> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.ex2.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# What is an SSL/TLS certificate?

## SSL and TLS certificates

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a protocol used to secure a connection and protect sensitive data. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the successor to SSL. This is an advanced cryptographic protocol providing a secure connection over a given computer network.

SSL/TLS facilitates a secure connection between two systems. It could be one server and one client or two servers.

SSL/TLS protocols ensure that data transferred between users and sites (or between two systems) is impossible for third parties to decrypt. This technology uses encryption algorithms to scramble the exchanged data, preventing hackers from reading it. 

This data may include sensitive or personal information. We can think of names, addresses, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information.

TLS is simply an updated and more secure version of SSL. The two terms are often treated as interchangeable, so these security certificates are still often called SSL.