Ms. Posey stated that with so much emphasis on cloud computing and its implications for those in the IT world, the Parallels Summit 2010 will serve as the ideal forum for tracking global trends and collaboration among some of the most important players in the industry.

SoftLayer CEO Lance Crosby is also scheduled to join in what is becoming an impressive lineup of speakers.  He intends to specifically address questions posed by those in the industry in addition to providing insight into developing a high-growth hosting firm.  Attendees of the Parallels Summit can submit their questions to Crosby via email at summit_questions@parallels.com

Mr. Crosby said the Parallels Summit is one of the most significant events to attend, stating that it provides access to the most qualified delegates in the hosting industry and often acts as the starting point for many important relationships.  Crosby noted that he is looking forward to an interactive session and encourages attendees to submit their questions early.

Other speakers that have been confirmed for the Parallels Summit include Antonio Piraino, Senior Analyst of Managed Hosting and Cloud Infrastructure Services at Tier 1 Research, and Warren Adelman, CEO and President at GoDaddy.com.  The Summit will also prominently feature Serguei Beloussov, Parallels Chairman and CEO, as well as Jack Zubarev, President of Parallels Service Provider Worldwide.

Microsoft and Verisign are among the platinum sponsors for the exclusive event, while Intel and Unison are gold sponsors.  Silver sponsors for the fifth annual Parallels Summit include AMD, e-pages, InterNex and Tucows.

The Parallels Summit 2010 will be hosted in the Fontainebleau community of Miami Beach from February 22-24.  Registration is free for all Parallels clients, partners, invited guests and other industry delegates.  An international conference, the event will provide a comprehensive blueprint of how the IT industry can leverage Parallels technology to deploy new cloud solutions, devise strategies to enhance and extend the market value of their services, and create new up-selling and cross-selling strategies that drive in increased revenues.

About Parallels

Founded in 1999, Parallels is a global leader in automation and virtualization software technology.  Its solutions optimize computing for businesses, cloud service providers and consumers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms.  Parallels is one of the fastest growing companies in the IT field with more than 700 staff members throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

1.) Make Use of Encryption

In order to protect the monetary transactions occurring on your site, you at least need to have an SSL certificate with no less than 128-bit encryption.  This security tool can be installed and managed by a third-party vendor such as VeriSign or you can choose to handle the configuration yourself.  What SSL does is scramble the data being sent over the internet in a code that is unreadable to hackers.  Thus, when sales on your website are made, the financial details of your customers is encrypted, securely transmitted and then decrypted by your payment processor.  By placing an SSL certificate seal on your website, you can calm the nerves of consumers and encourage them to shop your store in confidence.

2.) Check Your Buyers

Although you don’t want to look as if you are suspicious of everyone, the prevalence of credit card payments increases the probability of a customer using someone’s financial information without their knowledge or approval.  To minimize situations like this, you should check the identity of your customers.  This can be done by not only obtaining their name and credit card number, but also their home address, telephone numbers and the security code located on the back of the actual credit card.  By doing so, you can better assure that the financial details submitted actually belong to the individual making the purchase.  If the card comes back as stolen, you could end up playing a role in helping authorities track down the criminal.

3.) Research Your Merchant

To ensure that financial information will not be stolen following the transaction, it is imperative that you run a thorough check of the merchant account provider processing your credit card payments.  You can start by reading reviews to learn if they have a history of fraud or security issues.  Don’t hesitate to speak to the company directly about the security measures they employ and most importantly, to make sure you are completely confident in their services.  If you have any doubts about the provider, follow your instinct and move on to the next option.

Security is a hot topic in seemingly every industry these days.  If you are using the internet as a medium for your business, these certainly are not times when you can just sit back and simply hope for the best.  Hackers and their attacking mechanisms grow more advanced everyday, so it is critical that you take the appropriate actions to keep both you and your customers out of harm’s way.

What is an SSL Certificate?

