Chapter 24 . Running a Linux, Apache, MySQL, (Disney web site)
Chapter 24 . Running a Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP (LAMP) Server 667 Electronic commerce applications such as online shopping and banking are generally encrypted using either the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) specifications. TLS is based on version 3.0 of the SSL specifications, so they are very similar in nature. Because of this similarity and because SSL is older the SSL acronym is often used to refer to either variety. For Web connections, the SSL connection is established first, and then normal HTTP communication is tunneled through it. Because SSL negotiation takes place before any HTTP communication, namebased virtual hosting (which occurs at the HTTP layer) does not work with SSL. As a consequence, every SSL virtual host you configure needs to have a unique IP address. During connection establishment between an SSL client and an SSL server, asymmetric (public key) cryptography is used to verify identities and establish the session parameters and the session key. A symmetric encryption algorithm such as DES or RC4 is then used with the negotiated key to encrypt the data that are transmitted during the session. The use of asymmetric encryption during the handshaking phase allows safe communication without the use of a preshared key, and the symmetric encryption is faster and more practical for use on the session data. For the client to verify the identity of the server, the server must have a previously generated private key, as well as a certificate containing the public key and information about the server. This certificate must be verifiable using a public key that is known to the client. In some cases, the server also requires the client to present a certificate that it can verify. However, this is not commonly found on Web servers, except in high-security environments with smaller numbers of clients, where the management of certificates is more practical. You can find more information about the SSL protocol at http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/security/sslin/ contents.htm. Certificates are generally digitally signed by a third-party certificate authority (CA) that has verified the identity of the requester and the validity of the request to have the certificate signed. In most cases, the CA is a company that has made arrangements with the Web browser vendor to have its own certificate installed and trusted by default client installations. The CA then charges the server operator for its services. Commercial certificate authorities vary in price, features, and browser support, but remember that price is not always an indication of quality. Some popular CAs include InstantSSL (www.instantssl.com), Thawte (www.thawte.com), and VeriSign (www.verisign.com). Note Note
Searching for affordable and proven webhost to host and run your servlet applications? Go to Linux Web Hosting services and you will find it.