How to Find Your Ssl Certificate Network Solutions

General Questions

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SSL Certificate Management

What is SSL or an SSL Certificate?

SSL stands for "Secure Sockets Layer", which is the standard security technology for creating an encrypted link between a Web server and a Web browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the server and browser remains private and secure.

SSL Certificates serve two purposes:

They assure customers that a Web site is legitimate and that the online business running the site is a real licensed business.
They encrypt data transferred between a customer's Web browser and the online business to help prevent theft of sensitive information such as credit-card numbers, account numbers, and passwords.

The certificates are issued and validation assured by third-party companies called Certificate Authorities (CA). When a properly issued SSL Certificate is present on a Web site, the visitor's Web browser shows an image of a closed padlock and an "https" in front of the Web address.

Prior to issuing an nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate, Network Solutions verifies the purchaser's credentials using WHOIS database information and, frequently, Dun & Bradstreet data, articles of incorporation, government-issued IDs, and other credible sources. This comprehensive approach to identity validation ensures that an nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate is a reliable symbol of your company's credibility.

All nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates from Network Solutions are encrypted at 128 bits, and can be configured for up to the 256-bit encryption depending on the Web server. This means that the data cryptographically encoded during an SSL session is at the highest level for the majority of Internet browsers, and nearly impossible to break.

How do I apply for a nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate?

When you apply for a Certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA) such as Network Solutions®, you will be asked to provide certain types of information about your business and your ownership of it. Depending upon the type of certificate you are seeking, this information may include:

Dun & Bradstreet registration numbers
Proof of physical address via database listings
Opinion letter from legal counsel or public accountant
Other corporate, financial, and government documents such as Articles of Incorporation, bank accounts, and business licenses
Government-issued photo IDs

The CA will review and verify the accuracy of these documents. Depending on the type of certificate, it may also perform additional checks before issuing the SSL Certificate. If the applicant's credentials can't be verified, then the CA will not issue the Certificate.

Due to the rigorous validation measures, issuing an SSL Certificate generally takes 24 hours, although in some cases the process may take two or three days.

How do I choose which nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate is right for my Web site?

Network Solutions currently offers four different nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates – Basic, Advanced, Wildcard and Extended Validation. All offer state-of-the art security backed by industry-leading customer support. The primary differences between the services are the guarantee behind the Certificate, how quickly the Certificate is issued, and how many domains or sub-domains the Certificate can work with. You can compare all the nsProtect™ services at: product-features.html

What is the difference between an nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate and an nsProtect� Assured Site Seal?

An nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate creates an encrypted link between your Web site and your visitor's browser, and comes with a free "seal" to display on your homepage. This clickable seal shows detailed information about your company along with the guarantee behind the SSL Certificate. If you don't need to encrypt your Web site for secure online transactions, you can purchase and display just the nsProtect™ Assured Site Seal to show that your Web site has been validated as a legitimate business. Visitors can click on this seal to view your company's credentials. The Assured Site seal has a $50,000 guarantee, but offers no encryption service.

Do all nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates support 128-bit encryption?

Yes, all nsProtect SSL Certificates from Network Solutions are encrypted at 128 bits. Additionally, nsProtect Secure SSL Certificates also support lesser and higher encryption levels as determined by the Web server or browser. In other words, if the Web server or browser is configured to only support 40 or 56-bit encryption, then a secure session can still be established at that encryption level. nsProtect SSL Certificates can also support up to 256-bit encryption, the highest level available, with compatible server and browser software (Mozilla® FireFox® browser and OpenSSL ver 0.9.7 or later on the server side).

Why is 128-bit encryption important?

128-bit encryption means that the data cryptographically encoded during an SSL session is at the strongest level available, and nearly impossible to break. Compared to a 40-bit encrypted SSL Certificate, a 128-bit is more than 300 septillion (300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) times stronger.

What is the browser recognition for nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates?

Making sure your SSL Certificate is recognized by almost all Web browsers is a key element when choosing an SSL provider. Network Solutions® nsProtect™ SSL Certificates are trusted by over 99% of the browsers used on the Internet today, including:

Internet Explorer® 5.0 and above
Netscape® 4x and above
AOL® 5 and above
Mozilla® Firefox® 1.1 and above
Opera® 5 and above
Safari® (embedded with Mac OS 8.5 and above)

How is an nsProtect™ Secure Wildcard SSL Certificate different from the other SSL Certificates?

