What is SSL?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, the leading security protocol on the Internet. With an SSL Web Server Certificate on your web site, any information sent to your
web server is encrypted or scrambled, making it impossible to intercept or steal. It also displays the identity of the web site owner, and the name of the independent
authority who verified that identity.
An SSL Web Server Certificate enables your customers to view the following information:
- The domain for which the certificate was issued. This allows customers to check that the SSL certificate was issued for your domain (URL).
- The owner of the certificate. This reassures customers about who they are doing business with.
- The physical location of the owner. This reassures customers that they are dealing with an actual entity.
- The validity dates of the certificate. This shows users that your SSL certificate is current.
Why do I need a SSL Web Server Certificate?
Online transactions sometimes fail at the last minute when consumers consider the potential risks of entering their credit card and other personal information, or when it is
not clear whether it is safe to download code from your site.
Using a digital SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) 'handshake', based on the leading security protocol on the Internet, you and your customers can rest assured that all online
communications are secure while the information is being transmitted.
Securing the transmission of information to your business holds obvious benefits, as does signifying that you are a trustworthy online organization. An SSL Web Server Certificate
protects against password and information interception, ensuring that your online relationship with your customers will be one based on trust.
An SSL certificate provides these benefits:
- Authentication: You really are who you claim to be.
- Message privacy: SSL encrypts all the information exchanged between your Web server and your customers while in transit, which means that personal information
and credit card details cannot be viewed by outside parties.
- Message integrity: Once your customers have submitted information, the data cannot be tampered with while it is being transmitted.
The value of an SSL certificate
SSL certificates send a clear signal to your customers. They know that the information they submit will not be intercepted while in transit, and that you are a verified, real-world
organization. To be issued with an SSL certificate, it must provide certain forms of identification to the registering company to prove its identity.
eCommerce sites using the ePay payment gateway must use SSL to encrypt the customer’s personal and credit card details when they are transmitted from the browser to the web server.
- If using the ePay API, an SSL certificate issued for your specific domain name is installed on your site. A domain specific SSL certificate also requires a static IP address.
- If using the ePay hosted payment page, there is no need for SSL on your web site, since it uses ePay’s SSL certificate.
- If using the eBusiness Starter ecommerce package, the use of our generic SSL certificate is included in the price.
Other customers can choose between using our generic SSL certificate, or a domain specific certificate. This is sometimes used when valuable information is being transmitted across the Internet.
Web server certificates and 128 bit Supercerts
SSL certificates can encrypt transactions between the browser and the web server at 40 bit, 56 bit or 128 bit. Cryptographers consider 128 bit encryption to be impossible to
break, as it would take millions of years with the fastes computers to try all the combinations. 40 and 56 bit encryption keys are not as strong and it is feasible to try all the combinations.
The Thawte Web Server Certificate connects at 128 bit, 56 bit or 40 bit depending on the client's browser capability. The Supercert can extend 128 bit encryption to all clients, even
if they use browsers with 40 bit or 56 bit encryption capabilities.
In the past, 128 bit encryption technology has been a restricted export from the US, and was not able to be included in browsers shipped to some countries. Therefore, customers
in some countries had to be content with browsers with a lower level of encryption (40 bit or 56 bit), and 128 bit server certificates could also not be exported to these countries.
The 128 bit Supercert on a web site gave these users the opportunity to connect at 128 bit, because the web server certificate controlled the speed. Recently, the rules have
recently been somewhat relaxed.
Pricing and ordering
Price includes ordering, installation, DNS entries and management, hosting and technical support. A static IP address is required for domain-specific SSL certificates.
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SSL prices
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Product
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Features
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Price
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Secure server space 1 year
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URL: https://minotaur.australis.net.au/username
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$204.00 p.a.
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SSL123 Web Server Certificate
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Capable of 128 bit connection depending on client’s browser capability. Issued subject to check that domain is registered and owner has authorized issue of
certificate.
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$240.00 1 year
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Thawte Web Server Certificate
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Connects at 128 bit, 56 bit or 40 bit depending on the client's browser capability. Issued subject to stringent business verification and authentication i.e. that the merchant is who
they say they are.
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$459.00 p.a. 1 year
$867.00 - 2 years
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Thawte Supercert 128 bit
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128 bit strong encryption. Extends 128 bit encryption to all your clients, even if they use browsers with 40bit or 56bit encryption capabilities
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$918.00 - 1 year
$1,730.00 - 2 years
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Verisign 40 bit
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40 bit SSL, per year
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$825.00
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Verisign 128 bit
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128 bit SSL - strong encryption, per year
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$1,980.00
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Static IP address
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Required for domain specific SSL certificate
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$112.00 p.a.
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Prices do not include GST.
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