SSL is protocol developed by Netscape for transmitting private documents via the Internet. SSL works by using a private key to encrypt data that's transferred over the SSL connection. Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer supports SSL, and many Web sites use the protocol to obtain confidential user information, such as credit card numbers. By convention, URLs that require an SSL connection start with https: instead of http:.

Who needs a SSL Certificate?

Any website that stores "sensitive" information like Credit Card numbers, personal information about other people (like names and addresses, Identity Numbers, Passwords etc) or sensitive company information, should only acquire the data from the individual via a secure connection. Not only is a secure connection important to protect you (the website owner) from fraud, but it is also essential to protect your customers and staff from fraud as well.

Why is SSL Certificates important?

Firstly, when you enter data (including passwords, credit card numbers) over a non-secure internet connection, the data is transmitted from your PC to the destination server in plain text. The fact that your browser shows a bunch of '******' for the password is simply what it shows you. Your password is still being transmitted as plain text!

How does SSL Certificate secure a website

Any data transmitted over the internet as plain text can be intercepted. It's as simple as that. A person with malicious intentions simply has to listen to the right ports or look at the right places to read exactly what you have entered. If that data happens to be your password or your credit card number ... well, you can guess what happens after that.
128-bit encryption - Cryptographers consider 128-bit encryption practically impossible to crack (it would take millions of years with the fastest computers to try all the combinations). With 128-bit encryption you can ensure that your international customer base will be able to exchange information with you using the strongest possible encryption.

How does SSL Certificates Work?
Client requests for secure resource.
Web-server presents its certificate.
Client verifies the certificate.
Client generates a Session Key (40, 56 or 128bit).
Client extracts the public key from the server certificate and encrypts the session key.
Client then sends encrypted key back to the Web-server.
Server decrypts the session key and both now have a common key for that session.
Both the web-site and the client can now communicate securely.
When the browser closes the window or server drops the connection the session is terminated.
Next time browser comes back to the same page a new session key is generated.

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You can view examples of work we have done for our Clients, with online links to their websites where applicable, in our online Website Design Portfolio.