AAPT can provide a secure AAPT Web connection so that you can conduct electronic commerce and other activities with increased security. You can arrange to set up a secure connection at the outset or at any time during the life of your AAPT Web site.
If you wish to arrange a secure connection, contact your account manager.
Hypertext transfer protocol is made secure by using secure sockets layer (SSL) to create a new protocol; secure http.
SSL provides data encryption, server authentication, message integrity and optional client authentication for a TCP/IP connection. Using SSL on both the client and server machines allows Internet communications to be transmitted in encrypted form to prevent eavesdropping, tampering or message forgery over the Internet.
A document's Uniform Resource Locator (URL) indicates if it is secure or not. A secure Web document originating from a server implementing SSL security has a URL beginning with https while an insecure document from has a URL beginning with http.
Secure http (https) and http are different protocols and typically reside on different ports - 443 and 80 respectively. Locating the secure and insecure protocols on different ports allows a single server to provide both secure and insecure documents simultaneously.
Certificates, also known as digital IDs, are files which verify that you are who you say you are. They provide far greater security than methods such as a username and password.
A Certificate Authority is an entity that attests to the identity of a person or an organization and issues certificates attesting to that identity. AAPT support Thawte Consulting certificates and Verisign can also be used.
What happens is someone types in https:// in front of my web address and I do not have a secure certificate?
If someone on the internet types in your URL as https:// they will be redirected to a page advising they
typed in an incorrect URL.
I have a certificate from another ISP that I wish to use, can I do this? OR Can I purchase the certificate directly from Thawte?
Whilst technically possible, AAPT will not allow non AAPT ordered certificates on the system. This is partly
due to the nature of the certificate security, and also due to the many forms of certificate that are available.
More importantly, AAPT would take no responsibility for the continuation of the certificate. IE: We
would not be made aware of an impending expiry, thus will not renew any non-connect ordered certificates, leaving a site un-secured.
I have been told that my site needs to be moved to allow the certificate to function.. why?
Secure certificates require a unique IP Address per certificate. If your non-SSL website exists on an
IP Address that already has a certificate of another customer, we will need to move your site to accomodate the certificate.
In most cases username and password details will remain unchanged.
I want to change the domain name of my certificate
If for instance you wanted to change the domain name of your secure certificate (IE: after company takeover, new domain types,
or change of subdomain) you would need to purchase a new certificate. Secure certificates are valid ONLY for the FQDN (fully qualified domain name) they were purchased for. To prevent disappointment, please ensure you order the certificate for the correct FQDN
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