What is SSL/mutual SSL?

SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) is a protocol that provides secure communication over a network. It encrypts data to prevent eavesdropping and tampering. Mutual SSL (or two-way SSL) goes a step further by requiring both the client and the server to authenticate each other using digital certificates. This is commonly used where a high level of security is needed, such as in machine-to-machine communication or when handling sensitive data. Standard SSL only requires the server to present a certificate to the client, whereas mutual SSL requires the client to present one to the server.