeavor, then consider opting for an e-commerce hosting package. While many believe a standard web hosting plan will suffice to operate an online business, soon they reap a harvest of profits.

e-Commerce Tools

To be taken seriously by your competition offering the same products or services, secure an e-commerce web host. It’s much easier at the onset to opt for one that offers everything you need instead of being forced to changed web hosts mid-course due to growing sales or edgier competition. The most important e-commerce tools that you should demand include:

Storefronts
Product Catalog Builder
Shopping Cart
Payment Processing Tools
Autoresponders
Fraud and Security Prevention
Integration Capabilities
Adequate Bandwidth and Diskspace
Search Engine Tools
SSL Certificates
Google Adwords Credit

e-Commerce Caveats

While many web host advertisements appeal with tantalizing offers, always read the fine print to know exactly what you can expect from the service. Many entrepreneurs usually fall into one of two traps: free hosting and premium host plans. Free hosting is best used for testing a target market or learning the ropes; however, it has numerous limitations and virtually impossible to expand your online business. Seasoned gurus often become the victims of the second trap by signing their life away when securing a premium host package, especially when establishing an online business. Granted, premium packages usually offer all the bells and whistles, but stop and ask yourself at what cost? Compare prices and contract details before taking the plunge to secure an e-e-commerce host.

Another aspect that you may not realize unless you read the fine details of the user agreement that if by chance the web host company is forced to file bankruptcy, and assuming they own the legal rights to your website, then you’re totally out of luck if you agreed to the terms and secured the service. Given this worst case scenario as an e-commerce entrepreneur, needless to say it would be devastating to your online business.

Enough emphasis can never be placed on the importance of research and reading the fine print, especially when it comes to e-commerce because valuable resources are at stake. Don’t be afraid to ask for references from your web host service. It’s essential to know the exact plan details and the reputation of which host you’re requesting service. Ask any fellow website owner to share his or her nightmarish experience of changing web hosts and moving a domain before an existing contract expires. Chances are they highly won’t recommend it!

Web Hosting Security – Difference Between SSL, TLS and SSH

Art — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:23:44 +0000

One of the most important aspects of web hosting security is the protocol that is used to transfer files from the web server to a visitor’s computer. This is especially true for web sites that frequently engage in eCommerce activity. Understanding the various types of web hosting security protocols can help you build discretion when selecting an FTP client or web hosting plan in the future. If you’re interested in learning more about the difference between SSL, TLS and SSH security protocols, then you may find the following information to be quite useful.

SSL Explained

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a commonly used security protocol that provides supreme privacy when transmitting data over the internet. FTP clients and web shots utilise this protocol to ensure the utmost security during sensitive site browsing activities like eCommerce shopping and online banking. SSL protocol uses symmetric cryptography to perform state-of-the-art data encryption. SSL adds extra security by automatically checking the encrypted messages for integrity before delivering them to the recipient. SSL optimizes CPU resources to facilitate expedited communication, and can be used in conjunction with the following security protocols to increase effectiveness.

TLS Explained

TLS (Transport Layer Security) utilities two main components – TLS Handshake Protocol and TLS Record Protocol. TLS protocol also uses symmetric cryptography, and like SSL checks the messages before the are sent to ensure that they are thoroughly encrypted. TLS differs from SLL because the encrypted massage can only be delivered to a third-party user after two authorized users have received the data. This adds an extra layer of security to the encryption, when used in combination with SSL, this method of encryption provides the highest level of security available to the public.

SSH Explained

SSH (Secure Shell) provides encrypted channels through which encrypted data can travel. Thus, SSH acts more as a medium for the aforementioned encryption methods than as an actual encrypting mechanism, hence the term “shell.” SSH is commonly used to send commands to a computer from a remote location. Although SSH is not the strongest encryption method, it is viable method of secure communication, and is frequently used in the web hosting industry as a standalone security precaution with some applications. Standard FTP services do not utilize Ssh technology, however SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) does utilize this technology along with the other two aforementioned security protocols.

