SSL (secure socket layer protocol) is used to secure transmissions between servers and clients (i.e. visiting an https address from Internet Explorer or Safari). SSL Certificates allow clients to verify a server's authenticity against known Certificate Authorities to help determine if the server is who they say they are before establishing an encrypted connection.
Installing a server certificate, however, does not mean that your server is secure. It just allows the client to establish an encrypted connection to the server. Therefore, before contacting IT Security to request a web server certificate you will need to harden your server as outlined in the Best Practices Guide for Servers found on the UCSF IT Security website.
For more information, including how to request a certificate for your server, please refer to our overview of the IT Security SSL Certificate service.