SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, which is a security protocol that provides encryption for TCP/IP connections as they transit the internet and local networks between a client and a server. In the context of email, SSL encrypts all of the communication between your device and your mail server, which is important for two reasons:

• Confidentiality: Checking mail without using SSL means anyone with a device on the same network can eavesdrop on your communications. They can use commonly available tools, such as Wireshark, to read your email as it transits the network.

• Security: If you dont encrypt your connection to the mail server, it will send your username and password in cleartext on the network. An eavesdropper would then be able to log in to your mail account and send/receive email using your identity.

To use SSL in email, you need to connect to the outgoing mail server using SSL. If the provider of your email account supports SSL for the outgoing (SMTP) mail server, you can ask your provider to supply the information you need to connect to the outgoing mail server using SSL. In the Mail app on your device, you can select Use TLS/SSL and edit the port number to match the information supplied by your provider.

SSL certificates are certificates provided by trusted authorities to websites and email servers. These certificates contain a private and a public key which are the backbone of data encryption. If you want your and your users data to be secure, you must install an SSL.