What You Should Know About SSL Certificates
Hackers are using weak SSL certificates to steal your credit card information. Find out what that means and what you can do to prevent theft from happening.
SSL certificates sound complicated, which can confuse people into not caring about them. If the name does not sound familiar, why bother with them, right? In actuality, SSL certificates are very important to web security and the safety of your Android and personal data. A weak SSL certificate can expose your personal information to a hacker. Click here to download dfndr security and use the anti-hacking feature to block malicious and deceptive websites so your personal information is never at risk:
Ever wonder why premier online marketplaces (such as Amazon) are safer to use when it comes to using your credit card than weird vendor websites? The premier marketplaces have something that the sketchy sites do not: a strong SSL certificate. The presence or absence of one of these security layers is all that stands between your credit card info and a hacker.
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What is an SSL certificate?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are paid security systems that protect sensitive websites from exposing your Social Security number and credit card information from being exposed as you type it. You know if an SSL certificate is protecting your webpage if you see a padlock in the URL bar at the top of your browser.
Not all SSL certificates are the same, however. The more expensive they are, the more complicated and secure they are. Weak SSL certificates are dangerous, causing the entire webpage to be vulnerable to phishing and malware. Sometimes, weak SSL certificates are not easily advertised, so it is difficult to spot a dangerous and unsecured website.
Websites with weak SSL certificates allow hackers to copy and replicate your credit card, bank, and Social Security numbers. By going on a bad website, you risk losing your finances and identity without even knowing it. By clicking on a bad ad link, a hacker could copy your credit card and use it to withdraw your money before you log off. That’s why it’s important to use anti-hacking so that you never enter your personal information on an insecure site.
There are many ways to identify how strong a website’s SSL certificate is. The first is obvious — just look for the padlock icon in the address bar before typing in your personal information. If the padlock is unlocked or missing, it would not be wise to share your private information on that site. Depending on the type of browser you use, it may also notify you when your connection to a website is not secure, to further protect you online.