Definition. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a protocol designed and implemented by Netscape Communications. Netscape claims it is designed to work, as the name implies. At the socket layer, to protect any higher level protocol build on sockets, such as Talent, FTP and HTTP.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology allows web browsers and web servers to communicate over a secure connection. In this secure connection, the date that is being sent is encrypted before being sent and then is decrypted upon receipt and before processing. Both the browser and the server encrypt all traffic before sending any data. SLL addresses the following important security considerations.

(i)    Authentication: During your initial attempt to communicate with a web serer over a secure connection, that server will present our web browser with a set of credentials in the form of a server certificate. The purpose of the certificate is to verify that the site is who and what it claims to be. In some cases, the server may request a certificate that the client is who and what it claims to be (which is known as client authentication).

(ii)    Confidentiality: When data is being passed between the client and the server on a network, third parties can view and intercept this data. SSL responses are encrypted so that the data cannot be deciphered by the third party and the data remains confidential.

(iii)    Integrity: When data is being passed between the client and the server on a network, third parties can view and intercept this data. SSL helps guarantee that the data will not be modified in transit by that third party.

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