What is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a technological standard for encrypted connections between servers and clients. For example, mail servers and mail client software. The benefit of SSL is to secure the data that is sent between two systems.

SSL certificate

SSL certificates are keys used to encrypt data. They enable secure connection between server and server or client users. Such certificates consist of 2 parts, the ‘private key’ and the ‘public key’. The public key is publicly available and confirms the correct encryption of the data with the private key, which is only known to the owner.

Nowadays, almost every data transport on the Internet is secured by SSL to protect against phishing and other hacker attacks. SSL technologies protect information from access by third parties.

If data is not transmitted in encrypted form, it can be read and evaluated in plain text by any entity involved in the transport. With encryption, only the sender and the end recipient can read it.

What is TLS?

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the current version of SSL. It uses the same technology, but is more modern and secure. In common language, however, SSL has prevailed, although currently only TLS is used.

See also:
Wikipedia: TLS