What is an SSL Certificate?
An SSL certificate (also known as a Web Server Certificate, Secure Server Certificate, and Digital Certificate) works with the SSL protocol to secure online communications and transactions, and identifies a remote computer, using cryptography. SSL certificates are issued by Certification Authorities (CA’s), such as GeoTrust, which vouch for the information contained within the SSL certificate. Embedded within an SSL certificate is the fully-qualified domain name of your web site (server), such as www.yourdomain.com. It may also contain information about your business or organization, such as its legal name and the geographic location where your business is legally registered to conduct business.
An SSL certificate is an electronic certificate that tells your computer that it can trust a web server to make a secure connection. The certificate is signed by two parties: the Certificate Authority (CA) that issues the certificate, and the owner of the certificate (usually the owner of the web site you are connecting to).
An SSL Certificate is the electronic counterpart to a passport or a driver’s license. It is a digital certificate you install on the server that hosts your website. SSL Certificates have two primary functions: • To authenticate the identity of your website to visiting browsers and your identity or business to the visiting customer, and • To “encrypt” – or protect – private information that’s exchanged on your site, such as credit card numbers or customer account information. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, which is the technology used to protect private information on your site.
