Why Should You Take An SSL Certificate Seriously?

In this digital age, people are more concerned about online privacy and security. This is a matter of concern because data can be stolen by hackers, and your website can be hacked. The SSL certificate helps to build a secure connection between a web server and web browsers and securely encrypts data. If you see a lock in the URL bar, it means the website is secure and encrypted. Let’s know in brief what an SSL certificate is and why it is so important for website security.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and helps create an encrypted connection. The full name of SSL is Secure Sockets Layer, a security protocol that encrypts the connection between a web server and a browser. Data communication works on a set of rules known as protocols. Some examples of protocols are HTTP, TCP/IP, SMTP, DNS, etc., and for a secure connection, the HTTPS protocol matters a lot.

Differences Between HTTP and HTTPS

HTTP means “Hypertext Transfer Protocol,” which is a protocol that is used to transfer data. It uses Port 80 and does not encrypt any data between transmissions. Whereas HTTPS stands for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure,” it uses port 443 and encrypted data to make a secure connection.

What are Ports in Networking?

Ports are simply numbers that identify the source and destination of the connection. Using ports in computer networking, a computer may handle several incoming and outgoing requests by allocating a unique port number to each one. 

Benefits of SSL Certificate 

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are a type of digital certificate that encrypts data sent between a website and a user’s web browser. There are many benefits to using an SSL certificate on your website:

Enhanced security: SSL certificates encrypt data sent between your website and your users, protecting sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal information from being intercepted by third parties.

Enhanced Trust: Websites with SSL certificates are more trustworthy to visitors, as they provide an extra layer of security. This can help increase user confidence and reduce the risk of abandoned shopping carts or lost customers.

Better Search Engine Ranking: Google has said that it favors websites that use SSL certificates and may rank them higher in search results.

Compliance: Some industries such as e-commerce and finance require the use of SSL certificates to protect sensitive customer information.

Enhanced Customer Experience: SSL certificates can help create a better overall user experience, as users are more likely to trust and feel secure on websites that use them.

How To Get an SSL Certificate?

Mostly all the web hosting and domain providers give you the option of getting an SSL certificate when you buy hosting and a domain from them. 

If you have ignored that option to reduce your spending on hosting, you can also buy it from authentic SSL certificate providers. 

Here we have discussed the trusted authentic sources to get an SSL certificate. First, we need to understand the types of SSL certificates that are suitable for different websites.

The Most Famous Types of SSL Certificates

Domain Validation SSL Certificate (DV): These are the most affordable SSL certificates; they provide the least amount of identity validation and validate domain ownership information. These types of SSL certificates are suitable for small businesses, blogs, or personal websites that don’t conduct transactions.

Organization Validation SSL Certificate (OV): These types of SSL certificates are authenticated with nine validation checks and are also known as “mid-level business certificates.” OV SSL certificates are more expensive than DV certificates, but they are highly recommended for business websites that allow users to log in. 

Extended Validation SSL Certificate (EV): EV SSL certificates are authenticated with extensive validation checks and are the most expensive type of SSL certificate. EV certificates perform nearly 18 validation checks and are the most secure SSL certificate type. This certificate helps protect the brand identity due to its strict process. These types of SSL certificates are best for banks, financial services, e-commerce websites, and big companies.

There are over 100 CA’s(certificate authorities) that provide SSL or TLS certificates, you need to choose those that are the most trusted and more secure. 

Trusted Certificate Authority like Comodo, RapidSSL, or DigiCert. You can choose as per your requirements. 

Step-by-Step Simple Process of Getting an SSL Certificate

• First, you must generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) from your Web server. You can generate it with the help of access to the server and Cpanel. 
• After going into cPanel, just find out the SSL/TLS option. After clicking on it, you will find an option to generate CSR.
• A form will open, you need to fill up all your details like domain name, city, state, country, and company name. 
• Now your CSR is generated, if you don’t have access to Cpanel then you can also generate CSR through online CSR generator tools.
• After getting CSR, you need to submit it to a Certificate authority like Comodo, Rapid SSL, or DigiCert.
• Lastly, you need to submit the SSL certificate to your website with the help of Cpanel, here you can find out ‘manage SSL certificate’ option and upload the certificate to your chosen domain. 

If you get an SSL certificate from your hosting provider, then you don’t need to be tense about it, the hosting provider automatically installs it on your website. 

Best Free SSL Hosting Providers

Now most web hosting providers offer (Let’s encrypt) SSL certificates for free, some of which are

• Bluehost
• A2hosting
• Hostinger
• SiteGround
• Dreamhost

Let’s Encrypt is a free SSL certificate provider and most hosting providers use it to give free SSL certificates to their hosting users. If you manually get a free SSL certificate from let’s encrypt, you need to update it when it expires. Getting it from hosting providers makes your task easy and does everything automatically. 

Wrap It Up

Having an SSL certificate on your website wins the trust of your audience and gives them a secure environment to visit your website. Most hosting providers only give free SSL certificates, which are sufficient for small websites and blogs but if you have an e-commerce website or doing transactions on your website then you should go with an EV SSL certificate, you can buy it from Comodo, RapidSSL, or other trusted certificate authority.