An nsProtect™ Secure Wildcard SSL Certificate is ideal for anyone that needs to secure their entire Web site, including an unlimited number of sub-domain names (i.e., secure.networksolutions.com, mail.networksolutions.com, etc.), whereas nsProtect SSL – Basic and Advanced are issued to one single host name (i.e., www.networksolutions.com)

What is the validation process for nsProtect™ Secure services?

Network Solutions follows a comprehensive validation process to ensure that your Certificate is properly issued. During this process, you are asked to provide specific information which Network Solutions will verify, or validate, to prove you are a legitimate business. For example, you may be asked for articles of incorporation, licensing, etc. You move through the various stages of validation using Network Solutions Partner Portal. The validation process is expedited within one business day with the purchase of nsProtect™ Secure Advanced or Wildcard Certificate, and within two to four business days with the purchase of the nsProtect™ Secure Basic or Assured Site Seal.

My company is not incorporated; can I still apply for an SSL Certificate?

Yes, you may still apply for a nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate if you are not an incorporated company. You may need to provide Network Solutions different documentation during your validation process than an incorporated organization.

When connecting to my Web site with HTTPS, why does my browser alert me that I have both secure and non-secure content?

This error occurs when there are both "https://" and "http://" references within a Web page. To resolve this issue, change the references to match the type of page. For a non-secure Web page, all references should be http://. For a secure Web page, all reference should be https://.

I've heard of "Extended Validation" Certificates. What are they, and are they available at Network Solutions?

Now available through Network Solutions, Extended Validation (EV) Certificates represent the first major update of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate validation process in a decade. They will require substantial changes to the methods by which the authenticity and identity of online businesses are confirmed, helping consumers determine which Web sites are legitimate businesses having verifiable credentials.

Today, different Certificate Authorities (CAs) currently employ different types or levels of authentication when using non-EV certificates, creating vulnerabilities that have been exploited for identity theft, fraud, and other online crimes. Extended Validation Certificates will standardize the validation system used by all CAs. EV Certificate validation procedures will call for all CAs to require applicants to supply the same documentation and will verify legitimacy using a prescribed set of sources and methods.

To obtain an EV Certificate, applicants will have to provide CAs with more information about their business and the CAs will have to verify the accuracy of the data through additional sources, including possible on-site visits to the applying business.

EV Certificates have been designed to take advantage of the enhanced security features of the next generation of Web browsers. Consumers who visit EV-protected Web sites using next-generation browsers such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7™ for example, will experience both higher levels of validation security and a new visual indicator that the site's identity has been validated and its security assured. Namely, the browser address window will turn green when an EV Certificate connection has been established.

The EV Certificates will continue to display the locked padlock icon and an "https" prefix to signal a secure connection.

Based on an industry-wide standard, EV Certificates were developed by a group called the CA/Browser Forum, consisting of the leading providers of Internet browsers and SSL Certificates, such as Network Solutions. Eligibility for EV Certificates will initially be restricted only to corporations or government entities. It is believed, however, that EV Certificates will eventually become the standard for online authentication for additional types of online businesses.

Read more about our EV Certificate offerings in the Marketing Resources area of the Support section on Partner Portal.

How long will it take to receive my nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate?

Upon receipt of all applicable documentation, your SSL Certificate is issued within one business day with the purchase of nsProtect™ Secure Advanced or Wildcard Certificate, and two to four business days with the purchase of the nsProtect SSL Basic Certificate or nsProtect Assured Site Seal.

What should I do if I have made a mistake in my application?

Due to the high level of security required for the issuance of SSL Certificates, you will likely need to create a new order. Please contact premiersupport@networksolutions.com or call us at 1-877-228-1023 to discuss your options.

What do I put in the Common Name field when I generate my CSR?

Use the domain name you wish to have the SSL Certificate issued to in the Common Name field when generating your CSR. Do not include the "http://" when entering the domain name, nor any slashes with subfolders after the domain name.

I selected the wrong Web server on the order form when I ordered my SSL Certificate, do I need to cancel my order and re-apply?

No. The Web server field on the order form is stored in your account so that we may better serve you if you have any support questions. It is important, however, that you select the correct Web server when generating your CSR and for installation instructions.

If I change my server or move to a different hosting provider, can I move the Certificate?

For security reasons, you will need to have your SSL Certificate re-issued in these instances. You will need to create a new CSR, and then log in to Partner Portal and follow the instructions to re-issue an SSL Certificate. Please contact premiersupport@networksolutions.com or call us at 1-877-228-1023 for assistance.

