What is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a security protocol for establishing authenticated and encrypted links between a server and a client in a network, typically a web server and a browser, or a mail server and a mail client. With SSL we can securely transmit sensitive information like login credentials and credit card numbers. Without SSL the data transferred between the client and a server is sent in plain text, if an attacker can intercept the data between the browser and the server, they can get that information.

How does SSL create a secure connection?

When a client attempts to access a server that is secured with SSL, the client, and the server establish a process called SSL Handshake, the process is not visible and happens very fast. There are three keys used to set up an SSL connection, public, private and session key. Everything that is encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted with the private key. Let's see how it looks:

Browser connects to the server, secured with SSL (https).
Server sends a copy of the SSL certificate, including the public key.
Browser checks the certificate and if it is valid it creates, encrypts, and sends back a symmetric session key using the server’s public key.
Server decrypts the symmetric session key using its private key and sends back an encrypted session key to start the encrypted session.

Why use SSL on your website?

The SSL protocol determines the encryption for both the link and the data being transmitted. Browsers can interact with secured web servers using the SSL security protocol, but to do that they need the SSL Certificate for establishing a secure connection. The most common use of SSL certificates is secure web browsing via the HTTPS protocol.

Today SSL should be used on almost every web site or web application, especially if there are transmission of transactions or confidential information. We can check in the browser address bar to be sure that a website we are visiting is protected with an SSL certificate, there should be a lock icon at the start. Modern browsers also alert visitors to insecure websites that do not have an SSL certificate.

Where can I get SSL Certificate?

There are a lot of services offering SSL sertificates, one of the best offers you can find is at NameCheap, you can check it on the link below.

Protect your Business with an SSL certificate