The ABC of SSL: Super Duper encrypted security in an age of Internet Commerce
As the volume of Internet commerce continues to skyrocket
and even double every few years, the need to protect the communication
of sensitive financial data has become paramount. There are several ways
in which this objective is achieved. You can build hacker safe sites using
cutting-edge technologies. You can implement domain level protection by
using a multi-layered password system. You can further enhance your protection
levels by implementing SSL.
Price for Progress
You have most probably viewed a
digital SSL certificate in action by visiting sites
where an “s” appears in the http:// of an address bar.
The “s” stands for “secure” and indicates that data
being exchanged by the web site and your Internet browser
has been coded or encrypted. Additional proof of a secure
web connection is provided through the appearance of
a little padlock at the bottom of the browser. Internet
Explorer 7 provides the added advantage of confirming
a secure status through a color-coded address bar .
In case you have wondered how all
this is articulated, wonder no more because we are here
to tell you how.
Simple Definition
The abbreviation “SSL” stands for “secure socket layer”
which is one of the many ways to code, scramble or encrypt online data.
This form and level of encryption is achieved through the use of complex
algorithms. Today, the standard level of encryption used when transmitting
sensitive data over the Internet is called 256 bit SSL encryption. This
form of digital data protection ensures that communication between a web
site and your browser is first scrambled and coded at the point of departure
and then subsequently decoded when it arrives at its chosen destination.
In other words, even if the data is intercepted by a malicious software
application or by a live individual, the data is not compromised in any
way, shape or form.
SSL Certificate Wish List
Like everything technical, SSL certificates come in
various strengths and combinations. Which SSL certificate is best for
you depends largely on the type of e-commerce company you operate, your
transaction volume and the level of browser access you wish to provide
to your customers. Your SSL certificate vendor is in a position to perform
a needs assessment on your site and recommend the right digital SSL certificate
for you.
Standard SSL Certificate
For starters, there is the simple, garden variety
vanilla SSL certificate which provides protection only to a single domain
also known as FDQN or Fully Qualified Domain name. The most popular versions
of web browsers currently in use such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox,
Opera and Safari are fully compatible with this certificate. This SSL
certificate is incompatible with sub-domains. If you have more than one
sub-domain which you need to secure, you have a better option available
which we will explore in a moment.
SGC SSL Certificate
The second category of digital SSL certificates is
called the SGC certificate. SGC stands for server gated cryptography and
essentially allows you or your online customers to use old 40 bit legacy
browsers to step up to 128 or 256 bit capacity and thus provide an added
layer of security. This SSL certificate costs much more than the starter
SSL certificate described above and may not be worth the extra expense.
EV SSL Certificate
EV SSL certificates provide an unprecedented level
of security and protection through confirmed identity assurance. Until
the advent of this certificate, your customers had no visible indication
on the browser to confirm that you were a legitimate and a verified enterprise.
EV SSL certificates work in tandem with all popular browsers and indicate
through a symbol of trust, a green address bar or even a clearly spelled
out message, that your corporate identity has been verified by the SSL
certificate authority. This process of verification is implemented by
asking you to submit corporate documentation such as licenses, articles
of incorporation, bank statements, phone bills and other forms of verifiable
evidence. Internet Explorer 7 currently provides the maximum amount of
information to site visitors about the nature of this SSL protection.
The address bar in Internet Explorer 7 has been programmed to change colors
to reflect the security level of the connection. The address bar turns
green when the SSL encryption is fully in place. Additionally, this browser
also displays the name of the SSL certificate provider as well as the
name of the certifying authority. Since these attributes are available
only in EV SSL certificates in conjunction with Internet Explorer 7, investing
in this class of SSL certificates is worth a serious consideration. If
you happen to be an established Internet commerce company and have the
funds to invest in this class of SSL certificates, this might be the right
protection package for you and your customers.
Wildcard SSL Certificate
A wildcard digital SSL certificate is ideal for you
if you have a need to secure a primary domain and a host of sub-domains
through data encryption. Under normal circumstances, SSL certificates
tend to secure only a single primary domain or a sub-domain. For instance,
if you had one primary domain such as http://mybook.com and two sub-domains
such as http://library.mybook.com and http://research.mybook.com, you
would have to invest in three separate SSL certificates. A single wildcard
SSL certificate, on the other hand, can protect not only the primary domain
but an unlimited number of sub-domains. This results in significant cost
savings for those who need this level and quality of protection.
SSL Certificate Bottom Line
Digital SSL certificates can start from as low as
$70 and can go all the way up to several thousand dollars depending on
the class and strength of certificates you require. SSL certificates have
a dated validity and usually expire in one year. To save money, it is
best to purchase certificates with multiple year validity and shop around
carefully during renewal time. The price for an SSL certificate typically
includes the cost of customer support, trouble shooting and a warranty
to cover losses arising out of protection failure in rare instances.
To Buy or not to Buy
Everyone knows that the Internet
has created new avenues and opportunities for e-commerce.
Unfortunately, this unbridled growth has also stirred
up the criminal element. Until now Internet commerce
companies did not have a viable solution to this rather
serious problem, but now we do in the form of potent
digital SSL technology which guarantees unparalleled
cyber protection to one and all.
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