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How SSL Certificates Work | SSL Handshake Explained | Wikicert
Learn how SSL Certificates work, how the SSL/TLS handshake establishes a secure connection, and how encryption protects data between websites and visitors.
Every time you visit a secure website using HTTPS, an SSL Certificate works behind the scenes to create an encrypted connection between your browser and the web server.
This process happens in just a few milliseconds and ensures that sensitive information—such as passwords, payment details, and personal data—cannot be read if intercepted during transmission.
Understanding how SSL works helps explain why secure websites have become the standard across the internet.
Before any information is exchanged, your browser and the web server perform a process known as the SSL/TLS Handshake.
During this handshake:
Your browser connects to the website.
The website sends its SSL Certificate.
Your browser verifies the certificate.
Encryption keys are securely exchanged.
A secure HTTPS connection is established.
All future communication is encrypted.
The entire process is automatic and usually completes in less than a second.
When you type a website address beginning with https://, your browser requests a secure connection with the website's server.
Instead of immediately exchanging information, the server first proves its identity.
The web server sends its SSL Certificate to your browser.
The certificate contains information such as:
Domain name
Certificate issuer
Expiration date
Public encryption key
Validation information
This allows the browser to verify that it is communicating with the legitimate website.
Your browser checks several things before trusting the certificate:
Is the certificate still valid?
Does it match the website domain?
Was it issued by a trusted Certificate Authority?
Has the certificate been revoked?
If everything checks out, the browser continues with the secure connection.
If not, users may see a browser security warning.
Once the certificate is trusted, the browser and server securely exchange encryption keys.
These keys are used to create a secure session for the duration of the visit.
Although the exchange happens publicly, the encryption ensures only the browser and server can understand the information being shared.
Once the secure connection has been established:
Login credentials are encrypted
Contact form submissions are protected
Payment information is secured
Customer data remains private
Anyone attempting to intercept the traffic would only see encrypted data rather than readable information.
SSL Certificates rely on two cryptographic keys.
The public key is shared openly and is used to encrypt information.
The private key remains securely stored on the web server and is used to decrypt the encrypted information.
Because only the server possesses the private key, encrypted data can only be read by its intended destination.
The SSL Handshake ensures:
The website is authentic
The connection is encrypted
Data cannot easily be intercepted
Visitors can trust they are communicating with the correct server
Without this process, sensitive information could be exposed to attackers.
Once the handshake is complete, your browser displays:
HTTPS in the address bar
The secure padlock icon
From this point forward, all communication between the browser and server is encrypted until the session ends.
Usually yes, although browsers may reuse secure sessions to improve performance.
No.
The process happens automatically in the background within milliseconds.
Modern SSL Certificates have minimal impact on website performance.
In most cases, visitors won't notice any difference.
Today, most secure websites actually use TLS (Transport Layer Security), which is the modern successor to SSL.
However, the term "SSL" remains widely used throughout the industry.
Whether you need a DV, OV, EV, Wildcard, or Multi-Domain SSL Certificate, our boutique SSL specialists can help you choose the right solution for your website and business requirements.
Contact Wikicert for expert guidance and professional SSL support.
