One thing everyone knows about the internet is that you’ve got to be careful when it comes to protecting your private information. There are many people out there who want to hijack your information and use it for their own personal gain. This is obviously something you want to avoid.

If you’re trying to play it safe while surfing the internet, you need to make sure you’re using a website you can trust. You can verify this by making sure the sites you visit use SSL protocol.

How SSL Protocol Works

SSL was developed by Netscape as a means to make the internet a little bit safer. SSL stands for “Secure Sockets Layer.” It’s a protocol that was developed which allows you to transmit private documents and data on the internet. SSL keeps your data encrypted by using a cryptographic system made up of two separate keys. The first key is public and the second key, which belongs to the user receiving the data, is private.

SSL is used by websites which commonly collect information like log-in data, private data such as your social security information and credit card information.

How Do You Know If a Website Uses SSL?

Websites which need a SSL connection will start with “HTTPS” as opposed to “HTTP.” The acronym “HTTPS” stands for “Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure” which means that if implemented correctly, your data is safe to be transmitted. This means you should get into the habit of looking for the “HTTPS” in the web address of whatever site you’re using if you plan on transferring private data through the site’s server.

Sites using SSL will need to register for a digital certificate. This digital certificate allows a website to transfer private data on the internet by using a public key infrastructure, commonly referred to as simply PKI. This digital certificate is also known as a public key certificate.

It’s worth it to take a few extra minutes and do some research on the sites you use. A site with a good reputation will have great reviews and little if any instances of a security breach.

What This Means to You

Now that you know a little bit about SSL and how it works, you should have a better idea of how you can protect yourself in the digital world. The internet isn’t always a safe place but there is plenty you can do to protect your information. And knowledge equals power when it comes to maintaining your privacy.

You now know what to look for and it’s up to you to make sure that the websites that you use are reputable and trustworthy. The internet creates victims every single day but you don’t have to be one of them. Remember to always look for the “HTTPS” when making a purchase or transferring private data. The power is in your hands, so keep your eye on the address bar in your web browser.