A SSL Certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a Web site to visiting browsers and encrypts information for the server via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an undecipherable format — ciphertext — that can only be returned to a readable format with the proper decryption key. A certificate serves as an electronic "passport" that establishes an online entity’s credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user’s browser will access the server’s digital certificate and establish a secure connection. A SSL Certificate contains the following information: -The certificate holder’s name
-The certificate’s serial number and expiration date
-A copy of the certificate holder’s public key
-The digital signature of the certificate-issuing authority.

The company that is hosting your Web site will provide you with the name servers (DNS) for your domain name. You can also choose not to host anywhere and park your domain name for free at Web Services USA. To modify, add, or delete name servers (DNS) for your domain(s):

1. Log in to the Web Services USA Account Manager.
2. Select Manage Domains from the Domain Names dropdown menu or the Manage Your Account list.
3. Select the domain name you wish to modify using the checkboxes and then click Set Name Servers.
4. Enter your updated name server information in the spaces provided under the blue Name Servers heading on the right side of your page and click Save Changes at the bottom.

Masking works with domain name forwarding. Forwarding redirects all Web traffic for a domain to a specific URL. When someone types your-domain-name.com into a browser, our system will automatically forward or redirect them to your selected destination URL. Forwarding with Masking prevents visitors from knowing that they have been redirected by securing that your domain name remains in the visitor's browser's address bar when he/she is being redirected, thus concealing the actual destination address. The Forwarding with Masking option further enables users to add a title, plus description and keywords Meta tag data to the masked site. Title and Meta tag information is important to a Web site’s search engine ranking, but does not influence how a Web site is being displayed.

ICANN is the international governing body for all domain names. ICANN requires every registrar, including Web Services USA, to maintain a publicly accessible WHOIS directory displaying all contact information for all domain names registered. That means your personal information --- your name, home address, phone number and email address – are made available to anyone who wants to see it – and it’s available 24 hours a day, everyday. Your personal information is exposed to spammers, scammers and a whole host of unsavory characters. But with a private domain registration, you can keep your personal information private via a new and unique process that is supported by two patent applications. With a private domain registration, Domains By Proxy registers your domain in its name and becomes the Registrant of record.

The following requirements must be met to apply for a merchant account:

• Your Web site must be published to the Internet ("live").
• Your DBA ("doing business as" or business name) must be on your Web site.
• You must list your products and prices on your Web site.
• You must provide your return/refund policy on your Web site.
• You must provide your shipping methods on your Web site.
• You must provide your privacy policy on your Web site.
• You must provide your customer service contact phone number on your Web site.
• Your shopping cart must be working and secure (but it will not process).