SSL Client Certificate

Digital certificates are documents that allow computers on a network to make sure that other computers or users are who they claim to be. Before starting any communication, certificates are exchanged between the client (the computer trying to access the information) and the server (the computer that stores the information).

If a Web site wants to use a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)-encrypted connection, it must use SSL certificates, which include keys that are used to establish the connection. SSL certificates provide a way for users to confirm the identity of a Web site before sending personal information, such as credit card numbers, to it.

With SSL, a Web site can also confirm the identify of users by checking the contents of their client certificates. A typical SSL client certificate contains detailed identification information about a user and the organization that issued the certificate.

Certification Authorities, such as VeriSign, sell SSL certificates to people or companies who want to prove their authenticity.