SSL CERTIFICATE 

An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that verifies a website's identity and facilitates an encrypted connection. SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer, is a security protocol that establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser.

Companies and organizations must add SSL certificates to their websites to secure online transactions and protect customer information.

In essence, SSL ensures internet connections are secure and prevents criminals from intercepting or altering data transferred between two systems. The padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar indicates that SSL is safeguarding the website you are visiting.

SSL works by ensuring that any data transferred between users and websites, or between two systems, remains impossible to read. It uses encryption algorithms to scramble data in transit, which prevents hackers from reading it as it is sent over the connection. This data includes potentially sensitive information such as names, addresses, credit card numbers, or other financial details.

The process works like this:

• A browser or server attempts to connect to a website (i.e., a web server) secured with SSL.
• The browser or server requests that the web server identifies itself.
• The web server sends the browser or server a copy of its SSL certificate in response.
• The browser or server checks to see whether it trusts the SSL certificate. If it does, it signals this to the webserver.
• The web server then returns a digitally signed acknowledgment to start an SSL encrypted session.
• Encrypted data is shared between the browser or server and the webserver.

Details typically included within SSL certificates include:

• The domain name that the certificate was issued for
• Which person, organization, or device it was issued to
• Which Certificate Authority issued it
• The Certificate Authority's digital signature
• Associated subdomains
• Issue date of the certificate
• The expiry date of the certificate
• The public key (the private key is not revealed)

An SSL certificate helps to secure information such as:

• Login credentials
• Credit card transactions or bank account information
• Personally identifiable information — such as full name, address, date of birth, or telephone number
• Legal documents and contracts
• Medical records
• Proprietary information

Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificates:

• Validation Level: Basic validation, only requires proof of domain ownership.
• Use Case: Suitable for blogs, personal websites, or small businesses.
• Issuance Time: Typically issued within minutes to a few hours.
• Indicator: Displays a padlock icon in the address bar.

Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificates:

• Validation Level: Medium validation, requires proof of domain ownership and additional information about the organization.
• Use Case: Suitable for businesses and organizations that need to assure customers of their legitimacy.
• Issuance Time: Takes a few days.
• Indicator: Displays a padlock icon and the organization's details in the certificate.

Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates:

• Validation Level: Highest validation level, requires extensive verification of the organization's identity and legal status.
• Use Case: Ideal for e-commerce sites and enterprises where trust and security are paramount.
• Issuance Time: Takes several days to weeks.
• Indicator: Displays a padlock icon and often shows the organization's name in green in the address bar, providing the highest level of trust.

Wildcard SSL Certificates:

• Validation Level: Can be DV or OV.
• Use Case: Secures a primary domain and all its subdomains (e.g., example.com, blog.example.com, shop.example.com).
• Indicator: Displays a padlock icon, with the level of validation indicated as per DV or OV.

Multi-Domain SSL Certificates (MDC):

• Validation Level: Can be DV, OV, or EV.
• Use Case: Secures multiple domains with a single certificate (e.g., example.com, example.net, example.org).
• Indicator: Displays a padlock icon, with the level of validation indicated as per DV, OV, or EV.

Question: Discuss the weakness of SSl.