How can my program link to an https site?

Debbie-Leigh

Hi,

I'm trying to find out how I can log on and interact with an https website. I've worked out so far that my program will be acting pretty much like a browser i.e. I don't need to install any special software like OpenSSL as that is for the server side of things.

However, I don't know how a browser does the secure bit, so can anyone enlighten me as to how I can do this with my program? Does PHP have any built-in commands to help with this sort of thing?

Debbie

LoganK

I know cURL and fsockopen can be used to open ports on remote machines and interact with them, but I don't know exactly how the mechanics of SSL work.

Debbie-Leigh

I don't have control over what gets compiled on my host company's computer and the application I'm developing will be used by other people, so I can't be sure whether they will have OpenSSL compiled in, so I can't use any extra software or command line programs to do this. It has to be done totally within PHP.

I know I can use fopen to connect successfully to an https site, but I need to know how to format the messages from then on so I can send and receive the encrypted data that is sent and received by the https server.

So does anyone know how to do this or know of any site that explains how to do this?

Debbie

LoganK

cURL and fsockopen are PHP commands, and are "totally within PHP", as you say.

mrfritz379

Take a look at this class:
http://www.phpclasses.org/browse/package/3.html

I've used it only a couple of times. Its a little complicated, but it did the trick when I needed it.