security

[PotsNPans]

How can you be sure your SSL server is secure (or should you just take your hosting company's word for it)?

[suwunk]

When an SSL handshake occurs between a client and server, a level of encryption is determined by the Web browser, the client computer operating system, and the SSL Certificate. Strong encryption, at 128 bits, can calculate 288 times as many combinations as 40-bit encryption.
That’s over a trillion times a trillion times stronger. At current computing speeds, a hacker with the time, tools, and motivation to attack using brute force would require a trillion years to break into a session protected by 128 bits ssl

The bigger the number, the longer it takes for computer(s) to crack or break the code.

* 40 bit: It is computationally feasible to crack a 40 bit key. For this reason 40 bit encryption is rarely used.
* 128 /256 bit: It is computationally unfeasible to crack a 128 / 256 bit key. All banking infrastructures use 128 / 256 bit encryption. We strongly recommend the use of 128 / 256 bit SSL encryption for any application or website.
Myhosting.com offered Up to 256-bit ssl
SSL Certificates | myhosting.com

[jwilkinson]

Probably all of the certificate authorities, the companies that sell SSL certificates, have SSL checkers. I know thawte has one.

I came across this one today, and it seems clear and very useful.

http://certlogik.com/sslchecker/

SSL Checker - can be used to test a certificate and that it has been installed corrrectly

The same website also has a very nice decoder for both CSRs and certificates, that can handle multiple formats and tell you what those encoded bits say.

http://certlogik.com/decoder

CSR Decoder and Certificate Decoder

enjoy,
jeff