Hi. My company just got this job that needs some careful studying on my part. The job is sort of like an amazon.com thing.. when it comes to customization and transaction.

Here are my questions... please help me out..

1. How does ssl really work? I know that it's a secure server and that no one can view what you're doing in a ssl section, but how about doing the section themselves? Does the server just assign a space for me to upload the websites and they are automatically secure? Is it that simple?

2. On customization [detecting return visits by ip address-username], I know this is done through cookies. Where can i find information on the construction of one? I know that it is done in Javascript. But is it done in any other langauges?

3. Umm.. what is data mining? Hehe.. stoopid me not to know.... ;[

4. The issue of credit cards online is giving me a headache. I've read through http://www.wdvl.com's take on e-commerce, but i think i need more info.... can you guys help?

5. What exactly is the nature of verisign? Do i really need it? How about Truste and BBBonline certificates? Do I need them?

6. Do I need to know anything else about accepting credit cards? Any suggestions would be great!

Btw, as of hosting [i think its relevant info], I'm hosted with http://www.crystaltech.com .

Again, thanks in advance for your help! ;]

Lots of questions- I suggest you research this a little more than posting on a BBS- but here you go:


1. How does ssl really work? I know that it's a secure server and that no one can view what you're doing in a ssl section, but how about doing the section themselves? Does the server just assign a space for me to upload the websites and they are automatically secure? Is it that simple?

SSL does two things:
1. Provides a certificate to verify you are dealing with who you think you are
2. Encrypts data transfer using Public Key Encryption


2. On customization [detecting return visits by ip address-username], I know this is done through cookies. Where can i find information on the construction of one? I know that it is done in Javascript. But is it done in any other langauges?

Cookies can be assigned and read in PERL/PHP and a whole host of both scripting and compiled languages npot just javascript.


Umm.. what is data mining? Hehe.. stoopid me not to know.... ;

In basic terms it means proving a methodology of recovering data- It's a complex subject.

What exactly is the nature of verisign? Do i really need it? How about Truste and BBBonline certificates? Do I need them?

Versign are an authority that distribute security certificates- Versign and THWATE are the two I would use. And yes you need one per domain.


Do I need to know anything else about accepting credit cards? Any suggestions would be great!

Expect high charges and overheads- also most processing companies will require merchant status.

You really are looking at a huge subject here.

This job was kinda given to me suddenly.... heck, I haven't been getting enough sleep because of this... ;[

<b>quote:</B>
This job was kinda given to me suddenly.... heck, I haven't been getting enough sleep because of this... ;[
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Hi theplonk
I can understand your situation, as I was in same similar situation last year, but it was not of SSL, anyway you will do it...Good Luck
Sachin

Versign are an authority that distribute security certificates- Versign and THWATE are the two I would use. And yes you need one per domain.

You can always purchase a wilcard cert and add subdomains
to the secure server. We have over 100 clients using our SSL alone for shopping carts all under one domain.

Happy Holidays
Dave