If you’ve ever thought about creating a business website or a personal blog, chances are you must’ve read about SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer. This is the coolest and easiest way to secure your website from the reach of professional hackers while making it easier for your targeted audiences to trust your website’s authenticity and safety. According to specialists, SSL refers to a protocol for encrypting, securing, and authenticating communications on the internet. While SSL was replaced by an updated protocol called TLS (Transport Layer Security) some time ago, but SSL is still the most commonly used term for this technology.
Talking about the prime purpose of SSL is used to secure communications between a client and a server, but not many people know about this technology. Plus, it is also used for professional email security. It allows your website to change from HTTP to a safer alternative – HTTPS. This means, when your visitors land at your website, they’ll feel like visiting a safe platform.
When you choose to buy SSL certificate, you will get the following things with the certificate:
- Website domain name
- Business or individual name for whom the certificate was issued for
- The issuing authority
- Digital signature of the certificate authority
- Details about related subdomains
- The date when the certificate was issued & expires
- The public key (this one is kept a secret)
How does an SSL certificate work?
While many people may have heard about SSL certificates and would have even got one for their websites, chances are only a few people understand how this works. The prime function of an SSL certificate is to ensure that the data being transferred between websites is secure and can’t be read by third parties. We can say that the SSL certificate ensures the safety of digital data. And this is achieved with the help of encryption algorithms that scramble data in transit, resulting in the prevention of data from hackers. With an SSL certificate, it becomes easier for businesses to protect crucial information (data) like names, credit card numbers, addresses, financial details, etc.
It is very easy for common people or visitors to identify a website secured by an SSL certificate as the website will be accompanied by HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) shown in the URL. In case the website is not secured with an SSL certificate, it will only have ‘HTTP’ in the URL without the padlock. In ‘HTTPS’ the additional ‘S’ stands for “secure” and it informs users and search engine robots that the domain is trustworthy and safe from any threats.
The Different Types of SSL Certificates
One surprising fact about the differences in SSL certificate prices is that, the cost may vary according to the different types of SSL certificates. So when you are going to buy SSL certificate, it is mandatory to understand its types and then make the right choice accordingly.
By Validation Level
Domain Validation SSL Certificate: This is the most basic level of SSL certification, which is suitable for a website like a blog or informational website. It is also ideal for websites that are aimed at non-product-selling small businesses. One needs to prove the ownership of the domain to the Certificate Authority (CA) and can buy this type of SSL certificate. Organizational Validation SSL Certificate – This is another type of SSL certificate based on the “Validation level”, which is called as a medium level of validation. It carries more security assurance than domain validation and is more suitable for an organization operating a commercial or public-facing website that represents organizations and companies. For this, your CA would need to verify your domain as well as the basic company information for the ownership.
Extended Validation SSL Certificate – This is the highest level of validation for SSL and the most credible security assurance for your customers. According to specialists in the field, it is more suitable for websites that need advanced security, like e-commerce stores or large enterprise websites that would involve financial transactions on a regular basis. To buy an SSL certificate for this category, your CA would need to conduct a complete background check on your company, and the price of the SSL certificate is also relatively higher.
Standard SSL Certificate – If you are running a corporate website or a blog and need to get an SSL certificate for a single website, then this is the most suitable choice for you as this kind of SSL certificate is valid for only one domain or hostname. It is worth notable that this type of certificate does not even include SANs (Subject Alternative Name). Hence, these certificates are also called single-domain certificates.
Wildcard SSL Certificate – Do you have a master website and would like to also secure all the subdomains under one certificate? If yes, then you can opt for a ‘wildcard SSL certificate’ as it doesn’t come with a limit on the number of subdomains. So, when you have a website, for example, www.abc.com, then a ‘wildcard SSL certificate’ will also cover its subdomains such as blog.abc.com, docs.abc.com, etc.
Multi-Domain SSL Certificate – By far, this is the most advanced and secured type of SSL certification as this is aimed to help you secure several different domains under one certificate through SAN Capability. For example, you can easily secure domains, subdomains, and also public IPs using a single SSL certificate. Also known as a Unified SSL certificate, Multi-Domain SSL Certificate is an ideal choice for businesses that have multiple websites and international presence with a massive amount of data that needs to be secured.
