Cheapest/simplist way to get a secure form on an old website?

edanto

A friend is looking for a quick and clean way to get a secure form on their old website.

They want the end result to look like this - https://www.cliffhouse.ie/booking.html

A form for people to send their details, but with 'a wee padlock in the corner' since some of the details are sensitive.

I've had a quick google and found this company that offer secure forms hosted on their server...built into your website http://www.mysecureform.com/login.htm

Cost is $96/12 Months, but I don't know how that compares to getting a developer to do the necessary work on the site itself. Can anyone tell me the steps involved?

I just want to learn more about what's involved before I ask some developers for quotes.
thx

louie

your hosting provider should be able to provide a SSL certificate for your website.

Sully

I set up that SSL Cert on the website. Its about 10euro a year from NameCheap. Not the best security algorithm but good enough security for that type of form. You need to be able to setup SSL Certs on your server (your host will assist you).

Usually your host will generate a CSR for you which you then give to the registrar for the SSL Cert which in turn gives another key which is then placed on the server your website is hosted on. A certificate is just a way of verifying who you are. The certificate is then signed up a Trusted Authority like VeriSign etc. Some registrars offer SSL Certs for crazy money but they are usually the well known and trusted registrars offering excellent encryption methods.

You can still use encryption without generating a certificate, but its not recommended for many reasons.

edanto

Thanks very much! That's exactly what I was looking to learn.

Sully

Theres a lot more to it but the above is a very condenses summary.