It is obliging upon you to know the Types of SSL Certificates before you are going to select and purchase one of the products. SSL is a must-have for your website from the point of security and also, and it is a Google ranking factor in search engine optimization (SEO). Webmasters, site owners, bloggers, eCommerce holders, and most trusted sites use various types of SSL certificates, based on their needs and sites.
An SSL certificate( or TLS) gives a site an HTTPS connection to the website when it transfers data from the web server to the user’s browser. The certificate contains the domain name to which it is issued, the public key, CA’s signature, and other important information about the site. When data communicates from a web server to a client’s device, data may be routed, leaked, manipulated, or intercepted by hackers and cybercriminals.
They may use domain spoofing, on-path attack, and other tricks to impersonate a website. But when you establish an encrypted connection between the website and the browser on a user’s device, the data allowed to pass is encrypted. None can decode your data. Your data remains safe. To secure your site, you need an SSL certificate that encrypts data during communication between servers and clients. There are several types of SSL certificates available in the market.
The current article gives a complete overview of the SSL types and their specific features.
The Various Types of SSL Certificates which You Need to Install on Your Site to Encrypt Data
Based on authentication, trust indicators and validation the companies categorize SSL certificates into three groups domain validated, organization validated, and extended validation. Each one of them offers the same level of encryption between servers and browsers. What they differ in is the process of vetting, authentication, and customer trust. Each of the certificates gives your site encryption but which one of them you need, depends on the type of site you use.
So, the types of SSL certificates are:
- Domain Validated(DV)
- Extended Validation(EV) and
- Organization Validated(OV)
Domain Validated Secure Sockets Layer(DV SSL)
Domain-validated SSL is one of the types of SSL certificates that the CA issues to the domain owner who actually owns and manages the domain. Such kind of TLS or SSL is the cheapest of all other digital certificates. As far as validation is concerned, it takes minimum time and steps to verify to whom the domain belongs.
You can get a domain validated SSL Certificate from the issuing authority just by sending an email to them. Before issuing such kind of certificate, the CA will verify the ownership of a domain. To verify domain ownership, you can add DNS records to your domain’s control panel or DNS zone editor, whichever is applicable. It is the less-stringent process in terms of validation and activation. But when security is concerned, it performs the same level of encryption as others do.
Domain validation SSL being the cheapest of all, it is needed for those sites which need minimum security and handle non-sensitive data. So, SSL on domain validation is required for:
- Sites with minimum security measures
- Sites dealing in blogging
- Websites not dealing with a credit card, debit card and online shopping
- Hobby sites where security is not a matter of concern
No matter what, if you want to buy other types of SSL certificates, you can do that. Activating the certificate does not require too much time. It can activate your domain validation SSL in a few minutes or in a few hours.
In the domain validated SSL certificate, you can view the certificate subject name and its policy details. Under certificate policy, the value refers to domain validation. It is used for server authentication and client authentication.
Organization Validated Secure Sockets Layer(OV SSL)
Organization validated SSL is another type of SSL certificate that the CA issues to a company or organization. OV SSL is more advanced in security, web trust, validation, and authentication. It is the second most costly secure sockets layer certificate issued for companies and eCommerce websites.
Unlike domain validated SSL, this certificate not only verifies the domain but also needs to verify the physical location and address of the site to which it needs to be issued. The issuing authority of the certificate contacts the site owner and verifies his domain ownership including his physical address. So, it includes a manual vetting process.
OV SSL is the best for those sites which store public data including sensitive information. Such kind of digital certificate can be issued to the sites having legitimate business with registration, not for individual sites.
OV SSL:
- Validates domain ownership
- Adds https for data encryption which allows transferring data from a web server to a browser in encrypted form
- Adds padlock icon to the browser to increase trust and confidentiality.
- Adds a level of trust to the site to prove that the site is legitimate
- Includes organization details in the certificate for users
- Takes one to a few days to issue the certificate
Among the types of SSL certificates, the OV SSL is the second best in trust, authority, and pricing.
