The internet community is buzzing about the “Heartbleed Bug” and “OpenSSL”. At the heart of the “HeartBleed Bug” is SSL, the secure socket layer. So what is SSL and what role does it play in our internet transactions? The Sockets in the “Secure Sockets Layer” refers to a protocol used by any “client” to communicate with a “server”. A “client” is any web browser, email client or program initiating the transaction. The “server” is the program that fulfills the request of the client. When the internet started getting used in the early nineties outside the “geek” circles, software programs for banking, e-commerce and a multitude other purposes started getting built and used. However, software researchers needed to find a way to stop sensitive data being transferred transparently over the internet so that it could not be stolen by unscrupulous parties. Due to this need to protect credit card numbers, banking […]
