SSL is the Secure Socket Layer protocol that is responsible for creating secure communication between client and server. This is done by both server and client authentication and the negotiation of an encryption algorithm and cryptographic keys. Internet users associate SSL with the padlock that appears in your browser’s address bar when you enter the secure area of a website. They know to look for this before entering any personal or financial information online. If information is entered on an unsecured website, the data is transmitted from your computer to the web server un-encrypted and viewable in plain text. Anyone ‘sniffing’ packets on the network or on the internet can capture your information and use it fraudulently.