Extended Validation Secure Sockets Layer(EV SSL)
Extended validation secure sockets layer or EV SSL is the most trustworthy digital certificate which gives maximum security, authentication, and trust to the customers. In addition to the trust indicators given by the DV and OV types of SSL certificates, the EV provides ” a green address bar” to display the company’s name to whom it is issued. When a visitor visits a site having an extended validation SSL, the browser shows the company’s name in green adjacent to the web address of the site.
To issue EV types of SSL Certificates, the site owner needs to go through a stricter vetting process. As the certificate is the highest of all others, you have to provide your business details in addition to domain ownership, physical address, and other trust indicators given by the OV and DV types.
EV SSL:
- Verifies domain ownership
- Verifies that the organization to which the certificate will be issued is valid and exists
- Adds HTTPS to the site
- Verifies that the organization is eligible for EV SSL
- Adds green padlock to the browser’s address bar to increase customer’s trust
- Includes and shows detailed information about the organization in the certificate
- Takes few a days to several weeks to validate and activate the certificate
Who should purchase and install such types of SSL certificates? Sites dealing with financial transactions, enterprise sites, and big companies can use extended validation secure sockets layer certificates.
Using TLS is a must-have for a site’s data security. There are many other ways to secure sites like enabling DNSSEC which prevents domain spoofing. It prevents fake traffic. Users may interact with your site. Sometimes they even make comments. To prevent spamming in comments, you can set up Akismet API Key.
Multi-domain(SAN) SSL
Multi-domain or SAN SSL is used for multiple domains which need digital certificates. The shared hosting hosts many domains and each domain is the main domain. In such an occurrence, the multi-domain TLS( SAN SSL) is the best option, as it can serve up to 100 domains using its subject alternative name(SAN) features. Microsoft Exchange and Office Communications use and install such types of SSL certificates to secure multiple domains within their environment.
A big enterprise or company may purchase such type of certificate. They do not need to purchase multiple certificates to secure all the domains rather a SAN SSL is sufficient, as it can secure all the domains. The multi-domain digital certificate is available in the DV, OV, and EV options.
Suppose your site’s domain is “myblogexample.com” and it is hosted on a shared server. The same server with the same IP Address hosts 10 sites having separate domains like yourblogexampl.com, yourbloggingsexample.com, ourbloggingexample.com, ourblogteachings.com, yourblogginghacks.com, etc. Now all these domains are main domains and the single SAN SSL secures all of them.
Wildcard(Sub-domain) SSL
The Wildcard SSL secures the main domain and an unlimited number of sub-domains under the main domains. This is a simplified solution that can serve the main domain and other sub-domains under it. If you have created a website and have many sub-domains under your primary domain, you can buy such kind of TLS. No need to buy multiple digital certificates. A single wildcard secure sockets layer will serve all the sub-domains including the main domain. The wildcard SSL is available in the OV and DV validation options.
Suppose your website’s main domain is leafletnews.com and it has 10 sub-domains like blog.leafletnews.com, product.leafletnews.com, services.leafletnews.com, help.leafletnews.com, legal.leafletnews.com, etc. Now, instead of buying an individual certificate for each of the sub-domain, you can use a wildcard SSL. It secures all the sub-domains including the main domain. A big company website needs such kind of TLS certificate.
Unified Communication Certificates(UCC)
Another name in the field of SSL marketing is the Unified Communication Certificate. It is considered a type of multi-domain TLS and it has the same value and specifications. Webmasters can use it as EV SSL.
Key Takeaways on the types of SSL certificates
So far, you have learned that SSL certificates are classified into three parts, such as(1)Domain Validation, (2)Organization Validation, and (3) Extended Validation. Each of the certificates offers the same level of encryption but they all differ in web trust and in the process of vetting. Also, there exists a difference in pricing.
- When you use an SSL Certificate, your site uses an encrypted HTTPS connection.
- Using SSL is recommended, as it encrypts data. Besides, it is a Google ranking factor.
- Users trust those sites more, which install and activate TLS.
- For hobby sites, blogging websites, and portfolio site, you can use DV SSL.
- Sites dealing with financial transactions and storing users’ data need to use OV SSL.
- The big companies and enterprise sites need to install EV SSL.
