Re: security

by "Lauri Vain" <optima(at)hot.ee>

Date:	Mon, 16 Apr 2001 20:42:03 +0300
To:	"Molly Brewer" <mwb(at)alpha.rwu.edu>, "Listserv" <hwg-basics(at)hwg.org>
References:	rwu
	todo: View Thread, Original

Hi Molly,

> I'm wondering what people think of Versign as a security feature for a web
> server.  Any comments?

What do you mean by a "secuirity feature"? Verisign basically issues secuirity
certificates to be used with SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or other technologies
which need such a certificate to encrypt data. Verisign itself is not a
secuirity feature.

You need a SSL capable server (or hosting package if you let somebody else to
host your sites). SSL encrypts data sent between you and the user so a third
party won't be able to see credit card numbers for example.

SSL is very secure and it covers almost everything one could ask to protect
sensitive data to be sent over the web. Sure, everything can be cracked or
decrypted but that info won't be of any use to somebody in 200 years or so when
somebody would be able to crack the code.

Verisign is not the only possible solution. The two largest certificate
authorities are Verisign and Thawte -- it really doesn't matter from which of
these you get your certificate.
www.verisign.com
www.thawte.com

Basically SSL is great and you really don't have to worry about it failing if
everything is Ok (meaning the secuirity of your server itself is Ok).

Good luck!

Yours,
Lauri

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