Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

Small business often underestimates the importance of a website. When they do get a website, it's often created by a friend or inexperienced developer - and that can have disastrous consequences.

 SSL and why you need it.

 The Internet has created many new global business opportunities for enterprises conducting online commerce. A website is one of the best ways for a small business to find new customers. But this will only happen if the website is well designed and necessary security measures are in place. However, the many security risks associated with conducting e-commerce have resulted in security becoming a major factor for online success or failure.

Over the past seven years, consumer magazines, industry bodies and security providers have educated the market on the basics of online security. The majority of consumers now expect security to be integrated into any online service they use, as a result they expect any details they provide via the Internet to remain confidential and integral. For many customers, the only time they will ever consider buying your products or services online is when they are satisfied that their details are secure.

What is SSL and why should you care?

 Transport Layer Security (TLS) and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), are cryptographic protocols that provide security for communications over networks such as the Internet. TLS and SSL encrypt the segments of network connections at the Application Layer to ensure secure end-to-end transit at the Transport Layer. TLS is also the name of a working group of the Internet Engineering Task Force, but in this article TLS refers to the protocol, not the working group.

 Several versions of the protocols are in widespread use in applications like web browsing, electronic mail, Internet faxing, instant messaging and voice-over-IP (VoIP).

 TLS is an IETF standards track protocol, last updated in RFC 5246, that was based on the earlier SSL specifications developed by Netscape Corporation

 In this day and age, people often take their laptop on the road and use wireless hot spots to surf. These wireless hot spots should be locked down and encrypted, but are often not and this makes it easy for a hacker to intercept communications. Should a customer be connected to the internet via a wireless hot spot, any details they enter into your website could potentially be captured by a hacker - and that may include personal information including their name, address and credit card details. This is not only bad for your customer; it's also bad for the reputation of your business.

 SSL stops that from that happening by encrypting the data that passes from your customer's computer to your website. Even if the data is intercepted by a hacker, it will be completely unreadable.

Where should encryption begin?

 In my opinion, SSL encryption should start as soon as customers enter your online store. It doesn't cost you anything extra to let them shop behind encryption.

 The store is where it starts. People will go and select the products they like and add them to their shopping cart. Then they will click "checkout" if you don't encrypt the entire store then this is where it should begin. In the checkout (this is usually a step process) they will either login if they are a returning customer or input there information and possibly create a user name and password as step one. Step two will be credit card information and verification this is where the encryption is most critical.

 This checkout process doesn't have to be created from scratch there are online services that can help.

The TLS protocol allows client/server applications to communicate across a network in a way designed to prevent eavesdropping and tampering. TLS provides endpoint authentication and communications confidentiality over the Internet using cryptography. TLS provides RSA security with 1024 and 2048 bit strengths.

In typical end-user/browser usage, TLS authentication is unilateral: only the server is authenticated (the client knows the server's identity), but not vice versa (the client remains unauthenticated or anonymous).

TLS also supports the more secure bilateral connection mode (typically used in enterprise applications), in which both ends of the "conversation" can be assured with whom they are communicating (provided they diligently scrutinize the identity information in the other party's certificate). This is known as mutual authentication, or 2SSL. Mutual authentication requires that the TLS client-side also hold a certificate (which is not usually the case in the end-user/browser scenario). Unless, that is, TLS-PSK, the Secure Remote Password (SRP) protocol, or some other protocol is used that can provide strong mutual authentication in the absence of certificates.

 Typically, the key information and certificates necessary for TLS are handled in the form of X.509 certificates, which define required fields and data formats.

 SSL operates in modular fashion. It is extensible by design, with support for forward and backward compatibility and negotiation between peers.

Benefits of SSL

1. Server authentication. When you have SSL, you are protected as well as your customer. The server – which is basically another name for a computer that stores information about your Web site for viewing by customers and others – must have a digital certificate. SSL provides these certificates, and is able to read them. Certificates come from a trusted third party that can guarantee encryption. The certificate is proof that the server is what it says it is. SSL makes it harder for fraudsters to pretend to be another server. Customers feel safe, knowing that you really are legitimate, and they are more willing to do business with you. You are protected as well when you engage in business to business transactions with others that have valid SSL certificates.

 2. Private communication capability. Another advantage of SSL protection is that it makes conversations private. The encryption used by SSL turns useful data, such as credit card numbers, addresses and other payment information, into useless bits of information. Random characters appear. Only the right recipient – one with the encryption key – can decode the messages. This means that you have a private communication channel. If someone else tries to intercept the information, it will appear to be useless.

 3.Customer confidence. This is an extremely important benefit of having SSL certification. It assures customers that you are taking the proper steps to protect their personal information. A well-informed and seasoned Internet shopper knows that SSL protection is a necessity. Many savvy online shoppers will not buy from ecommerce merchants who do not encrypt transactions using SSL. If you want loyal customers, it is a good idea to purchase some sort of SSL certificate so that buyers feel confident in engaging in business with you.

 Ensure that your Payment Processor have a valid SSL Certificate if you are using a third party payment processor for your sales viz. Paypal / Alertpay / Moneybookers / Okpay.

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