SSL
Definition
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a security protocol that encrypts data between web browsers and servers, ensuring secure online communications and
Use Cases
- Cloudflare: Encrypting web traffic for customer websites to prevent eavesdropping and tampering — Provides TLS certificates and terminates TLS at its global edge, then optionally re-encrypts traffic from the edge to the origin server (flexible/strict modes depending on origin certificate configuration). (Helps websites enable HTTPS at scale, improving security and user trust while meeting modern browser expectations for encrypted connections.)
- Let’s Encrypt: Free, automated certificate issuance to accelerate HTTPS adoption across the internet — Operates a public Certificate Authority (CA) and supports automated issuance/renewal using the ACME protocol, which many web servers and hosting platforms integrate for hands-off certificate management. (Lowered cost and operational barriers to deploying HTTPS, contributing to widespread encryption of web traffic.)
Provider Equivalents
- AWS: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)
- Azure: Azure Key Vault Certificates
- GCP: Certificate Manager
- OCI: OCI Certificates
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between SSL and TLS?
- SSL is the older name for the protocol; TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the modern, secure successor used today. People still say “SSL” to mean “TLS,” but in practice you should use TLS (for example TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3) because older SSL versions are obsolete and insecure.
- When should I use SSL/TLS?
- Use SSL/TLS whenever data moves between a client and a service over a network—especially for logins, payments, APIs, and any personal or confidential data. In cloud setups, it’s commonly used to enable HTTPS on a load balancer, API gateway, ingress controller, or CDN so traffic is encrypted in transit.
- How much does SSL/TLS cost?
- Costs vary by certificate source and management approach. Many organizations use free certificates from Let’s Encrypt (no certificate fee, but you still manage automation and operations). Public CAs also sell certificates with different validation levels and support. In cloud, managed certificate services may charge for certificate management and/or for the resources that use the certificate (like load balancers, gateways, or CDN), so total cost depends on your architecture and traffic.
Category: security
Difficulty: intermediate
Related Terms
See Also