Some details have changed since my last order, how do I get these updated?

In order to update any information (including change of address, point of contact, etc.), you must request to have the Certificate or Seal reissued. It is free to reissue an unexpired SSL Certificate or Site Seal. To reissue, log in to Partner Portal and click on "Reissue" next to the Certificate service.

When should I revoke my SSL Certificate?

You may want to revoke your SSL Certificate if any of the following has occurred:

You have lost your private key, putting your secure SSL communications at risk.
Your private key has been compromised and your SSL communications are no longer secure.
You have reissued your SSL Certificate and wish to revoke the old instance of that Certificate.
You no longer wish to use the SSL Certificate in question and do not plan to reissue it.

Revoking an SSL Certificate is permanent and irreversible. Before you revoke your certificate, you may want to have it reissued so you can replace the Certificate instance that you plan to revoke. If you revoke your SSL Certificate prior to having it reissued, Network Solutions will be unable to reissue your Certificate and you will be required to purchase a new Certificate.

Once a Certificate is revoked, it is placed on a Certificate Revocation List (CRL). When a Web browser encounters a revoked SSL Certificate on a Web site, it may alert the visitor that the site in question is should not be trusted.

For additional assistance in revoking an SSL Certificate, please contact premiersupport@networksolutions.com or call us at 1-877-228-1023.

When should I reissue my SSL Certificate?

You may want to reissue your SSL Certificate when one of the following situations occurs:

You have changed your Web server software.
You have moved to a different Web hosting provider.
Your private key has been lost or compromised and you plan to revoke your Certificate.
You have accidentally deleted your private key and cannot re-install it from your backups.

As a benefit to our customers, Network Solutions will reissue your Certificate free of charge under certain circumstances as defined in our Certification Practice Statement (CPS). To reissue your SSL Certificate, you will need to create a new CSR, and then log into Partner Portal and follow the instructions there to "Reissue an SSL Certificate."

Please note: If details other than those associated with your public key require amendment, Network Solutions may be required to revalidate your application. If the reissue request does not pass the validation process, Network Solutions reserves the right to refuse your reissue application and the original Certificate may be revoked.

For additional assistance in reissuing a Certificate, please contact premiersupport@networksolutions.com or call us at 1-877-228-1023.

If I renew my SSL Certificate before it expires, do I carry-over my unused term?

Yes. The expiration date of your renewed certificate will reflect the unused days from your previous term if you renew within 180 days of your renewal.

If I have accidentally deleted my "private key", what should I do now?

First check your backups and see if you can re-install the "private key". If you don't know how to re-install the key from your backups, then contact your system administrator, or your Web server software vendor for technical support. The only alternative course of action is a re-issuance of the Certificate. You will need to create a new CSR, and then log in to Partner Portal and follow the instructions to re-issue an SSL Certificate. Please contact premiersupport@networksolutions.com or call us at 1-877-228-1023 for assistance.

Why does the Web site say the SSL Certificate is 'Untrusted'?

The likely cause is the Network Solutions intermediate certificate has not been loaded. Please visit our SSL Certificate Installation instructions to confirm that your Certificate has been properly installed.

Why does the secure part of my Web site say the name on the Certificate is invalid or does not match the name of the site?

In most cases, this is caused by the SSL Certificate having a common name that is different from the Web site's SSL configuration. For example, the SSL Certificate's Common Name is "secure.mycompany.com" and the Web site has been configured so the secure section of the Web site is using a Common Name of "www.mycompany.com".

Which versions of SSL protocol do you recommend with nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates?

We recommend using SSL version 3 with nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates. Previous versions are outdated at this point due to security weaknesses.

When Accessing My Secure Page, I Receive A "Page Cannot Be Displayed" Error

There could be several reasons why you are receiving this error. The most common reasons are:

There is a firewall / router on your network not allowing traffic on the SSL port (also known as port 443).
The private key for your SSL Certificate does not match or is not associated correctly with the Certificate
The server itself is not configured to run SSL on the desired port.
There is a DNS error on the network or an incorrect DNS mapping.
If using Microsoft IIS Web server software, you may need to attempt a simple reboot of the server. If a simple reboot fails to resolve this problem, then disable socket pooling on the server.

For additional assistance in determining the cause of this error, please contact premiersupport@networksolutions.com or call us at 1-877-228-1023. for assistance.

How to Find Your Ssl Certificate Network Solutions

Source: https://partners.networksolutions.com/en_US/help/faq-ssl.html