What are security certificates?
A security certificate is a statement guaranteeing the identity of a person or the security of a Web site. A Web site certificate contains information warranting that a specific Web site is secure and genuine. This ensures that no other Web site can assume the identity of the original secure site. Web site certificates are also dated when they are issued. When you try to open an organization’s Web site, your browser verifies the Internet address stored in the certificate and that the current date precedes the expiration date. If the information is not current and valid, your browser can display a warning or not allow access. Depending upon your browser, you may notice an icon that indicates whether you are connected to a Web site that uses a security certificate.
