SSL can only be implemented by websites that have an SSL certificate (technically a “TLS certificate”). An SSL certificate is like an ID card or a badge that proves someone is who they say they are. SSL certificates are stored and displayed on the Web by a website’s or application’s server.
One of the most important pieces of information in an SSL certificate is the website’s public key. The public key makes encryption and authentication possible. A user’s device views the public key and uses it to establish secure encryption keys with the web server. Meanwhile the web server also has a private key that is kept secret; the private key decrypts data encrypted with the public key.
Certificate authorities (CA) are responsible for issuing SSL certificates.