What is SSL? Simply explained

by Corinna

In times of data leaks and hacker attacks, security on the net is very important. This is where the term SSL often comes up. We will show you what it actually is and how you can recognise a secure connection.

What is SSL? Meaning of SSL encryption explained simply

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is an important technology on the Internet that protects your data and ensures that your online communications remain private.

Think of SSL as an invisible shield that keeps your data safe when you surf the web or share private information. It is a type of code that encrypts your data and prevents unauthorised people from intercepting or reading it. The following explains what SSL is and why SSL encryption is so important for your security online.

  • Actually, SSL is no longer the current state of the art. In version 3, the protocol was renamed TLS (Transport Layer Security). SSLv3.1 therefore corresponds to TLSv1.1.
  • TLS, also known as Transport Layer Security, represents an updated and more secure version of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Although the term “SSL” is still often used when referring to our security certificates, they actually refer to the more modern and trusted TLS certificates. TLS has replaced SSL and is now the common standard for secure encryption on the internet.
  • Old implementations such as SSLv2 cause security warnings in many browsers, as several critical security vulnerabilities have been found in the past.
  • Application finds TLS for example with HTTPS. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the green lock next to the URL in your browser.
  • You can try this out on Facebook, for example. Open the website and click on the lock. You will then get more information about the encryption. In this case, Facebook uses the latest and very secure version “TLS 1.2”.

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