What is Cipher????

there are number of ssl articles here. have you seen them?

SSL Profiles Part 4: Cipher Suites by Jason Rahm

there are number of ssl articles here. have you seen them?

SSL Profiles Part 4: Cipher Suites by Jason Rahm

In what I would consider its simplest definition a cipher is a method of taking information (data, a message, whatever) and processing it in a way that it appears to be garbage to anybody that does not know the "method", but allowing somebody that does know the "method" to "reverse" the process to get back the original information.

Typically used to pass information from one person to another without everybody in between knowing what is said.