Filing your taxes online? Making a credit card transaction? Transferring funds from your checking to savings account? Secure Sockets Layer, also known as SSL, is an encrypted connection between the site you are visiting and your web server that makes these online transactions safe. Unless you have an encrypted connection, every piece of valuable information can be viewed by others. SSL helps prevent your credit information, social security information, and any other personal information from getting into the wrong hands.

You might wonder… how does SSL work?  The internet runs through multiple layers on a server before reaching the needed information on a web page.  The outer layer is composed of high level protocols such as HTTP, IMAP, and FTP protocols.  Then these high level protocols go through the SSL, if it is a non-secured connection then it passes through.  If the client requests a secure connection then the SSL layer will begin the security process.

In order to enable SSL on a company website, the company needs to get an SSL Certificate from a Certificate Authority that verifies whether or not the business and its online services are trustworthy. Once SSL is installed, the company can access the secured site by changing their URL from http:// to https://. Having a SSL certified website and site seal increases the chances of your company conducting business online because visitors will know that their private information is safe.

A few of the SSL Certification programs are:

So, before you make your next purchase online, be sure to check for the SSL Certificate!