Turvasertifikaadid

Turvasertifikaadid, often translated as security certificates, are digital documents used to verify the identity of a website or an online service. They are a crucial component of secure online communication, particularly in ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of data exchanged between a user's browser and a web server. When a user visits a website secured with a turvasertifikaat, their browser establishes a secure connection using the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, formerly known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

The primary function of a turvasertifikaat is to provide authentication. It assures the user that they are communicating with the legitimate website and not an imposter. This is achieved through a chain of trust, where the certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). The CA verifies the identity of the applicant before issuing the certificate, and browsers are pre-programmed with a list of trusted CAs. If a website's certificate is valid and signed by a trusted CA, the browser will display indicators of a secure connection, such as a padlock icon in the address bar and the use of "https://" in the URL.

Beyond authentication, turvasertifikaadid also enable encryption. The secure connection established via TLS/SSL encrypts the data transmitted between the user and the server, making it unreadable to anyone who might intercept it. This is vital for protecting sensitive information like login credentials, credit card numbers, and personal data. Without turvasertifikaadid, online transactions and communications would be vulnerable to eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.