What is SSL? SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, an encryption technology that was originally created by Netscape in the 1990s. SSL creates an encrypted connection between your web server and your visitors’ web browser allowing for private information to be transmitted without the problems of eavesdropping, data tampering, and message forgery.
To enable SSL on a website, you will need to get an SSL Certificate that identifies you and install it on your web server. When a web browser is using an SSL certificate it usually displays a padlock icon but it may also display a green address bar. Once you have installed an SSL Certificate, you can access a site securely by changing the URL from http:// to https://. If SSL is properly deployed, the information transmitted between the web browser and the web server (whether it is contact or credit card information), is encrypted and only seen by the organization that owns the website.
Millions of online businesses use SSL certificates to secure their websites and allow their customers to place trust in them. In order to use the SSL protocol, a web server requires the use of an SSL certificate. SSL certificates are provided by Certificate Authorities (CAs).