UNISA Credit Card Payments Doesn’t Have A SSL Certificate?!

I got totally owned today by the extremely crappy UNISA credit card payment form. Today was the last day that I could register for my second year Bsc (actually a mixture of 1st and 2nd year modules) and it was also the last day that you could pay for your studies.

So to make a long story short I eventually ended up having to pay my studies via the UNISA credit card form located here, rather than doing an internet banking transfer. With-out checking (stupidity on my part, I know) I simply entered my details and hit submit. Later in the day I get a message from Mr Reed letting me know that they do not have an SSL certificate on their payments form. It would appear as if they are not encrypting any payment data.

How the heck can such a huge international distance education university make such a basic e-commerce mistake? I hear from a few people (including people working inside UNISA) that the systems and processes are falling to pieces there. I would definitely like to hear an explanation from someone in the UNISA tech department on this issue and will be contacting someone tomorrow.

All that I can say right now is thank heavens for credit card insurance!

Rants UNISA