Through the encryption protocol, the data exchanged between client and server are made inaccessible and unusable for anyone who does not have the decryption key.
Table of Contents:
What is an SSL certificate?
What are the two threats that an SSL certificate can prevent?
1. Interception of sensitive data
2. Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks
How to Tell if a Site Has an SSL Certificate
How to get a free or paid SSL certificate?
What is an SSL certificate?
An SSL certificate allows the implementation of the secure HTTPS protocol on a website, becoming synonymous with data protection. This system prevents information from being intercepted by unauthorized parties. It is an essential component for platforms such as e-commerce or sites that collect personal and sensitive data,
ensuring maximum security for users.
During a data communication between client server and web server, the latter sends its digital certificate to the browser that verifies its validity and, if positive, starts the secure connection. In essence, the SSL certificate is a real guarantee of reliability because, thanks to the protection key, it will be possible to encrypt data and personal information such as logins and passwords, credit card numbers, documents and contracts.
Nowadays certificates are based on the TLS ( Transport Layer Security ) protocol, even if the name of its predecessor, SSL, is still used. In fact, SSL and TLS have the same function.
What are the two threats that an SSL certificate can prevent?
1. Interception of sensitive data
An SSL certificate completely encrypts the communication between client and server, making any packets intercepted by malicious people unreadable. This means that information such as login credentials, payment data, personal information are completely unreadable even if captured during transmission.