Do I need an SSL certificate? What the heck is SSL?

The tech world sure loves its acronyms, doesn’t it? SEO, CSS, UI.

Here’s one you may not have heard, but one you should know about if you have an e-commerce site: SSL. It stands for Secure Socket Layer, which are three English words that make sense individually, but when put together create a nonsensical word stew that makes one wonder what multiple layers of socks have to do with security.

The origin of the phrase Secure Socket Layer isn’t as important as what it does, which is encrypt data submitted by your customers to your site – data they and you don’t want falling into the hands of Bad People. Like credit card numbers, for example.

First things first, how do you know if you have an e-commerce website? Answer this very simple question: Are customers able to transact business on your site, for example, purchasing those adorable pet costumes you sell? If yes, then you have an e-commerce site, and security is definitely something you need to think about. If no, you do not need an SSL certificate, and you can go back to checking the scores of your fantasy sports team.

SSL certificates: Like you graduated Security 101

If your business is fairly small, you probably could go with Paypal as your secure-enough system for conducting online business transactions. But if you do a significant volume of online transactions, first of all, pat yourself on the back, and second, consider an SSL certificate. What exactly is this certificate? According to Webopedia:

The SSL certificate sits on a secure server and is used to encrypt the data and to identify the Web site. The SSL certificate helps to prove the site belongs to who it says it belongs to and contains information about the certificate holder, the domain that the certificate was issued to, the name of the Certificate Authority who issued the certificate, the root and the country it was issued in.

Security is a big deal to your customers, so it should be a big deal to you, too. The more security you have, 128 bits and higher, the more expensive it will be, so it’s wise to do some comparison shopping first. Here is a comparison of SSL certificates with prices. You want to go with a trusted name, but one that you can afford, as well.

The worst thing that could happen to your business, other than having it endorsed by a Kardashian, is a security breach. If your site was to be hacked, and your customers’ data stolen, well, I don’t have to tell you …

Right?