SSL is an abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer. This is a common protocol used to communicate information securely online. This protocol provides a safe path that runs between two Internet-connected machines or two machines on the same internal network. SSL usually operates and sets up a secure session with little or no interaction from the person actually visiting the web site.
It does this by making sure that any data transferred between users and sites, or between two systems remains impossible to read. It uses advanced encryption algorithms to scramble data in transit, preventing hackers from reading it as it is sent over the ssl connection. This information could be anything sensitive or personal which can include credit card numbers and other financial information, names and addresses. You may notice the browser displaying a padlock or the address showing a padlock and a green bar – this shows a SSL enabled website.