SSL Certificates

What exactly is an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and allows for an encrypted connection. SSL is an abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer, a security protocol that establishes an encrypted connection between a web server and a web browser.

SSL certificates must be added to websites by businesses and organizations in order to safeguard online transactions and keep customer information private and secure.

In a nutshell, SSL secures internet connections and prohibits hackers from accessing or changing data exchanged between two systems. SSL safeguards the website you are visiting if you see a padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar.

Since its introduction roughly 25 years ago, there have been various versions of the SSL protocol, all of which have had security issues at some point. TLS (Transport Layer Security), which is still in use today, was a modified and renamed version that followed. However, the initials SSL remained, and the new version of the protocol is still commonly referred to by the old moniker.