SSL

SSL

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is essentially the standard security technology used for establishing an encrypted connection between a specific web server and a browser.

This connection ensures the privacy of all the data that is transmitted between the web server and browsers. SSL is an established industry standard and is utilized by millions of websites in order to protect their online transactions with customers.

In order to create an SSL link a web server must have an SSL Certificate. When a person chooses to activate SSL on their web server they will be prompted to answer a couple questions about the identity of their website and company.

They are then given two cryptographic keys by the web server; a Private Key and a Public Key. The Public Key does not need to be kept private so it is placed into a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), which is a data file containing the website’s details.

Once the CSR is submitted, the Certificate Authority will validate the request and will issue an SSL Certificate with the person’s details.

Those will be matched up to by the website’s Private Key which will allow the user to establish an SSL link. The complexities of the process are kept hidden from users and instead they are simply shown a small symbol letting them know whether or not they are protected.