Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a protocol for securely transmitting information between the web site and the customer in a manner that makes it difficult for other people to intercept. SSL takes care of this and it works through a combination of programs and encryption/decryption routines that exist on the web hosting computer and in browser programs (like Netscape and Internet Explorer) .

• 1. Browser checks the certificate to make sure that the site you are connecting to is the real site and not someone intercepting.

• 2. Determine encryption types that the browser and web site server can both use to understand each other.

• 3. Browser and Server send each other unique codes to use when scrambling (or encrypting) the information that will be sent.

• 4. The browser and Server start talking using the encryption, the web browser shows the encrypting icon, and web pages are processed secured.