Conclusion

Although all three of these security protocols could be used by themselves with success, most web hosting providers now utilize all three of them simultaneously in one form or another. If you’re serious about keeping your web site data safe form intruders and hackers then you’ll need to pay close attention to the technology used by your web hosting provider, especially if you’re the owner of an eCommerce business. Make sure all of your checkout pages are encrypted and have an SSL certificate. The easiest way to check if a web page is secured is to look at the first letters of the web address. If the web address begins with “HTTPS” then it is secured, however if the web page begins with “HTTP” it is not secured. Never conduct eCommerce on an unsecured web page.

Ecommerce Site Building Checklist

Art — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:10:24 +0000

Building an eCommerce web site involves many aspects, most of which are overlooked by the novice webmaster. Building a checklist before you build a web site can help you create a site that is enjoyable for your visitors, and profitable for your business. Gradually understanding the construction of a successful eCommerce site is the best way to educate yourself on the most important aspects of eCommerce and customer satisfaction. The following checklist can help you avoid some of the many trivial mistakes that novice webmasters often make when trying to build an eCommerce site. Simply ask yourself the following questions, and if the answer is no to any of them, then you still have some work to do.

Does My Site Look Professional?

Before you begin uploading item descriptions and pictures, or trying to source suppliers for your massive catalog of products, you’ll first need to make sure that your site looks professional. The two biggest factors that online shoppers consider are convenience and trustworthiness. If your site does not appear to be professional, most of your potential customers will leave before ever viewing your products or their prices.

Does My Site Have a Good Shopping Cart?

The shopping cart is literally the focal point of the shopping experience, primarily because it is the main interface that customers will use to checkout. If the shopping cart has glitches or is outdated and inconvenient, most of your prospective customers will become frustrated and look for another site. Thus, before proceeding with the construction of your eCommerce site it is absolutely necessary to “test drive” your shopping cart to view your site form the perspective of a site visitor.

Is My Site Secure?

Security falls under the second aforementioned important aspect of eCommerce – trustworthiness. If your site is not secured you’ll have a hard time closing any sales online. Regular internet shoppers have been educated to look for sites that begin with HTTPS before providing any credit card details, so it will be fairly difficult to have a successful online business without an SSL certificate. Fortunately, most eCommerce hosting plans come with SSL certificates.

Does My Site Have Convenient Navigation?

If it is difficult to navigate your site and find a particular product then it will be nearly impossible to have a high sales volume. Most people shop online because they are looking for a good price on a particular item. If your site does not have a properly organized product catalog and a good on site search engine, then finding the right product will be inconvenient for your customers.

Can I Accept All Major Payments?

The concept is simple – the more payment methods you can accept, the more potential customers you have. Only accepting credit cards can greatly limit your sales volume, especially in modern times as online payment processors are becoming increasingly popular. It is important to ensure that your site can accept money orders, credit cards, debit cards, and payments through online payment processors like PayPal, MoneyBookers, and AlertPay.

VeriSign Releases Another New Safety Measure

Art — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 06:41:28 +0000

VeriSign and RatePoint have teamed up to develop the SafeSender Email Program. This allows RatePoint customers to improve click-through rates, build better relationships with customers and ultimately increase profits by adding the VeriSign Trust Logo to all customer correspondence. The seal verifies that customers can buy, trade, browse and now communicate under a secure umbrella.

To add the VeriSign seal to communications, customers can subscribe to the VeriSign SSL Certificate. For users, the logo can appear in emails, social networks like Twitter and Facebook, and on website signup tools. This is a huge advantage for those currently using RatePoint.

During the pilot program, five participants displayed the VeriSign logo within their email campaigns. The presence of the trust seal resulted in a greater number of visits to the customers’ sites. This, in turn, produces much higher revenues.

Customer concern of scams and fraud groups that steal pertinent information is growing. Therefore online trust of vendors is diminishing. Those that display the VeriSign Trust Seal are improving customer’s trust in that online business. This is reassuring to those worried about clicking on the wrong link and losing important information.

