Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems perform a secure socket layer (SSL) protocol initialization and maintenance on behalf of a virtual machine (VM). When a secure virtual machine (SVM) receives a data packet sent by an application running on a VM, the SVM transmits a request message to the VM to enable the VM to perform a handshake with a destination computer to initiate an encrypted session between the VM and the computer. Once the encrypted session is active, the SVM encrypts the data packet, and transmits the encrypted data packet to the VM to perform the transmission of the encrypted data packet to the destination server.