What is a SSL and SSL Certificate?
February 17, 2006
What is a SSL? SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is a protocol for transferring/transmitting private documents via the world wide web. SSL uses a public key to encrypt data and then to transfer it.
What is a SSL Certificate? An SSL certificate is basically an integrity check for your server authentication and data encryption. With a valid SSL certificate, your Internet communications are transmitted in encrypted form; this means that any information transmitted can be trusted by your customers to remain private and unaltered to ONLY the server you specify.
Want to accept credit cards directly on your website without forcing your customers to risk identity theft?
You need the security of a SSL Certificate. SSL Certificates are installed and used on the portion of your shopping cart where a customer types in sensitive information, such as her credit card number; SSL Certificates protect that information from being intercepted by a third party.
Shared SSL Certificate
Very Commerce offers a shared SSL certificate with our Small Business Web Hosting Services. When you purchase small business hosting services from Very Commerce you already have the security of a Shared SSL Certificate built into your hosting plan.
If you are hosting elsewhere and do not have the option of a shared SSL certificate, you will need to purchase one to accept credit cards securely.
As a business, you may desire your own SSL certificate. However, before purchasing your own SSL certificate be aware that it requires your domain to have a dedicated IP. A Dedicated IP is purchased in addition to your small business web hosting services.
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