This new collaboration gives RatePoint’s customer campaigns and their business a much more measurable edge. The goal of this partnership is to improve email list signups, strengthen overall trust and increase open rates.

The new VeriSign Trust Seal within the SafeSender Email Program will further boost profits within both business entities integrity. Organizations displaying the logo will be recognized as willing to stand up for independent verification by daily scans to ensure no spyware, malware or viruses encompass the email. In today’s shaky economy, this is a major reassurance to customers.

The VeriSign Trust Seal is a breath of fresh air for many companies looking to hold a competitive edge in their respective market. Although VeriSign has been a leader in internet trust and has held a seal of authority in the market, they are continuing to expand their coverage and grab a hold of their industry.

As more businesses continue to subscribe to their features, customers will slowly gain trust for internet vendors. This is an excellent method for stimulating the global internet buying community to shop online as opposed to a land-based store. All businesses should register to display the VeriSign logo on their page as it will help them attract and retain customers which equates to profit.

Web Hosting For Online Businesses – Dedicated vs. eCommerce

Art — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:47:21 +0000

Establishing and operating an online business requires knowledge, skill and perseverance. However, even with the right mindset and skill set it is impossible to succeed without tools and resources. In order to ensure the optimal functionality of your website you’ll need access to a powerful web server that can transfer data to hundreds of computers simultaneously without sacrificing performance.

Although most webmasters start with a shared web hosting plan, it is important to note that 90% of successful online business owners will upgrade to a more powerful plan eventually. In order to prevent the unnecessary hassle of site relocation and data migration, it is best to consider the needs of your site and choose a competent plan initially. Dedicated and eCommerce hosting plans are perfect for online businesses, however each one presents unique advantages and disadvantages.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is a service in which you can lease a powerful web server that is dedicated exclusively to your web sites. This kind of private server environment is ideal for larger sites that are in need of extensive server resources. Dedicated web servers are synonymous with the most powerful kind of web hosting plans in the world. With a seemingly unlimited amount of disk space and bandwidth it is possible to host sites that have massive product catalogs and thousands of daily visitors. Although dedicated hosting plans provide powerful servers, it is important to note that they are not made for novice webmasters and many of the tools needed to operate an online store are not included.

eCommerce Hosting

Although eCommerce web servers are not as strong as dedicated servers, eCommerce hosting was designed specifically for online retail shops. Many prefer eCommerce plans because they are an “out-of-the-box” solution for online store owners that need a plethora of eCommerce tools in an inclusive package. Ecommerce hosting plans come with site building tools, shopping carts, product catalog creation and management applications, payment processing integration, SSL certificates and other resources that simplify, expedite and facilitate the establishment and operation of a secure and successful online storefront.

Conclusion

Both eCommerce and dedicated hosting plans come in various sizes and packages, so the capabilities of each plan will depend entirely upon the hosting provider and the chosen service. In general, dedicated servers are for more experienced webmasters that need a powerful solution for many web sites, or one large site. eCommerce hosting plans are perfect for novice webmasters, or online business owners that do not have the time or technical skills to manage and set up all of the necessary eCommerce tools on a dedicated server.

It is important to note that dedicated servers can host all of the aforementioned eCommerce applications such as shopping carts and product catalogs, however in many cases these tools are not automatically integrated. Ultimately the decision will depend upon your skill level, budget, and needs as a webmaster.

Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » SSL

Premium Web Hosting and Security Features Available in the Public Domain

Related posts:

Is SSL Essential for eCommerce Sites?

Related posts:

Three Ways Web Hosting Providers Secure E-Commerce Transactions

Related posts:

The Benefits of Using Multiple Domain Hosting for E-Commerce

Related posts:

Dedicated IP Web Hosting

Related posts:

e-Commerce Hosting: What You Need, What You Don’t

Related posts:

Web Hosting Security – Difference Between SSL, TLS and SSH

Related posts:

Ecommerce Site Building Checklist

Related posts:

VeriSign Releases Another New Safety Measure

Related posts:

Web Hosting For Online Businesses – Dedicated vs. eCommerce

Related posts: