When you see the lock icon in your browser, you’re looking at HTTPS. HTTPS stands for “HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure.” It means the connection between your visitor and your website is protected with encryption.

Encryption is a method of scrambling information so it cannot be read while it travels across the internet. If someone intercepts the traffic, it looks like gibberish.

That matters because your visitors send sensitive information all the time:

passwords
contact forms
payment details
private messages

An SSL certificate (often called a “TLS certificate” today) is the piece that makes HTTPS possible.

What SSL actually does

SSL/TLS does three big jobs:

1) It encrypts data in transit

“In transit” means “while it is traveling.” Your visitor’s data is protected between their browser and your server.

2) It helps confirm identity

Your browser checks that the certificate matches the domain name you’re visiting. This helps reduce the risk of visiting a fake site pretending to be the real one.

3) It blocks easy interception attacks

A common threat is a “man-in-the-middle” attack.

Man-in-the-middle means someone inserts themselves between the visitor and the website, trying to intercept or modify traffic. HTTPS makes that much harder.

What SSL does NOT do

This is where people get confused.

SSL does not:

stop hacking attempts
fix vulnerable plugins or packages
prevent bad passwords
protect your database if your server is compromised
protect users from scams if your site is serving harmful content

Think of SSL as a safe tunnel for traffic. A safe tunnel is great, but it doesn’t automatically make the destination safe.

Why SafeSiteScan checks more than SSL

At SafeSiteScan, SSL is a baseline. We also check things that affect real-world trust and risk:

whether security headers are present
whether the certificate is close to expiring
whether redirects behave cleanly
whether the site responds consistently

SSL is like a front door lock. You still want good windows, good lighting, and a plan.

If your certificate is valid and current, you’re on the right track. Now we make sure the rest of the site supports trust and safety too.