People are getting smart about online security. More and more of them are looking for the padlock icon and ?https? prefix in the address bar of their browser before submitting personal information online. If your Web site doesn't have an SSL Certificate, visitors may leave before making a purchase, creating an account or even signing up for a newsletter.

An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a Web site and encrypts information sent to the server using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an undecipherable format that can only be returned to a readable format with the proper decryption key.

An SSL certificate serves as an electronic ?passport? that establishes an online entity's credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user's browser accesses the server's digital certificate and establishes a secure connection.

An SSL certificate contains the following information:-

The certificate holder's name

The certificate's serial number and expiration date

A copy of the certificate holder's public key

The digital signature of the certificate-issuing authority

How does SSL Certificates work? :-

An SSL certificate ensures safe, easy, and convenient Internet shopping. Once an Internet user enters a secure area ? by entering credit card information, email address, or other personal data, for example ? the shopping site's SSL certificate enables the browser and Web server to build a secure, encrypted connection. The SSL ?handshake? process, which establishes the secure session, takes place discreetly behind the scene without interrupting the consumer's shopping experience. A ?padlock? icon in the browser's status bar and the ?https://? prefix in the URL are the only visible indications of a secure session in progress.

By contrast, if a user attempts to submit personal information to an unsecured Web site (i.e., a site that is not protected with a valid SSL certificate), the browser's built-in security mechanism triggers a warning to the user, reminding him/her that the site is not secure and that sensitive data might be intercepted by third parties. Faced with such a warning, most Internet users will likely look elsewhere to make a purchase.

Types of SSL Certificates :-

Wildcard SSL Certificates : Secure Unlimited Servers with ONE SSL Cert! (certification also covers unlimited first-level sub-domains) You get Strong 256 Bit Encryption, Secure Site Seal, & Web PKI to easily manage multiple SSL Certs.

Premium Extended Validation Certificates : It provides the highest level of online assurance for your customers using a process that's standardized across all certification authorities:

More extensive than any existing SSL vetting process (undertaken by any certification authority).

Includes verification of your organization's identity, the validity of your request and the overall legitimacy of your business.

Browsers also display both the organization name and issuing certification authority.

Using the same rock-solid, 256-bit encryption technology as Standard SSL and Deluxe SSL Certificates, Premium SSL Certificates prove that your Web site is a secure place for customers to conduct business.

Multiple Domain Certificates, also called Unified Communications Certificates (UCC): It provides the most flexible class of SSL Certificates today by securing multiple domain names with one certificate.

Secure up to 100 domain names on one certificate.

Save money because the cost of one Multiple Domain Certificate, with additional domain names, is less than the cost of individual certificates for each unique domain name.

Compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and Microsoft Communications Server.

Simplifies the process of managing multiple certificates with varying expiration dates.

Our Single, Multiple Domain and Subdomain certificates all use the same rock-solid, 256-bit encryption technology, proving that your Web site is a secure place for customers to conduct business.

NOTE: The UCC Certificate is ideal for Communication Server, Exchange Server and other Enterprise Applications, as well as for single companies or entities with many related URLs. This Certificate is not recommended for use with sites completely separate from each other (e.g. a network provider who builds Web sites for competitors).

Most of the SSL certificate issuing companies will charge you around $399 per year. Some of the affordable SSL certificate provider like Hosting3i.com chareges $14.95 per year with 256-bit secure encryption.

SSL certificate will not only ensure safe transfer of critical information but also increase the creditability of your online store.