Thanks to Netscape, the security of online communication was revolutionized with the creation Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) in 1994. SSL refers to the security technology of global standards which essentially handles the encryption of links between a web browser and a web server.
Although Netscape’s browser the Netscape Navigator lost market share to browsers such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari and Avant Browser, the importance of SSL has however not been lost. Almost two decades later, SSL is still a critical element that affects how users interact online.
What Does SSL Do?
SSL is responsible for ensuring that any data shared or passed from the browser to the web server, and vice versa remains secure and private. This privacy and security is represented by the use of a padlock which is displayed in the web browser.
Below are two examples of how the SSL padlock is displayed in two different browsers for a particular webpage.
Not all the pages of a website will have the SSL padlock. For example, the Google homepage and search results page will not display the padlock; the Google Adsense page, however, will display the padlock, given the type of content and data shared on that page.
Who uses SSL?
SSL is extremely popular with eCommerce or eBusiness providers. In addition to protecting information about the exact nature of the purchases made, imagine the nightmare of trying to protect names, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, credit card numbers and debit card numbers, which at some point would have been used online to do one transaction or another.
Thanks to SSL, individuals doing business online can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that measures are in place to protect personal identifiable information passed from browsers to web servers online.
SSL Certification
Checking for the SSL padlock is one of the easiest ways to identify whether or not a particular website or webpage is certified. An SSL certification and certificate is granted by the Certification Authorities (CA).
The CA also works with providers of online products and services to ensure that the appropriate measures are implemented to make visitors and shoppers feel comfortable doing business online with those retailers. The presence of the SSL padlock has proven to affect the psychology of visitors to most online retailers, converting mere visitors into repeat buyers.
An important point to note about SSL certifications is that they do not last forever. SSL certificates are assigned an expiry date and must be renewed accordingly. The renewal process will allow the CA to check for issues with breaches or vulnerabilities ahead of issuing a new certificate.
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