SSL Validation for high-security browser
Extended Validation SSL Certificates give high-security Web browsers information to clearly identify a Web site’s organizational identity. Extended Validation SSL immediately tells your customers that you're secure, trusted and an authentic company. For example, if you use Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7 to go to a Web site secured with an SSL Certificate that meets the Extended Validation Standard, IE7 will cause the URL address bar to turn green.
A display next to the green bar will toggle between the organization name listed in the certificate and the Certificate Authority. Firefox 3 also supports Extended Validation SSL. Other browsers are expected to offer Extended Validation visibility in upcoming releases. Older browsers will display Extended Validation SSL Certificates with the same security symbols as existing SSL Certificate.
The SSL (and TLS) protocol is the Web standard for encrypting communications between users and SSL (secure sockets layer) e-commerce sites. Data sent via an SSL connection is protected by encryption, a mechanism that prevents eavesdropping and tampering with any transmitted data.
SSL provides businesses and consumers with the confidence that private data sent to a Web site, such as credit card numbers, are kept confidential. Web server certificates (also known as secure server certificates or SSL certificates) are required to initialize an SSL session. Customers know when they have an SSL session with a website when their browser displays the little gold padlock and the address bar begins with a https rather than http.
SSL certificates can be used on webservers for Internet security and mailservers such as imap, pop3 and smtp for mail collection / sending security.
What is a high-security browser?
Web browsers that were developed to recognize Certificates are considered high-security browsers. They are designed to trigger unique visual cues to indicate the presence of an Certificate.
For instance, Internet Explorer 7 shows a green address bar and displays the name of the organization listed in the certificate as well as the certificate's security vendor. These displays make it easier for Web site visitors to quickly establish trust with the Web sites they visit.
What is the Extended Validation Standard?
A group of leading SSL Certificate Authorities (CAs) and browser vendors approved standard practices for certificate validation and display called the Extended Validation Standard.
To issue an SSL Certificate that complies with the standard, a CA must adopt the extended certificate validation practice and pass a Webtrust audit. The validation process requires the CA to authenticate the certificate applicant’s domain ownership and organizational identity, as well as the individual approver’s employment with the applicant, and authority to obtain the Extended Validation SSL Certificate.
IE7 is designed to recognize Extended Validation, but may not correctly display in Windows XP because the traditional SSL root is matched rather than the root. Internet Windows XP systems do not automatically update the root store.
