How Does it Work?

An SSL/TLS certificate consists of a simple file that is maintained on the website’s server. It contains information about the site’s identity, such as the domain name and organization it was issued to, along with the name of the certificate authority that issued it, and the certificate’s issue and expiration dates.

It also contains what are known as “public” and “private” encryption keys. When a connection is being made, the public key is exchanged to validate the identity of the server to other computers seeking to connect. The private key remains secret.

Why are Certificates Important?

In addition to promoting secure communications, security certificates have become increasingly important as a means of establishing credibility. Given the increasing prevalence of phishing attempts, savvy users have become accustomed to looking for HTTPS:// to take the place of “www” when a secure connection has been made. In the absence of such, visitors cannot be certain that they are in fact interacting with the legitimate destination site.