SSL is the backbone of our Secure Internet. It protects your sensitive information, as it travels around the Internet and is probably the main reason for the volume of e-transactions you witness these days.

SSL ensures that information sent across Internet is encrypted, and it reaches the intended recipient safely. Its working can be put in simple terms, as converting the data into a different language before transmitting the data – A language that only the sender and recipient can understand.

Web browsers give visual cues, such as an icon with the symbol of lock or a green bar, to make sure visitors know when their connection is secured. SSL certificates can be generated for any domain-name, and browsers are designed to compare the name on the SSL with the name of the domain that hosts the SSL cert. Most browsers perform this check, and report an error/warning when it see’s a mismatch.

Even when you see a warning message stating that the website name and the certificate name do not match, it’s just the authenticity of the website, that is questionable. The pop-up can be safely ignored; if you are sure you are not being the target of a phishing attack. In simple terms, if you know you are indeed surfing a site that it says it is(means it is genuine), the warning does not take away much from the fact that the data transfer is still encrypted. However, what is the point in having setup an SSL, if your prospective customers feel insecure?

Recently I came across a news on a study that showed that only about 3.17 percent of domains have perfectly configured SSL.

The method used for the study is not perfect, as many hosts assign dedicated IP address for a domain that uses SSL, but they do not ensure that the IP is used exclusively for that particular domain. Technically speaking, this works fine, since the very first virtual-host entry for the dedicated IP belongs to the site that has the SSL cert installed. Often more domains are added to the so called dedicated IP address.

There is no better time to check and find out if your site has a dedicated IP address!

About the Author :

Sankar works as a Senior Software Engineer in Bobcares. He joined Bobcares back in April 2006. He loves grooming/mentoring people. During his free time, he listens to music, and enjoys singing..