The SSL certificate acts as a digital passport, providing identification to the website, and additionally protects the communication with browsers by means of an encrypted connection using the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protocol.

Without a certificate, a secure connection between the server and the user could not be established, because sensitive data such as users and passwords could be exposed to third parties.

In order to provide secure communications and ensure user authentication and data privacy, certificates use encryption algorithms. These algorithms encode the messages that are transmitted between sender and receiver. In this way, sensitive data such as an account or card number remain fully protected from third parties. For this reason, an SSL certificate is especially necessary if you are setting up an online shop.

How does an SSL certificate work?

Broadly speaking, the steps involved in connecting to a website with an SSL certificate are as follows.

1. A user, using a browser, connects to the website.

2. The browser asks the web server for identification.

3. The web server returns a digitally signed acknowledgement and an SSL-encrypted connection is initiated.

4.The browser checks if the SSL certificate is trusted. If the certificate is correct, a message is sent to the web server.

5. The web server returns a digitally signed acknowledgement and a SSL-encrypted connection is initiated.

Identify a certificate and consult its information:

We can identify a website with a certificate when we see a padlock in the browser bar.

If we click on the padlock we can consult detailed information about its issuer and the details of the website we are visiting.

You can even check extra information about its validity, the type of certificate and other information by clicking on More information and then View Certificate.

SW Hosting offers you different security certificates: Comodo Positive SSL, Comodo Essential SSL, RapidSSL, Comodo Positive SSL Wildcard, Comodo Essential Wildcard, RapidSSL Wildcard, GeoTrust SSL True Business, GeoTrust SSL True Business Extended Validation, GeoTrust SSL True Business GeoCert, Leads Encrypt.

You can provide your website with SSL by purchasing a certificate from your Control Panel.

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