Breaking Down SSL And Why It Is Important
What is SSL?
SSL acronym for, Secure Sockets Layer, is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private.
How is SSL used?
SSL is a protocol to encrypt communications, which is used by HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) to secure the link. When an HTTP is secured through an SSL protocol, it becomes HTTPS (hypertext transfer protocol secure). For example, an HTTPS link will encrypt customer information like credit card numbers, so that it cannot be read if intercepted.
Why SSL?
SSL is used for privacy reasons. Without SSL protection, information sent between your browser and a web server can be read by any party in between the two. This means when you type in your credit card information, address, name, phone number, etc… this information can be intercepted and read. With SSL this information is encrypted and cannot be made use of by miscreants.
Industry Movement
Decisions made by industry leaders and/or majority market shareholders can impact the industry. These big decisions can lead to a new norm due to a majority of the market share being affected. In this case, Google Chrome holds around 56% of the global browser market share across all platforms. This gives Chrome a large amount of power when it comes to how web browsing is influenced. When Chrome decided to distrust Symantec certificates, it crippled their CA business, forcing them to sell that portion to DigiCert.
According to Symantec, the issue was only through miss-issuing test certificates, and that no real-world harm has come of it. Although Google believes that this is a pattern and must not be trusted. Even though no real harm has come of it, Google has the final word which shapes the rest of the industry.
A current market driver is creating an awareness for the end-user. Google is pushing awareness of encryption to the end-user since they are the ones who are affected by a non-secure connection. By educating the end-users, it forces websites to be secured in able to keep and generate business.
What is Keystone Click doing about SSL?
At Keystone Click, we treat your website and user privacy with the utmost integrity. During this certificate issuing problem, we have updated our servers to comply with the new update and regulations. This will continue to ensure there is a safe connection between our servers and your site.
We have also moved all clients off old platforms that do not support the new update. This guarantees that none of our clients will have a website that appears to be not trusted, like the example above.
Along with this, we force all traffic over HTTPS. This means if your website is searched with an HTTP protocol, our servers will force the traffic through a secure link or, HTTPS. With traffic forced through a secure network, our client’s users will be protected against interception of information.
For more information about how we can protect your website’s security contact us below!