Knowledgebase

What Cpanel says about SSL http://www.cpanel.net/docs/cp/SSLShellTelnetaccess.htm
SSL Certificates
Secure Digital Certificates are the bedrock to those who are serious about e-commerce from their web site. Whenever forms are completed, details that you enter are transmitted to the server as plain text. This can be disastrous if you have sensitive information to protect, such as your credit card number when paying for purchases. What does a secure certificate do?
Shoppers visiting sites with SSL's enabled, use an encrypted link between their computer and the web site, so sensitive details are not sent as plain text. The browser displays a locked padlock or an unbroken key to indicate that the link is in place. When visiting a secure site, your browser will automatically check that the certificate which has been issued is applicable to the same domain named web site that you have gone to visit.
SSL providers perform a strict validation/authentication of information before issuing a certificate which involves checking that the name of the organisation (company/charity, etc) that has requested the certificate does actually exist and is the owner of the domain name that the certificate has been requested for.
Shared SSL Certificate
As a client of ours you would acquire from us space using a shared SSL Certificate. This SSL Certificate provides 128 bit encryption to any documents called by HTTPS. Usually a warning in your visitors browser will pop up stating the use of a shared SSL certificate. There is no way around this unless you get your own dedicated certificate. Step up your websites security with your own Secure Certificate.
Although you have access to a shared cert with us, you will benefit from a Secure Cert registered in your websites name.
Shared certificates produce a popup in your visitors browser warning the visitor that secure certificate is not owned by the website owner. There is no way around this popup since it's generated by the visitors browser and not the cert itself.
A shared certificates is no less secure than a cert that you would register in your name. It's the same cert, however, in the eyes of a paying customer it may not appear very professional.
Shared certificates are more for testing and sharing data between users who understand it's a shared cert.
Getting your own Secure Certificate.
We recommend getting your own cert if you plan on accepting credit cards online. We can usually install the cert and have it up in running in 3-7 days. We handle everything from purchasing the cert for you, in your name, to installing, testing and any maintenance required thru the life of the cert (1 year).