Secure Sockets Layer Explained: Tech Clinic

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Q: I've been told that when I use my credit card or give private info over the Internet, I'm supposed to look for the SSL security protocol. What is this and how does it work to secure the transaction?

A: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a form of data encryption. Think of it as a lockbox for your data, packing up normal Web traffic and delivering it signed and secure from your browser to your server of choice. The SSL "key" is passed from the server to your browser, which verifies its validity by checking with a third-party "certificate authority."

Major certificate authorities store a copy of their keys with your browser, so that the process of verifying the transaction happens automatically. Sometimes your browser will prompt you with a pop-up warning that it cannot verify the validity of the SSL key and will ask if you're willing to trust the remote server from which the certificate is being sent. If this warning is in response to a visit to a site that you intended to view, feel free to accept it — a nonauthorized certificate doesn't necessarily mean that your connection will not be encrypted.

How do you know you're on a secure Web site? First of all, the address will start with "https://" instead of just "http://." Also, most browsers display a closed padlock in the browser frame.

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