Current status of the Ning Platform is always available on the Ning Status Blog.

SSL certificate feature release

Hi everyone!

Many of you have been waiting for us to launch the new SSL certificate feature - so here it is! The migration process will be performed in several stages. Currently the feature is available for 3.0 networks only.

The migration of the networks with *.ning.com domain name is automatic, and has already begun. Hopefully, by the end of the next week the process of mass implementation will be completed. The networks with custom domain names will soon follow.

As a second step later this year, we will focus on 2.0 networks. We are already working on transferring these networks to HTTPS protocol, and everyone willing to volunteer in the testing process is welcome to contact our Support team to sign up.

Here are a few things an SSL certificate will help you with:
- safeguard your website from hackers, phishing, eavesdropping, man-in-middle-attack, and sniffing attacks
- keep sensitive information that is sent across the Internet encrypted, so that only the target recipient can use it
- protect sensitive information, such as customer names, phone numbers, addresses, and credit card numbers
- receive ranking advantage in search engines placement, since Google has recently updated its algorithm and added HTTPS as a ranking signal
- become more secure and trustworthy to the customer who wants to deal with a verified company and keep their personal information private.

These will help you ensure that your network gets more trust, which will ultimately bring more users to your community.

Thank you for your feedback on the importance of having an SSL certificate, and your active comments about Ning platform improvement.

Kindest regards,
Ning team

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  • Do you have any plans to add an SSL certificate to api.ning.com?  Anyone who uses javascript files hosted on an external server without an SSL certificate is going to have Mixed Content errors on their site.  If they could move their js files to Ning servers, it would save them the cost of obtaining an SSL certificate from their hosting company.  GoDaddy, for example, charges $60 a year and up for SSL Certificates.  Thanks in advance for any information you can provide on this!

    http://api.ning.com/
    • Hi TJ,

      Just wanted to add a bit to Ron's reply. The file that has been uploaded to Ning doesn't get https link immediately, several minutes should pass till it would become available by the https link as well. It's only for the newly uploaded files.

      Best regards,

      Ning Team.

    • NC for Hire

      Hey TJ,

      I think they have already enabled SSL on api.ning.com, just use https://

      3239960?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

      Hope that helps.

      • Thanks Ron,

        I just discovered the same thing myself.  An additional problem will occur when the javascript code, which can indeed be accessed from a js file uploaded to Ning if one uses https, accesses server side files that use http.  That's the issue that I am trying to fix for multiple clients.  Looks like they are going to need to purchase SSL Certificates.

        I do still have a question for Ning - do you plan to update the URL you give people when they upload a file to the Ning servers from starting with https://api.ning.com/ to https://api.ning.com/ so they don't freak out when the js code they uploaded doesn't work with the URL you give them?  It's easy enough to add that s if you know to do it, but people may not know, and may not see this discussion.  Of course there may be a reason to leave it as http which I don't know.  Just wondering!

        http://api.ning.com/
        • Hi TJ,

          I do agree that comments under discussions aren't the best place to publish such information. As the proof, you can check comments here https://creators.ning.com/forum/google-will-place-my-site-on-the-un....

          Unfortunately, I don't know whether api links from file manager are on http on purpose or not, I'll contact developer regarding this and based on his answer I would create a bug or suggestion report.

          Sincerely yours,

          Ning Team.

          • Thanks so much for your helpful replies!

  • Kyryl,

    We all have to be HTTPS starting October, both Ning 2 & 3, or we're going to have even more problems than we have today. People are already often getting warnings that my Ning 2 site is not safe and traffic is WAY down. That's because browsers often call us unsafe since we're not HTTPS.

    Starting October, it's going to be far worse.

    This really needs to be Job 1 for both Ning platforms.

    • Hi Steve,

      I've mentioned this already in comments somewhere but this announcement is the more suitable place for this I guess.

      As you may know, the management has changed their mind and decided to provide https encryption for 2.0 networks as well. We are planning to accomplish this task in September this year for networks with the native domain names (*.ning.com). Next, we are planning to make it possible to install SSL certificates for networks with custom domain names, however, this would be done only in November 2017.

      Best regards,

      Ning Team.

      • Hi Kyryl,

        Thanks for your quick reply. I did read that, now that you mention it. But I have a "custom" domain. Most commercial Ning 2 clients do. November will be too late for us.

        • Hi there!

          Unfortunately based on the resources that we have we won't be able to accomplish this task earlier.

          However, when the SSL would be implemented on native ning domains on 2.0 you will be able to use the temporary solution described here by James Gatlin.

          Best regards,

          Ning Team.

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