What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL Certificate is an electronic file that uniquely identifies individuals and Web sites and enables encrypted communications. SSL Certificates serve as a kind of digital passport or credential. Typically, the "signer" of a certificate is a "Certificate Authority" (CA), such as VeriSign.

Encryption, the process of transforming information to make it unintelligible to all but the intended recipient, forms the basis of data integrity and privacy necessary for e-commerce. Customers submit sensitive information and purchase goods or services via the Web only when they are confident that their personal information is secure. The solution for businesses that are serious about online transactions is to implement a trust infrastructure based on encryption technology.

The diagram below illustrates the process that guarantees protected communications between a Web server and a client. All exchanges of SSL Certificates occur within seconds, and require no action by the consumer.

Importance of SSL encryption

Businesses that can manage and process e-commerce transactions can gain a competitive edge by reaching a worldwide audience, at very low cost. But the Web poses a unique set of trust issues, which businesses must address at the outset to minimize risk.

Customers submit information and purchase goods or services via the Web only when they are confident that their personal information, such as credit card numbers and financial data, is secure.

Installing SSL Certificates not only makes business safer for your customers; it actually makes it easier to submit sensitive information over the Internet. Internet browsers have built-in security mechanisms to prevent users from unwillingly submitting their personal information over insecure channels. If a user tries to submit information to an unsecured site (a site without an SSL Certificate), the browsers will, by default, show a warning, which will lead the customer to question the trustworthiness of the site.

In contrast, if a user submits credit card or other information to a site with a valid SSL Certificate and an SSL connection, the warning does not appear. The secure connection is seamless, making the online shopping experience more pleasant.