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SSL is an acroymn for Secure Sockets Layer.
TLS is an acroymn for Transport Layer Security. Both these names refer to the same thing.
SSL is the security technology everyone uses to ensure that their web connections are secure.
Originally developed by Netscape Communications Corporation it is now a commonly used standardized
protocol. Although the main use of SSL is in web pages it is application independent and as such
can be used to secure any internet based application.
When using the web an SSL connection is symbolized by a padlock icon in the bottom right-hand corner of
your web browser and a URL that starts with https, the "s" standing for a
secure http connection.
Examples:
SSL Padlock in Microsoft Internet Explorer
SSL Padlock in Mozilla Firefox
In the most popular browsers, like Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla, double-clicking the Padlock
presents the user with the security details of the SSL connection. You can verify that the
connection is secure and valid using this method.
SSL can also be used to secure Email between two servers, or client and server.
This allows for secure communications without any worry of interception. Secure email communications are
supported by most major Email clients, like Microsoft Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird, in conjuction
with a server that supports SSL. For more information, please see our
Secure Email TechDesk Article.
For more information on Digital Certificates, which are used in SSL, see
the Techdesk article Digital Certificates and Digital Private/Public Key Pairs
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