What does a Certification Authority do before issuing a trusted SSL Certificate?
The SSL protocol did not originally include the provision of a validated business identity within the SSL Certificate. Yet both Microsoft and Netscape (and other browser vendors) have a policy of only issuing SSL Certificates to validated entities so consumers now expect such website identity assurances. Market education through the consumer press and industry bodies has also added to people’s perception of the SSL padlock as indicating a secure and authentic site. As a result of their “trusted” status, Certification Authorities have a responsibility to ensure they only ever issue SSL Certificates to legitimate companies. This may only be achieved by employing stringent validation processes to ensure issuance practices only allow the SSL Certificate to be issued to a legitimate company. After all, anyone relying on the presence of an SSL Certificate will do so not just for the encryption factor, but also to indicate the legitimacy of the site. Whether they realize it or not, consumers