Why does your website need SSL certification?
Have you come across many websites that are not using SSL certificates and still making huge profits? This might raise a question in your mind “Why do I need an SSL certificate?” Well, the simple answer to this is that an SSL certificate ensures the safety of your website’s crucial information and the ones not having it are always vulnerable and can be attacked by hackers at any time. That’s why an SSL certificate is important. Here are some other reasons behind the importance of SSL certification:
End-to-end Encryption – One of the best parts about investing in the SSL certificate is that it ensures the complete safety of crucial data on your website as well as secures professional email. The primary goal of an SSL certificate is to ensure that the data is secured. Remember that hackers are always looking for vulnerable websites, which means your crucial data is always at risk. As a business owner, you need to ensure the safety of your target audience as well as maintain their trust in your business with the help of Encrypted Technology using an SSL certification.
Inevitable for online business – For almost every modern business having a website, it is important to purchase SSL certificate from a trusted service provider for the safety of crucial information on the website. It is very common for websites to have ‘Call to Action’ buttons, which the visitors have to click and provide some basic or other information for the website owner to connect with them. On other websites, they can also make purchases using the ‘call to Action buttons. The goal of this button is to boost conversion rates. For any website to be able to accept basic, personal, or financial information from the audiences, it needs to comply with the Payment Card Industry’s standards, one of which is having an SSL certificate.
Ensures authentication – The websites are open to everyone and anyone can access them from all over the world as there are no geographical limits for the people using the internet. This is why it is very important for the users on the internet to authorize the website. Since the internet is interconnected, the same information can be also used by any other website to replicate your identity & demand confidential information from the user. Some of these websites can also misuse the user’s information. So, when you are running a website, it is important to ensure the reputation of your business and secure crucial information for your visitors. Having an SSL certificate for your website will enable you to authorize the communication between your website & the visitor’s browser.
Protection against cyber hacks – It’s very common for modern websites to get attacked by cyber hackers who are always looking for vulnerable platforms. Since, more and more imposters using the internet to hide & exploit information, it becomes smart to invest in an SSL certificate as it ensures the safety of your website’s data from cyber bullies. For websites having password-protected pages, it is always the best option to obtain an SSL certificate. So when you want to ensure the safety of your business website and the crucial information of your target audiences, it is your responsibility to protect your users from such kind of theft and violation of privacy using this certificate.
Boost your credibility – Have you been looking for the best ways to attract more targeted audiences and want to make the most of your digital presence? If yes, then it makes sense to get an SSL certificate for your business website or blog as this will add an additional ‘S’ to your website URL, thus showcasing it as a “Secure” platform. As a result, it will add a touch of trust and help boost your credibility as it will ensure them that your website is legitimized & their data is safe in your hands. At the same time, it also helps give a boost to your website’s ranking on search engine results.
Increases search engine ranks – There is something that not many business owners understand about SSL; it helps give a boost to your search engine ranking. Yes, that’s correct! Google now is more focused_ on ensuring the safety as well as User Experience of internet users. Since an SSL certificate is the best way to ensure the safety of website visitors, the platforms having SSL certification are prioritized when allocating the ranking on Google and other search engines. So when you want to ensure better search engine optimization and attract more traffic to the website, it makes sense to get your website URL secured with an SSL certificate.
Meets PCI Standards – For modern businesses to have websites, it is not just mandatory to create amazingly appealing and user-friendly websites, but it is also important to stay compliant with various standards. And when you have a website that deals with online products or services and various financial transactions are carried out online, you must comply with the PCI (Payment Card Industry) Data Security Standards. According to PCI, there is a total of 12 requirements to stay compliant and one of them is to have an SSL certificate. So when you do not have an SSL certificate for your website safety, you might suffer hefty penalties from credit card companies.
Final Words
We hope we’ve covered everything about SSL certification and the reasons to have one for your website or professional email security. The goal of buying an SSL certificate is to ensure that your website not only meets the industry guidelines but also creates a sense of security among the visitors who land on your website. So there are no reasons that you can ignore buying an SSL certificate. When buying, it is recommended to trust only a reliable source.
