Many websites, especially those that deal with a lot of confidential information, display the SSL Logo to assure clients that the data that they enter is secure. But what exactly does SSL mean? SSL is short for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a cryptographic protocol that provides communication security over the Internet. What it does is that SSL encrypts segments of network connections using asymmetric cryptography for privacy, and a keyed message authentication code for message reliability. Several versions of this protocol are used in various internet-related applications and these include but are not limited to: web browsing, email, Internet faxing, instant messaging and voice-over-IP (VoIP).

Secure Sockets Layer was initially developed by Netscape for the purpose of transmitting private documents through the Internet. SSL uses a system that needs two keys to encrypt data − a public key that is known to everyone, and a private key that is known only to the recipient. Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer both support SSL and many web sites use this protocol to obtain confidential user information, such as credit card numbers, and websites that that have SSL connections start with “https” instead of just “http”.

Web sites that regularly handle confidential information should ensure that the host provider they want to sign up with offers SSL solutions. To check the reliability of a host provider’s SSL protocol, good online resource would be website hosting reviews.

Website hosting reviews, such as Go Daddy Review, are independently run sites that provide unbiased ratings on a web host’s services. Host reviews also publish feedback and comments from its past and/or present clients. These review sites help other consumers determine if a webhost is able to meet their security requirements.