Secure Sockets Layer or SSL, is a security protocol that enables encrypted communications between the customer’s web browser and the server your store is hosted on.  This is accomplished by what is known as a handshake, a process where the server’s identity is confirmed and a secure connection created.  SSL typically offers 128-bit encryption, formulated by an algorithm which generates a key that is virtually impossible to crack.  An SSL certificate shows that your site is secure and safe for shopping.

How to Get a Certificate

SSL certificates are offered by entities known as Certificate Authorities, with the most popular being GoeTrust, Thawte and Verisign.  For the most part, these authorities provide certificates that give you the same level of security.  A single certificate can encrypt the data traveling between the server and each of your customers’ web browsers.  The average online storefront can get adequate protection from a basic SSL certificate.  You also have the option to purchase additional services to strengthen the level of security.

Installing the Certificate

Although many web hosting providers offer SSL certificates as add-on products, you typically have the freedom to incorporate one purchased from a third-party vendor as well.  In most cases, you can learn how your SSL certificate is to be installed via the instructions in the control panel software or by contacting the host’s technical support department.  Some of the most advanced control panels even allow you to incorporate an SSL certificate directly from the interface.  Once installed, the certificate is automatically enabled.  You will know it is activated when noticing “HTTPS” in front your URL rather than “HTTP”.

Designing for SSL

The design of your site is very important when implementing an SSL certificate.  In order for your web pages to be viewed as secure, all scripts, graphics and media elements must be deemed secure as well.  You have probably visited web sites where a warning displays stating that some of the elements of a particular page are not secure.  These messages are prompted when external elements of a web page are not called using the HTTPS protocol.  In many cases, the certificate is valid and secure but the page isn’t designed properly for SSL.  All the external elements of your page must be called using links that include the full URL.  One simple graphic that doesn’t use HTTPS will generate a “not secure” error.

Conscious online shoppers are increasingly looking for SSL certificates and if you don’t have one, you are missing out on a lot of business.  You can have some of the most beneficial products online but if no one feels safe buying them, they will hesitate to proceed with the transaction.

Chris Babel, senior vice president at VeriSign, notes that consumers need a greater level of assurance that the sites they visit online are safe to do business with.  The milestone of one million active SSL certificates demonstrates the firm’s presence in the industry.  Babel went on to state that VeriSign will continue to collaborate with its industry peers and help customers find most secure places for making purchases online.   Already responsible for securing more servers than any other internet security company, the VeriSign Secured Seal has become the most trusted of all on the web.

SSL certificates issued by VeriSign include VeriSign, GeoTrust and Thawte, all of which help to safeguard consumers against fraudulent websites by providing and validating information about the owner of the certificate. Consumers can learn the identity of the person they are dealing with and if the certificate holder is the legal owner of the domain name.  Most of all, these SSL certificates encrypt the customer’s personal information during internet transactions.   When a consumer visits a site equipped with such a certificate, their browser will display a padlock icon as well as HTTPS in the address bar.  This enables visitors to browse a web page with a greater level of confidence, helping them to feel comfortable about dealing with a legitimate site.

The most widely recognized of all, the VeriSign Secured Seal gives indication that a particular web page is protected with a brand of SSL certificate issued by VeriSign itself.  Throughout the world, this seal represents trust and security, one that has become a common fixture to validate leading online merchants, financial institutions and other prominent businesses on the internet.

A recent study conducted by TNS Research shows that 79% of online shoppers in the United States are familiar with VeriSign’s Secured Seal, trusting it more than other mark on the internet.  This seal is viewed well over 150 million time each day, thoroughly tested and proven to help boost online transactions by as much as 31%.  The study also reveals that the VeriSign Secured Seal can be found on more than 90,000 sites in over 140 countries across the globe.

Since the late 90s, VeriSign has been providing services for a reliable internet infrastructure to secure the huge world of networked computers.  Countless of times each day, its trusted SSL certificates and recognizable seals help businesses and consumers from worlds apart engage in secure E-commerce transactions with the utmost confidence.