SSL Details

The devil is in the details. If you want to avoid problems when dealing with SSL it would be helpful to understand more of the details that are involved when using it.

What is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), is the standard security technology for encrypting a connection between a web server and a browser. Once established, this connection will encrypt all traffic and ensure that all data passed between the web server and browser remains private. SSL is a standard and is used by millions of websites to protect their online transactions with their customers. Many software applications support SSL such as web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari), file transfer programs (SFTP), and email programs. However, in order to have an SSL encrypted connection, a web server requires an SSL Certificate.

How does SSL work?

When you prepare your web server to use SSL you will be asked a few questions about your website and your company including your web site's domain name and your company's name and location. Your web server then creates two cryptographic keys: a private key and a public key. Your private key must remain private or the SSL connection could be made vulnerable. The public key does not need to be secret and is placed into a Certificate Signing Request or CSR, a piece of encrypted text that you will submit to a certificate authority. The certificate authority will validate your details and issue the SSL certificate which you can then install to the web server with the private key to enable SSL.