The SSL alternative

Secure Sockets Layer technology has come a long way. Developed by Netscape as a way to secure transactions, SSL has become an important – and relatively inexpensive technology for building secure VPNs.

Most experts say SSL is also easier to deploy and administer. That’s mostly because SSL implementations – from the likes of Aspelle, Aventail, Nauticus, Neoteris and SafeWeb – do not require customers to install VPN client software on remote devices like IPSec VPN clients would. Basically if you have a browser you can authenticate to your company’s network. 

According to our Technology Update author this week (mrollender@nauticusnet.com), the SSL standard is not a single protocol, but rather a set of accepted data transfer routines that are designed to protect the integrity of transmitted messages. For example he states SSL relies on certificates – digital identification cards – and keys. Certificates include the name of the certificate authority that issued the certificate, the name of the entity to which the certificate was issued, the entity’s public key, and time stamps that indicate the certificate’s expiration date.

For more on this topic see: http://www.nwfusion.com/news/tech/2003/0203techupdate.html