We are routinely (multiple times per week) creating Digicert SSL certificates for our clients in Northwest Alabama and outside of Alabama. We are often asked what is the difference between SSL, TLS, and HTTPS. In this article we are going to do a very high-level explanation so that everyone can easily understand what this very important security is.
Are methods of securely transmitting information across the Internet. The information is encoded in a manner that makes it hard to understand unless you are the intended recipient. We say hard as there is no system that cannot be compromised given enough time and energy.
SSL was initial coined by the inventors of the first versions of the protocol, Netscape. Netscape was later bought out by American Online (AOL). This gives you an indication of the age of this encryption method as it was around in the birth of the Internet when it became publically available.
HTTPS is intended to mean is supposed to mean "HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure". Most people when they think of HTTPS will think of standard HTTP traffic encrypted with SSL (or TLS). Only in the last several years have people started to full encrypt traffic using HTTPS. Previously only when credit cards or login pages were being used was HTTPS implemented.
TLS is the new name for SSL. You will often hear SSL, HTTPS, and TLS used interchangeably. Although this does happen the key to make certain is the encryption method your website uses needs to be TLS.
Make certain your website is capable of having an https:// connection. You may still support standard http:// connections but this is slowly changing where all communication is encrypted with the "S".
With every client that we host their website for we provide TLS for every client using Digicert certificates which is extremely secure and has had no vulnerabilities found in its encryption process. To learn more about how we can help secure your website not just with encryption but updates and maintaining a 24x7 monitoring process on your site give JM2 Webdesigners in Cullman Alabama a call at @BUSINESSPHONETOLLFREE@, email at @BUSINESSEMAILADDRESS@, or use our online contact form here.