What is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server (host) and a web browser (client). This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of their online transactions with their customers. If you have ever visited a website using the https:// in the address bar you were creating a secure connection via SSL. If you have an ecommerce solution or sell items via your website, SSL helps in establishing trust with your customers.
What is an SSL Certificate?
To create an SSL connection a web server requires an SSL Certificate. SSL Certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details.
An organization needs to install the SSL Certificate onto its web server to initiate a secure session with browsers. Once a secure connection is established, all web traffic between the web server and the web browser will be secure.
How to tell if a site is using SSL
When SSL Certificates successfully installed on your web server, Then application protocol (also known as HTTP) will change to HTTPs, where the ‘S’ stands for ‘secure’.
Depending on the type of certificate you purchase and what browser you are surfing the internet on, a browser will show a padlock or green bar in the browser when you visit a website that has an SSL Certificate installed. The complexities of the SSL protocol remain invisible to your customers. All SSL Certificates are issued to either companies or legally accountable individuals.
Typically, SSL is used to secure credit card transactions, data transfer and logins, and more recently is becoming the norm when securing browsing of social media sites.
SSL Certificate will contain your domain name, your company name, your address, your city, your state and your country. It will also contain the expiration date of the Certificate and details of the Certification Authority responsible for the issuance of the Certificate.
Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates:
Standard SSL Certificates (such as GlobalSign DomainSSL and OrganizationSSL) display:
How Does an SSL Certificate Work?
When you choose to activate SSL on your web server you will be prompted to complete a number of questions about the identity of your website and your company. Your web server then creates two cryptographic keys - a Private Key and a Public Key.
The Public Key does not need to be secret and is placed into a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) - a data file also containing your details. You should then submit the CSR. During the SSL Certificate application process, the Certification Authority will validate your details and issue an SSL Certificate containing your details and allowing you to use SSL. Your web server will match your issued SSL Certificate to your Private Key. Your web server will then be able to establish an encrypted link between the website and your customer's web browser.
https://www.entrust.com/ssl/
When a browser connects to a secure site it will retrieve the site's SSL Certificate and check that it has not expired, it has been issued by a Certification Authority the browser trusts, and that it is being used by the website for which it has been issued. If it fails on any one of these checks the browser will display a warning to the end user letting them know that the site is not secured by SSL.
Why Do I Need An SSL Certificate?
SSL Certificates protect your sensitive information such as credit card information, usernames, passwords etc. It also:
- Keeps data secure between servers
- Increases your Google Rankings
- Builds/Enhances customer trust
- Improves conversion rates
Where Do I Buy An SSL Certificate?
SSL Certificates need to be issued from a trusted Certificate Authority. Browsers, operating systems, and mobile devices maintain list of trusted CA root certificates.
The Root Certificate must be present on the end user's machine in order for the Certificate to be trusted. If it is not trusted the browser will present untrusted error messages to the end user. In the case of e-commerce, such error messages result in immediate lack of confidence in the website and organizations risk losing confidence and business from the majority of consumers.
Companies like GlobalSign are known as trusted Certificate Authorities. This is because browser and operating system vendors such as Microsoft, Mozilla, Opera, Blackberry, Java, etc., trust that GlobalSign is a legitimate Certificate Authority and that it can be relied on to issue trustworthy SSL Certificates. The more applications, devices and browsers the Certificate Authority embeds its Root into, the better "recognition" the SSL Certificate can provide.
GlobalSign was founded in 1996 in Europe and remains one of the longest running Certificate Authorities in the region.
What does the SSL mean to visitors?
Most SSL Certificates contain the domain name, company name, address, city, state, and country. It also contains an expiration date of the certificate and the details of the Certificate Authority (the company who issued the SSL). When a browser attempts to establish an SSL connection to a website it checks to make sure the certificate is not expired, has been issued by a trusted authority, and is being used for the correct website. If any of these checks fails your web browser will display a warning letting the user know that the site is not secured by SSL.
There are many benefits to using SSL Certificates. Namely, SSL customers:
- Get HTTPs which elicits a stronger Google ranking
- Create safer experiences for your customers
- Build customer trust and improve conversions
- Protect both customer and internal data
- Encrypt browser-to-server and server-to-server communication
- Increase security of your mobile and cloud apps
