Requires Actinic Catalog or Business 4.1 or above

Microsoft recently announced that Windows XP and Internet Explorer 6 will not ship with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed as a default option.

The implication of this decision for Actinic merchants is that some consumers who purchase machines with a ‘clean’ installation using Windows XP or IE6* will be prompted to download the Java VM when they place an order through Actinic’s Java Applet (used for credit card encryption). The Java VM download is over 5.4 MB in size.

Although the impact of this will initially be minimal, Actinic has developed an alternative security system called Shared SSL, which offers the same level of 128-bit security as the Java Applet.

How it works

Actinic Shared SSL is a secure method of collecting credit card information online for use with Actinic ecommerce stores. Subject to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, it is a round-the-clock service hosted and supported by Actinic Software Limited. It offers the benefits of SSL security, i.e. secure data capture with SSL padlock displayed, without the need for the merchant to acquire an SSL certificate. The catalogue, shopping cart, and primary order processing part of the transaction occur on the merchant’s server. When the payment method of "credit card" is selected, the shopper is forwarded to a secure remote server where the credit card information is recorded. The payment details are then encrypted and sent back to the merchant site. Finally, the shopper is returned to the merchant site where the order receipt is displayed. No credit card details or other shopper information are held on the Actinic Shared SSL server. The service can be used in test mode without registration or payment in order to evaluate and test the functionality.

Shared SSL is supported by Actinic Business and Actinic Catalog v4.1 or higher. This software upgrade will be free of charge to existing users of Actinic Catalog v4 and Actinic Business. The Shared SSL service will be available from Actinic and from participating partners for an annual subscription. The Actinic Shared SSL service will be offered free for one year to merchants who purchased Actinic Catalog v4 or Actinic Business v4 between 1 May 2001 and 31 October 2001; this offer must be taken up before 31 December 2001. Otherwise the Actinic Shared SSL Service will be available to merchants for £100 per year.

The two alternative payment systems, which are currently available with Actinic Catalog and Actinic Business are unaffected by Microsoft’s decision. So, merchants integrating with a Payment Service Provider, or using their own SSL certificate will be unaffected.

Register now for Actinic Shared SSL

You will be required to agree to the licence Agreement and to provide the url of your web site and CGI bin. You will then be contacted within a few days by Actinic to obtain payment.

* Based on current information, existing Windows 95, 98, Me, NT and 2000 users that upgrade from IE5 to IE 6 will not notice any difference when using Java Applets on Actinic sites.