SSL Certificate is a kind of electronic data file installed on a web server and allows for data transmission via encryption between a server and a browser. ‘SSL’ stands for ‘Secure Sockets Layer. Nowadays, technology has grown to a high level, therewith online transaction, too, has increased at a rapid rate. But the fraudulent activities have made internet users victims of cyber criminals. Hence, SSL Certificate is an essential prerequisite to keep online records and transactions safe from all kinds of attacks and pitfalls. This security certificate is also called a Digital Certificate. To run an SSL on a server, it is a must to have it installed on a website. So, an internet protocol too is used.
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Who First of All Used SSL Certificate?
SSL Certificate was, first of all, designed, developed, and practically utilized by Netscape in 1995. It wanted to have privacy and safe data transmission through browsers and servers via Cryptographic Key so that both the site owners and end users feel safe from any sense of stealth and eavesdropping. In the space of time, many leading IT companies invented and developed strong and trustworthy SSL Certificates.
Is the SSL Certificate and TLS the same?
Very often the terms SSL and TLS are used interchangeably though there is no major difference between these two protocols in terms of functionality. TLS stands for Transport Layer Security ‘ is a universal network security protocol proposed, designed, and developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force(IETF) and first of all was published in 1999. That TLS version was merely 1.0 (but in SSL it was 3.1) which was updated to the recent version 1.3 and published in 2018. The name of the protocol TLS in place of SSL was coined and announced by the IETF only to disassociate from Netscape who developed it first of all for internet security, website authentication, and hassle-free data integrity among multiple endpoint users and servers. However, for people who are not tech-savvy, the former term is more popular and comprehensible and moreover, SSL is not now well-developed, secure, and up-to-date to mitigate the need of web users. So to speak, now all SSL is TLS although most people use the former term for the shake of understandability.
Why Do You Need an SSL Certificate?
SSL Certificate is an urgent need for all who run websites, blogs, and e-commerce sites and do online sessions through websites. Because of increasing cyber attacks, site owners incur huge amounts of loss in terms of labor, money, traffic, and services all over the globe. According to World Economic Forum, about 8 trillion US $ was spent throughout the world owing to fraudulent activities, malware intrusion, and sneaking online onslaught by cybercriminals. Hence, transferring data across multiple web platforms and internet browsers will be secure from all kinds of attacks only when it is done by being encrypted and decrypted targeting both the parties involved. This is why you need a standard SSL Certificate. It will give you the securities as follows :
- Shows an active padlock icon just on the left side of your browser.
- The URL starts with HTTPS (secure protocol).
- Enhances Google Search Engine Rank and it matters to SEO.
- Enhances conversion rate(more and more visitors come frequently).
- Increases confidence-building measures(CBMs) in so far as security is concerned.
- Keeps safe your —-
- Login credentials
- Password/s
- Credit card information
- Banking transactional information
- Personally sensitive information ( like date of birth, name, etc.)
- Mobile/Telephone number
- Medical records
- Online important records etc.
How Does SSL Work?
SSL Certificate works with an encrypted connection between a server and a client or end user. To work securely it establishes a secure connection between a public key used by the original server on the part of the Webhosting provider and a private key that generally works on the user’s browser to encrypt and decrypt text, information, audio, video, etc. These two security keys are actually coded strings of numbers designed especially to decipher the information sent and received between the two users——-one is the server where are delivered the outputs after inquiry requests are sent to it by the users via a browser. The coded keys work in such a manner that the public key information can be decrypted only with private keys and that of private keys only with the public keys in vice versa. SSL provides full security, so, in a midway, if any hacker steals the information, then neither he can decrypt nor manipulate it in any way, as it is coded strongly enough.
How Many Websites Use SSL Certificates?
According to W3techs, about 65.5% of websites use HTTPS by default which is provided on the installation of an SSL Certificate.
The bulk of the users of android, mac, and windows too use it for security concerns. Any site not using SSL is not secure, as data transmission takes place on HTTP which doesn’t use security keys. Here, data remains in the open form in transit that is prone to be hacked.
Who Provides SSL Certificates?
SSL Certificates are provided by competent CAs (Certificate Authorities). They are a group of organizations supplying necessary security apps in combination with PKIs, web applications, and other required web instruments to keep web data transmission secure and encrypted. CAS is recommended by the browser forum. There are about 50 certification authorities all over the global market, but a handful of these lead the SSL market. The most important part of a digital certificate is that it should be signed in a digital way in order to be installed on the web server. The CA must be reputed by the major browsers, such as Mozilla, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer, etc. The major trusted global SSL providers are listed below, such as :
Commodo, Digicert, Verisign, Symantec, Geotrust, Globalsign, SSL, Rapid SSL, Goddady, Namecheap, etc.
Kinds of SSL Certificate
SSL Certificates are classified into three categories, such as domain validation, organization validation, and extended validation. These are also called DV SSL, OV SSL, and EV SSL. This classification has been done based on validation strength, authentication proofing, and security level provided to the web server, etc. Which kind of SSL do you need? This is a simple question as a user you can ask me at the beginning in order to get the certificate installed on your site via a web server to enhance security features so that you can get more conversion out of your organic traffic. Now, for the sake of having more details, you may go through the following points.
Domain Validation(DV SSL)
This kind of SSL Certificate, insofar as security is concerned, provides the lowest level of trust and authentication. Simply, the CA sends an email to the domain registrant who owns it actually. It verifies just domain ownership from whois database.
- Needed for non-sensitive data handling website.
- Bloggers can use it for minimum security.
- It is the cheapest of all.
- It takes only a few minutes to several hours to become active on site after undergoing authentication.
- No paper work needed.
Organisation Validation(OV SSL)
OV SSL is a moderate one, in terms of authentication, security, and web trust. The CA checks the website owner’s name, and address in addition to domain ownership. This is recommended for an E-commerce site.
- It provides a moderate layer of security.
- It takes several hours to a few days to receive.
- Needed for companies for better security.
- Paper work needed.
Extended Validation(EV SSL)
EV SSL provides the maximum level of security and trust to a site. The CAs validate the website owners’ physical as well as legal documents in addition to owner verification. This kind of certificate is most trustworthy in terms of encryption and security.
- It is recommended for websites dealing with transactions in credit /debit cards.
- Other sensitive information.
- Needed for banks and government websites dealing in with huge numbers of customers.
- The browser shows the company’s name and green padlock——a sign of complete trust.
- Takes from a few days to several weeks to receive.
