Secure site, SSL, https, encryption and what-not: What does it mean, how do I know its there?
Lets start backwards: Encryption obviously means that information is encoded using a particular formula (or algorithm) and must be decoded by the recipient before it can be read. HTTP (without the s) is the protocol which is used by computers to communicate and exchange website information. HTTPS is the version of this protocol that uses a secure channel (hence the s). Secure in this case means that the information is encrypted. SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and is the current de facto standard for performing the encryption. You will often see companies praising themselves for using 128, 256 or higher bit SSL. In general, the higher the number, the stronger the encryption, and the harder for a malicious person to decode the information. A secure site is one that makes use of the mentioned (or equivalent similar) technologies to provide an encrypted link when highly sensitive information, such as credit card details, need to be transferred between you as the user and the website yo
