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What is SSL
SSL is an acronym for Secure Sockets Layer, a global standard security technology developed by Netscape in 1994. SSL is all about encryption. It creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser. The link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browser remains private and secure and is recognised by millions of consumers by a secure padlock which appears in their browser.

Installing and Removing Trusted Certificates
The Internet Explorer 6 Certificate Manager enables you to install and remove trusted certificates for clients and CAs. Many CAs have their root certificates already installed in Internet Explorer 6. You can select any of these installed certificates as trusted CAs for client authentication, secure e-mail, or other certificate purposes, such as code signing and time stamping. If a CA does not have its root certificate in Internet Explorer 6, you can import it. Each CA's Web site contains instructions that describe how to obtain the root certificate. You might also want to install client certificates, which are used to authenticate users' computers as clients for secure Web communications.

To install or remove clients and CAs from the list of trusted certificates

1. Click Tools >> Internet Options, and then click the Content tab.
   
2. Click Certificates.
3. Click one of the following tabbed categories for the type of certificates you want to install or remove:
   • Personal. Certificates in the Personal category have an associated private key. Information signed by using personal certificates is identified by the user's private key data. By default, Internet Explorer 6 places all certificates that will identify the user (with a private key) in the Personal category.
   • Other People. Certificates in the Other People category use public key cryptography to authenticate identity, based on a matching private key that is used to sign the information. By default, this category includes all certificates that are not in the Personal category (the user does not have a private key) and are not from CAs.
   • Intermediate Certification Authorities. This category contains all certificates for CAs that are not root certificates.
   • Trusted Root Certification Authorities. This category includes only self-signed certificates in the root store. When a CA's root certificate is listed in this category, you are trusting content from sites, people, and publishers with credentials issued by the CA.
   • Trusted Publishers. This category contains only certificates from trusted publishers whose content can be downloaded without user intervention, unless downloading active content is disabled in the settings for a specific security zone. Downloading active content is not enabled by default. For each available security zone, users can choose an appropriate set of ActiveX security preferences.
     

Certificate Manager with the Intermediate Certification Authorities category selected.

Click a Certificate and then click the Advanced button.

4. In the Intended Purpose box, select the filter for the types of certificates that you want to be displayed in the list.
   
5. Work with particular certificates through one of the following methods:
   • To add other certificates to the list, click Import. The Certificate Manager Import Wizard steps you through the process of adding a certificate.
     
   • To export certificates from the list, click Export. The Certificate Manager Export Wizard steps you through the process of exporting a certificate.
     
   • To specify the default drag-and-drop export file format (when the user drags a certificate from the Certificate Manager and drops it into a folder), click Advanced.
   • To delete an existing certificate from the list of trusted certificates, click Remove.
   • To display the properties for a selected certificate, including the issuer of the certificate and its valid dates, click View.
     

Adding Trusted Publishers
To designate a trusted publisher for Internet Explorer 6, use the Security Warning dialogue box that appears when you attempt to download software from that publisher. Active content that is digitally signed by trusted publishers with a valid certificate will download without user intervention, unless you have disabled the downloading of active content in the settings for a specific security zone. Downloading active content is not enabled by default. For each available security zone, users can choose an appropriate set of ActiveX security preferences.

To add a trusted publisher

1. Use Internet Explorer 6 to download signed active content from the publisher.
2. When the Security Warning dialogue box appears, select the Always trust content from trusted publisher check box.
3. To download the software and control and add the publisher to the list of trusted publishers, click Yes.

Configuring Advanced Security Options for Certificate and Authentication Features
You can easily configure options for certificate and authentication features that your users might need.

To configure advanced security options for certificates

1. Click Tools >> Internet Options, and then click the Advanced tab.
2. In the Security area, review the selected options.
3. Depending on the needs of your organization and its users, select or clear the appropriate check boxes.

For example, to enable SSL 3.0, select the Use SSL 3.0 check box.

Protocols
Use SSL 2.0
Specifies whether you want to send and receive secured information through SSL2 (Secure Sockets Layer Level 2), the standard protocol for secure transmissions. All secure web sites support this protocol.

Use SSL 3.0 Specifies whether
r you want to send and receive secured information through SSL3 (Secure Sockets Layer Level 3), a protocol that is intended to be more secure than SSL2. NOTE: some web sites may not support this protocol.

Use TLS 1.0
Specifies whether you want to send and receive secured information through TLS (Transport Layer Security), an open security standard similar to SSL3 (Secure Sockets Layer). NOTE: some web sites may not support this protocol.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Internet Options Advanced Settings

Internet Explorer 6 uses two different types of certificates

• A personal certificate is a verification that you are who you say you are. This information is used when you send personal information over the Internet to a Web site that requires a certificate verifying your identity. You can control the use of your identity by having a private key on your computer. When used with e-mail programs, security certificates with private keys are also known as "digital IDs".
• A Web site certificate states that a specific Web site is secure and genuine. It ensures that no other Web site can assume the identity of the original secure site. When you are sending personal information over the Internet, it is a good idea to check the certificate of the Web site you are using to make sure that it will protect your personally identifiable information. When you are downloading software from a Web site, you can use certificates to verify that the software is coming from a known, reliable source.

The digital signature component of a security certificate is your electronic identity card. The digital signature tells the recipient that the information actually came from you and has not been forged or tampered with.

Before you can start sending encrypted or digitally signed information, you must obtain a certificate and set up Internet Explorer 6 to use it. When you visit a secure Web site (one whose address starts with https), the site automatically sends you its certificate

Where to find Certificates
Click Tools >> Internet Options and then the Content tab

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Internet Options Content tab

View Certificates
Click the Certificates button to view stored certificates, import new certificates, and back up or delete old certificates.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 View Certificates
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