SSL is a short acronym for Secure Sockets Layer. This is used to provide a layer of protection when information is passed through a computer browser, like through a form.
Hackers can easily see a lot of information, but when a site has an SSL certificate, the information is encrypted, which means that whatever you sent through a form, whether it’s a credit card number, personal identification, phone number or private message, all of it’s protected from being stolen.
Now, the process behind SSL works like a handshake, and is often known as an SSL handshake. The process is similar to the sequence below:
The browser or server tries to access a website that uses a SSL certificate.
The browser or server asks the server of the website it’s trying to access, to identify itself..
The server of the website being accessed, sends their SSL certificate for verification.
The browser or server checks and determines whether the SSL certificate is valid.
If the certificate is valid, access is granted, which means encrypted data can be passed between the browser or server, and the server that requested access.
This process looks like it takes a ton of time, but it only lasts a couple milliseconds. In the past, early SSL certificates slowed down a site. Because of how far technology has come, the SSL handshake has improved, which means no worries over the process making your website slower.
SSL certificates normally have an expiration. The most common usually lasts about one year, so that means you will need to renew your certificate each year. The reason for this is because technology is always evolving, and like anything dealing with computers, keeping the code for your SSL certificate up-to-date is extremely important.
SSL certificates aren't designed to expose the person, business, or organization, but to verify that the certificate issued is valid and authentic. If you hover over the left side of the link, on your browser’s link bar, you can click the padlock to view any of the following information:
What domain name the certificate was issued for.
Who the certificate was granted to (individual person, business, or organization)
Which authorized company issued it (also known as Certificate Authority) and their digital signature.
When the SSL certificate was issued.
When the certificate will expire.
The public key of the certificate
HTTP vs. HTTPS - What’s the difference?