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Nothing is more frustrating than discovering the website you’re looking for only to be greeted by a huge browser warning you that your connection is no longer secure. Today’s customers and readers demand a secure connection from any website, whether it’s an e-commerce platform or a small personal blog. Your website must have an SSL certificate if you want to be considered seriously. We’ll take a look at what an SSL certificate is and provide some tips and advice to help you set up your site for success in the sections below.
How do SSL certificates work?
SSL works by ensuring that data transferred between users and websites, or between two systems, remains unreadable. It uses encryption algorithms to scramble data in transit, preventing hackers from reading it when it is sent over the connection. This data includes potentially sensitive information such as names, addresses, credit card numbers or other financial details. The process works like this.
- A browser or server tries to connect to a website (ie a web server) protected with SSL.
- The browser or server requests that the web server identify itself.
- The web server sends the browser or server a copy of its SSL certificate in response.
- The browser or server checks whether it trusts the SSL certificate. If it does, it tells the web server.
- The web server then returns a digitally signed acknowledgment to initiate an SSL encrypted session.
- The encrypted data is shared between the browser or server and the web server.
This process is sometimes called the “SSL handshake”. Although it seems like a long process, it takes place in milliseconds. When a website is protected by an SSL certificate, the acronym HTTPS (which stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) appears in the URL. Without an SSL certificate, only the letters HTTP will appear, that is, without the S for Secure. A lock icon will also be displayed in the URL address bar. This indicates trust and gives peace of mind to those who visit the website. To view the details of an SSL certificate, you can click on the padlock symbol located in the browser bar. The details that are normally included in SSL certificates include.
- The domain name for which the certificate was issued
- What person, organization, or device it was issued to
- Which certification authority issued it
- The digital signature of the Certification Authority
- Associated subdomains
- Certificate issue date
- The expiration date of the certificate.
- The public key (the private key is not disclosed)
Why do you need an SSL certificate?
Websites need SSL certificates to keep user data secure, verify website ownership, prevent attackers from creating a fake version of the site, and instill confidence in users. If a website asks users to log in, enter personal details like their credit card numbers, or view sensitive information like health benefits or financial information, then keeping that data confidential is essential. SSL certificates help keep online interactions private and assure users that the website is authentic and safe for sharing private information.
More relevant to businesses is the fact that an SSL certificate is required for an HTTPS web address. HTTPS is the secure form of HTTP, which means that HTTPS websites have their traffic encrypted by SSL. Most browsers label HTTP sites that don’t have SSL certificates as “not secure.” This sends a clear signal to users that the site may not be trustworthy and encourages companies that have not done so to migrate to HTTPS. An SSL certificate helps protect information such as.
- Access credentials
- Credit card transactions or bank account information
- Personally identifiable information, such as full name, address, date of birth, or phone number
- Legal documents and contracts
- Medical records
- Owner Information
SSL certificate types
There are different types of SSL certificates with different levels of validation. The six main types are:
- Extended Validation Certificates (EV SSL)
- Organization Validated Certificates (OV SSL)
- Domain Validated Certificates (DV SSL)
- Wildcard SSL Certificates
- Multi-Domain SSL Certificates (MDC)
- Unified Communications Certificates (UCC)
Extended Validation Certificates (EV SSL)
This is the highest ranking and most expensive type of SSL certificate. It tends to be used for high-profile websites that collect data and involve online payments. When installed, this SSL certificate displays the padlock, HTTPS, company name, and country in the browser’s address bar. Displaying website owner information in the address bar helps distinguish the site from malicious sites. To set up an EV SSL certificate, the website owner must go through a standardized identity verification process to confirm that they are legally entitled to exclusive rights to the domain.
Organization Validated Certificates (OV SSL)
This version of the SSL certificate has a level of guarantee similar to that of the EV SSL certificate since to obtain one; the website owner must complete a substantial validation process. This type of certificate also displays website owner information in the address bar to distinguish it from malicious sites. OV SSL certificates tend to be the second most expensive (after EV SSL) and their primary purpose is to encrypt sensitive user information during transactions. Commercial or public-facing websites must install an OV SSL certificate to ensure that any shared customer information remains confidential.
Domain Validated Certificates (DV SSL)
The validation process to obtain this type of SSL certificate is minimal, and as a result, Domain Validation SSL certificates provide less security and minimal encryption. They tend to be used for informational blogs or websites, meaning they don’t involve data collection or online payments. This type of SSL certificate is one of the least expensive and fastest to obtain. The validation process only requires website owners to prove domain ownership by responding to an email or phone call. The browser address bar only shows HTTPS and a padlock without showing the company name.
Wildcard SSL Certificates
Wildcard SSL certificates allow you to secure a base domain and unlimited subdomains on a single certificate. If you have multiple subdomains to protect, purchasing a wildcard SSL certificate is much less expensive than purchasing individual SSL certificates for each of them. Wildcard SSL certificates have an asterisk * as part of the common name, where the asterisk represents any valid subdomain that has the same base domain. For example, a single wildcard certificate can be used for *website to protect:
- payments.yourdomain.com
- login.yourdomain.com
- mail.yourdomain.com
- download.yourdomain.com
- anything.yourdomain.com
Multi-Domain SSL Certificate (MDC)
A multidomain certificate can be used to protect many domains and/or subdomain names. This includes the combination of completely unique domains and subdomains with different TLDs (Top Level Domains), except local/internal ones. For example.
- www.example.com
- example.org
- mail.this-domain.net
- example.anything.com.au
- checkout.example.com
- safe.example.org
Multi-domain certificates do not support subdomains by default. If you need to protect both www.example.com and example.com with a multidomain certificate, then both hostnames must be specified when obtaining the certificate.
Unified Communications Certificate (UCC)
Unified Communications Certificates (UCC) are also considered multi-domain SSL certificates. UCCs were initially designed to protect Microsoft Exchange and Live Communications servers. Today, any website owner can use these certificates to allow multiple domain names to be protected on a single certificate. UCC certificates are validated by the organization and display a padlock in a browser. UCCs can be used as EV SSL certificates to provide website visitors with the highest security through the green address bar. It is essential to be familiar with the different types of SSL certificates in order to obtain the right type of certificate for your website.
How to get an SSL certificate
SSL certificates can be obtained directly from a Certificate Authority (CA). Certificate Authorities, sometimes also called Certificate Authorities – issue millions of SSL certificates each year. They play a critical role in how the Internet works and how transparent and trustworthy interactions can take place online. The cost of an SSL certificate can range from free to hundreds of dollars, depending on the level of security you need. Once you decide on the type of certificate you need, you can search for Certificate Issuers that offer SSL at the level you need. Obtaining your SSL involves the following steps.
- Prepare by setting up your server and making sure your WHOIS record is up to date and matches what you’re submitting to the certification authority (must show correct company name and address, etc.)
- Generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) on your server. This is one action your hosting company can help with.
- Submit this to the certificate authority to validate your domain and company details
- Installing the certificate they provide once the process is finished.
Final words: How do SSL certificates work? Everything you need to know
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