SSL (and its successor, TLS)
- is a network protocol that operates directly on top of TCP at the session layer, although there are also implementations for datagram-based protocols such as UDP. This way, protocols on higher layers (such as HTTP) can be left unchanged while still providing a secure connection.
SSL/TLS - History
SSL/TLS - How It Works
- TLS - How It Works - Comprehensive Article
- SSL/TLS - How it Works - StackOverflow Answer
- TLS - Optimizing Handshaking
- Acceleration (Termination - Bridging)
- TLS - Digital Certificate
- TLS - Digital Certificate - Creation Processes (Enabling HTTPS)
SSL/TLS - Tools
- openssl
- online SSL/TLS server test - https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/