- What does SSL mean?
- Is SSL safe? What level of encryption does
FastVirtual provide?
- How much does an SSL certificate cost?
- Do I have to have my own SSL certificate?
- Should I choose VeriSign, Thawte or GeoTrust?
- Does FastVirtual offer a shopping cart?
- What steps do I need to take to accept payments by credit card?
- Am I required to obtain a business license to
trade over the Internet?
 What
does SSL mean?
SSL is an abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer. This is an
encrypted protocol for transmitting data securely over the Internet.
Most online activities requiring a secure server, such as processing
payments, or storing personal details, rely on SSL to secure the
connection between the user's web browser and the server.
Is
SSL safe? What level of encryption does FastVirtual provide?
FastVirtual uses Stronghold-powered secure servers, which utilizes
the most robust authentication protocols available.
Stronghold is stable, reliable, and provides 128-bit encryption,
which is the
current maximum.
Note: The encryption level applied depends the user's
browser. Most modern browsers support 128-bit encryption.
How
much does an SSL certificate cost?
SSL on your own domain (https://yourdomain.com) requires us
to generate a CSR and that you have this signed by a Certification Authority.
The certificate is then installed to your domain. A CSR can be automatically
requested from the account control panel and involves a $25.00 setup
fee. This fee includes the installation of your issued certificate.
FastVirtual supports VeriSign, Thawte and GeoTrust certificates,
as well as others. Please visit your control panel for current pricing.
For further information, including instructions on how to obtain
your SSL certificate, please see the
Secure Server Guide.
Do
I have to have my own SSL certificate?
A shared secure server is included as standard with all web hosting
plans. This provides 128-bit SSL encryption for everything you upload
to your domain via the following shared URL: https://www.yourdomain.com/
Although the shared secure server provides the same functionality
as SSL on your own domain, for ecommerce purposes we recommend that
you purchase your own certificate. For more information, please see
the Secure Server Guide.
Should
I choose VeriSign, Thawte or GeoTrust?
FastVirtual supports certificates from VeriSign, Thawte and GeoTrust,
as well as from many other authorities. It's up to you to decide which
better serves your needs, based on price and required browser compatibility.
For more information, please see the
Secure Server Guide.
Does
FastVirtual provide a shopping cart?
A shopping cart system is provided with Gold, Platinum
and Platinum Plus hosting plans. Miva Merchant, an advanced storefront
system that can integrate with automatic payment systems, is included with Platinum and Platinum Plus plans.
More information about the shopping cart system is available the
BasicCart Guide. For further
information about Miva Merchant, please see the
Miva Merchant Overview.
What
steps do I need to take to accept payments by credit card?
You need to contact your bank to set up a merchant account and
credit card processing service. The procedure is usually
straightforward and is normally completed within a few days.
Alternatively, you can use a
gateway service from a 3rd party payment service provider, such as
VeriSign's
PayFlow Pro service.
FastVirtual's hosting services enable you to transfer
information, including credit card details, securely. Our form
processor can also perform basic verification of credit card
numbers. Our hosting services alone do not enable you to process
credit card payments. Obtaining payments, either through a merchant
account, or via a payment service provider, is entirely your
responsibility.
Am
I required to obtain a business license to trade over the Internet?
This depends entirely on where you are located. For further
information about business licenses, and the requirements for
trading over the Internet in your city or county, please contact
your local government.
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