What is an SSL certificate?
The Secure Socket Layer, popularly known by its acronym SSL, is a protective covering that provides
security for the data that transmits between your browser and the webserver. Therefore, an SSL certified
website would provide additional security for your web services and transactions, while also telling the
search engines that your site is a secured
and reliable website in the digital sphere.
How Can You Identify An Ssl Certified Website?
The URL of an SSL secured website would contain the term “https” and would also display a padlock to the
left of the URL on the browser.
As of now, there are different types of SSL certificates such as:
- EV SSL - Extended Validation Certificate
- DV SSL - Domain Validation Certificate
- OV SSL - Organization Validation Certificate
- Multiple domain SSL Certificate
- Wildcard SSL Certificate
1. Extended Validation Certificates (EV SSL)
EV SSL certificates are the most expensive and are issued only after thorough investigation. The proof of
verification of your domain’s ownership, your entity’s verified physical address, and proof of the legal
standing of your entity needs to be provided when obtaining an EV SSL certificate.
On a Firefox browser, an EV SSL certified website would display its entity name and operating country.
On a Chrome browser, the certificate is represented by a padlock, but upon clicking the padlock you
would be able to see more details about the certificate.
2. Organization Validation Certificates (OV SSL)
OV SSL certificates are commonly used to verify the identity of websites. As the certification process
is much lighter in comparison to the EV SSL certificates, OV SSL certificates are cheaper in price.
On Firefox browsers, this type of certificate is displayed with a padlock, the organization name,
and country of operation.
3. Domain Validation Certificate (DV SSL)
A DV SSL certificate is a means of verifying your ownership of the website and offers lesser security when
compared to the other two certificates. Hence, this type of certificate is only encouraged if your website
does not handle extremely sensitive data.
Due to the above facts, obtaining a DV SSL certificate is a simpler process and is a lot less expensive.
On a browser, this certification is represented by the padlock and the “https” term.
4. Wildcard SSL Certificate
A wildcard SSL certificate becomes important if you need to obtain a base domain and
the subdomains along with it.
For instance, www.intrangoweb.ca is a base
domain, while domains such as www.marketing.intrangoweb.ca and www.sales.intrangoweb.ca are considered subdomains.
5. Multiple domain SSL Certificate
Although multiple domain SSL certificates are not exclusive, they let you acquire around 100 base domains.
How Do SSL Certificates Provide Increased Security?
Let us explore the workings of an SSL certificate through a real-life scenario.
- John is looking for the official website of Intrango web design -
www.intrangoweb.ca
- Then John’s browser requests the server for the secured pages of
www.intrangoweb.ca
- The server responds by sending back the public key, which is a unique ID for websites
and servers, along with the site’s SSL certificate.
- Then the browser verifies the SSL certificate by comparing the received public key along
with that in its database.
- The server responds by sending back the public key, which is a unique ID for websites
and servers, along with the site’s SSL certificate.
- Then the browser verifies the SSL certificate by comparing the received public key along
with that in its database.
- If the verification is successful, the icon of the padlock is displayed next to the URL
of the website on John’s browser. This padlock is proof that the URL is verified for the
particular site being accessed.
- Then the browser goes the extra mile generates two similar private keys from which it sends
one back to the server in an encrypted (using the pre-received public key) data packet.
- Then the site’s server decrypts this data packet using its private key and forms a
secured connection with the browser using the decrypted private key. There onwards,
this secured connection is used for any communication between John’s browser
and Intrango Web Design’s server.
Why Should You Invest In An SSL Certificate?
1. Improved Search Engine Ranking
Research conducted using nearly 11.8 million results on the Google Search Engine has indicated
that nearly all the top ranking websites
have obtained an SSL certificate. Hence, analysts have deduced a positive correlation between search
engine results page rankings and SSL certificates.
2. Improved User Confidence
With the increasing cybercrime rates, we are all hesitant to provide details such as bank information
to websites. However, having an SSL verification can instill a greater level of confidence and trust
in your user’s mind, thus, they would not hesitate to use your website and disclose information.
3. Financial Coverage For Dishonest Transactions
In case of a fraudulent transaction on a website, the ruling is generally favoured for the original
owner. But, an SSL certificate provides you with a financial coverage in such situations as you do
not have to pay back the original owners from your own financial assets. Instead, the certificate
provider would do it for you.
Posted by: Angela Wilkins
Angela is a web developer, content writer, blogger
at the team of Intrango Web Design.(An affordable web design company in Toronto, Canada).
Angela skilled and talented web designer who has a huge knowledge
of eCommerce website design and modern SEO approaches.
