Inspiring User Trust with thawte Digital Certificates for Apache Web Servers: Free White Paper

The sophisticated nature of today's cyber criminals has forced organizations to rethink their security policies and take additional steps to protect their own data and that of its users. In short, website security has become as vital to an organization as nearly any other IT investment.

To inspire user confidence in their website, especially when monetary transactions are being conducted, companies need to prove to their customers that all online interactions are private and secure.

One way to inspire trust online is by using SSL certificates, which enable an encrypted connection over a public website. In addition, SSL certificates contain identification information, giving customers complete confidence that they are doing business with a trusted website, rather than an online imposter or an identity thief.

In fact, a recent study found that 86 percent of online shoppers feel more comfortable providing data to websites that use security indicators, such as a trust mark provided by an SLL certificate vendor.

The authentication verification provided by SSL certificates can help combat a number of security issues, including spoofing, which occurs when cyber criminals steal users' credit card numbers by creating fake websites that mirror the sites of real companies.

SSL certificates also help prevent unauthorized action, when a website is negatively altered by an outside party, and unauthorized disclosure, when hackers intercept data transmissions in route.

thawte Technologies, a Certification Authority (CA (News - Alert)) which issues SSL Web Server Certificates across the globe, recently published a white paper that walks companies through the process of testing, purchasing, installing and using a digital certificate on an Apache server.

The free white paper also details the unique benefits provided by a digital certificate and the role that thawte plays as a trusted third party. As explained in the document, thawte will verify that the company and person ordering the certificate are who they say they are by going through a number of steps.

Apache Web server owners should download the white paper for detailed information on system requirements, testing, generating private keys, requesting the certification and securing virtual hosts, among other steps.

In addition to Apache, thawte digital certificates also interoperate efficiently with software from Microsoft (News - Alert) and Netscape.

Click here to download the complete white paper.

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Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell