The SSL (and TLS) protocol is the Web standard for encrypting communications between users and SSL (secure sockets layer) e-commerce sites. Data sent via an SSL connection is protected by encryption, a mechanism that prevents eavesdropping and tampering with any transmitted data. SSL provides businesses and consumers with the confidence that private data sent to a Web site, such as credit card numbers, are kept confidential. Web server certificates (also known as secure server certificates or SSL certificates) are required to initialize an SSL session.
Customers know when they have an SSL session with a Web site when their browser displays the little gold padlock and the address bar begins with a https rather than http. SSL certificates can be used on Web servers for Internet security and mailservers such as imap, pop3 and smtp for mail collection / sending security.
SSL provides businesses and consumers with the ability to collect private data, such as credit card numbers, in a secure and confidential manner. If you intend to collect any kind of sensitive information from your clients you should get a SSL certificate to encrypt the data.
The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a commonly used protocol for managing the security of a message transmission on the Internet. SSL uses a program layer located between the Internet's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP) layers. The "sockets" part of the term refers to the sockets method of passing data back and forth between a client and a server program in a network or between program layers in the same computer. SSL uses the public-and-private key encryption system from RSA.
With an SSL Web Server Certificate on your Web site, any information sent to your Web server is encrypted or scrambled, making it impossible to intercept or steal. It also displays the identity of the Web site owner, and the name of the independent authority who verified that identity, such as GeoTrust or RapidSSL.
If you purchase your certificate directly from WestHost, you can save yourself the hassle of installing the certificate yourself by having WestHost automatically install the certificate for free. In addition to free installation, purchasing from WestHost is also less expensive than purchasing the certificate directly through the vendor.
CSR stands for 'Certificate Signing Request'. The CSR contains information about the person or organization who is requesting the certificate (the same information which will eventually be contained in the certificate itself) along with a public key relating to that person or organization.
You can generate a CSR by installing the site application OpenSSL, which is found in your Site Manager. For more complete details, on installation, please refer to the SSL Certificate Installation Instructions.
WestHost will have your initial processing completed within 24 hours of you placing the order. After initial processing, the Technical Contact listed for the domain name in which the certificate is to be installed on will receive an approval e-mail. That approval e-mail requires the Technical Contact to approve the order by clicking on a link within the approval e-mail. Once that has been completed, the SSL certificate is issued, and WestHost will install the certificate within 24 hours of the approval process being completed. If the Technical Contact responds quickly to the approval e-mail, the whole process can generally be wrapped up well within 24 hours.
Wildcard certificates allow you the ability to secure multiple sub domains on a single domain name. Please visit our RapidSSL Wildcard details page for more information.
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