How Secure Socket Layer(SSL) Encryption works

An Secure Socket Layer(SSL) Certificate allows visitors to know that they are really doing business with us (not an impostor's "spoof " site) and that the information they send through our site-such as credit card numbers, online forms, and financial data-is protected from interception or alteration over the Web.

How it works:

1. A customer contacts our site and accesses a secured URL: a page secured by a Server ID (indicated by a URL that begins with "https:" instead of just "http:" or by a message from the browser).
    
2. Our server responds, automatically sending the customer our site's digital certificate, which authenticates our site.
    
3. Our customer's Web browser generates a unique "session key" (like a code) to encrypt all communications with the site.
    
4. The user's browser encrypts the session key with the our site's public key so only our site can read the session key. Depending on the browser, the user may see a key icon becoming whole or a padlock closing, indicating that the session is secure.
    
5. A secure session is now established--all communications will be encrypted and can only be decrypted by the two parties in the session. It all takes only seconds and requires no action by the customer.