Website SSL, what is that do I need it ?

You might come across this term quite often while searching online or building your website, Website SSL really stands for the Secure Socket layer, which is an application and a protocol which is used mainly to encrypt and decode information that is transferred between your browser and the server online.

You will know that this function on a website is actually in use when you spot the ‘cant miss’ small key and padlock symbol either at the bottom of your browser or right top, depending on which browser that you are using. This is normally used when your are doing a financial transaction on-online or where personal details like credit card numbers and pin numbers are sent over the web.

What happens is that the information gets encrypted and then sent to the host, where it is then decrypted for use on the other end. This assures the end user that their details are not compromised and that their sensitive data does not fall into the nefarious hands of those who would use it for other purpose other than what it was intended for something we techs call “man in the middle attack” . To actually get this little function on your website really depends on the sort of host that you attach yourself to and the kind of third party services you can install on the server. This gives you certain benefits that can range from anything like the ability to show the page you want to in a secure mode, which ensures that the information is being scrambled for security purposes.

You will be also be able to give out certificate authority on your website, which means that you issue them to companies and merchants involved in the transaction for every transaction that goes through. All in all, you will get the assurance that you need to be able to secure all transactions and thus, gain the trust of your customers as well. What you need to do once you do get it is to install the application on the server itself of the web host. Once this is done, you will be able to get the key cipher which is critical in obtaining the secure certificates for you to handle processes and transactions online.

Getting the WEB SSL is one of the most important things in online businesses because it is the icon of trust when it comes to online financial transactions. That and other services will give your end customers the peace of mind that they need – what with online piracy and theft of personal data being as rampant as it is. Once you have that installed, you might want to consider adding on more advanced techniques of security and applications – but this all depends on how large your operations are and how much capital you are dealing with on a daily basis. So, now, you have a pretty good idea on what Website SSL is and how important it is when thinking about online businesses. Get one today !

espinda.com provides SSL certificates as an optional feature with our Linux web hosting plan.

• Posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009