To play this interaction requires Shockwave and either Netscape 4.x (or higher) or Internet Explorer 4.x (or higher).

What's Going On Here?

How secure are your financial transactions on the Internet? Relatively secure. One of the key technologies enabling you to send credit card and other private information across the Internet, without someone easily snooping on the transaction, is SSL - Secure Sockets Layer. The interaction above allows you to put together the step by step process by which a secure communication session is handled by SSL. Can you get the steps in the right order? If not, you might want to check out some more information about SSL and then try again!

More About SSL

If you shop on the Internet, do stock transactions, or provide any kind of personal information, you have probably seen the popup box shown below many times. Perhaps you've seen it enough times to unclick the "Show This Alert Next Time" checkbox. I prefer to see that box pop up because it tells me that the information I'm about to send across the Internet will be encrypted using SSL.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which was designed by Netscape, provides data encryption, server authentication, message integrity, and optional client authentication for TCP/IP connections. Designed as an open standard, there are a variety of organizations and companies working with the foundation Netscape provided to create additional functionality to this e-business critical capability.

If you want a quick but comprehensive introduction to SSL, check out the whatis.com overview. Want a more complete reference? Then you've got to read the IBM Redbook on Safe Surfing: How to Build a Secure WWW Connection.

We have a wide variety of security related books recommended in our Reference Library. We also have dozens of security related links in our Transporter Room. We have other security related interactive experiences available on our security page.

We recently discovered this quick tutorial of Digital Certificates and SSL on Verisign's web site.

Check Out These Books:

	Web Security - A Step by Step Reference Guide by Lincoln D. Stein Buy this book now at up to 30% off and we donate WKMN's proceeds to the Second Harvest Food Bank and Ecumenical Hunger Program.
	SSL and TLS Essentials Buy this book now at up to 30% off and we donate WKMN's proceeds to the Second Harvest Food Bank and Ecumenical Hunger Program.