What is an SSL Certificate and Why Do You Need One?

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An SSL certificate creates an encrypted connection between a web server and browsers. It protects sensitive data like credit cards and login credentials when transferred from getting intercepted by hackers.

Installing an SSL certificate should be one of the first steps to securing your website. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know, including:

What is an SSL certificate?
How do SSL certificates work?
What are the different types of certificates?
Why are SSL certificates important for security?
How much do SSL certificates cost?
How to get a free SSL certificate
FAQs about SSL certification

What is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt data sent between a web server and web browser. This protects sensitive information like credit card details, usernames and passwords from being intercepted by hackers when data is transferred online.

SSL certificates also help establish trust between a website and browser – indicating the website is safe to share personal information with. Browsers indicate a website is secured by SSL via a padlock and “https” in the URL.

How Do SSL Certificates Work?

SSL certificates rely on a public key infrastructure (PKI) to establish an encrypted connection:

An SSL certificate contains a public key and a private key
Data transferred is encrypted with the public key
The private key decrypts the data
The certificate authority verifies the website’s identity

Through a process called the SSL handshake, the web browser and web server exchange information to confirm each other’s identity and establish an encrypted session using the certificates.

Why Get An SSL Certificate?

There are a few key reasons why every website should use an SSL certificate:

1. Encrypt sensitive data – SSL certificates encrypt all data transferred between a website and browser including credit card numbers, login details, contact forms etc.

2. Secure customer data – Customers expect their data to be protected by SSL encryption from hackers. An SSL certificate indicates customers are in a safe, secure environment. Studies show customers less likely to buy from insecure websites.

3. Display the padlock icon & https – SSL adds visible security indicators like the padlock and https in the browser address bar so visitors can identify legitimate/safe sites.

4. Improve search rankings – Google uses SSL encryption as a ranking factor, giving secured sites a boost in search results pages.

5. Meet compliance requirements – Industry regulations like PCI DSS require SSL encryption when handling credit cards or customer data. SSL is a necessity for any ecommerce store.

6. Prevent browser warnings – Browsers display warnings on pages with forms asking for sensitive data if the site is not running HTTPS/SSL. This damages credibility, conversions and SEO.

What are the Different Types of SSL Certificates?

There are a few different types of SSL certificates available for securing websites:

Domain Validation (DV) SSL – Only verifies control/ownership of the domain name. No business identity validation. Best for blogs, info sites.
Organization Validation (OV) SSL – Adds validated business identity to the DV validation. Displays organization name. Ideal for ecommerce.
Extended Validation (EV) SSL – Highest level of validation including full business/legal identity checks. Displays green browser bar. Used by major corporations.
Wildcard SSL – Secures unlimited subdomains with a single certificate. Useful for sites using subdomains.
Multi-Domain/UCC Certificates– Single certificate can add alternative domain names. Allows securing different domains.

The level of trust and validation increases from DV > OV > EV SSL certificates, as does the cost. EV SSL certificates provide maximum encryption and trust to websites.

How Much Do SSL Certificates Cost?

The cost of an SSL certificate depends on the type, validation level and certificate authority. Prices usually range from:

Domain Validated – $10 – $99 per year
Organization Validated – $50 – $150 per year
Extended Validation – $150+ per year

Many certificate authorities run promotions offering discounts around Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other peak sales periods.

You can also get free SSL certificates from some providers. These should be avoided for commercial sites wanting maximum trust and security.

How to Get A Free SSL Certificate

While paid SSL certificates are recommended for full trust and validation, some providers offer free SSL certificates:

Let’s Encrypt – Popular certificate authority providing free 90-day certificates. Fully automated issuance/renewal but requires technical know-how to install and maintain.
Cloudflare – Free SSL certificates for sites using Cloudflare services. Easy setup but must use Cloudflare nameservers.
ZeroSSL – Basic free SSL certificates with 30-day renewal. Manual installation so less ideal for many sites.

Be aware free certificates often have lower browser trust and require more effort to renew every 1-3 months. Paid OV/EV options are better for security, convenience and credibility – with annual renewal.

Frequently Asked Questions About SSL Certificates

SSL certificates are crucial for any website handling user data or transactions. The SSL encryption protects sensitive data like credit cards, files and login details from being intercepted by bad actors. Customers expect sites to have SSL certificates for security and legitimacy.

An SSL certificate contains:

Public key used to encrypt data
Domain name
Business identity
Issuing certificate authority
Validity period
Signature to authenticate the certificate

Most SSL certificates are valid for 1-2 years before renewal is required. Some providers issue shorter validity certificates of 3 months up to 1 year.

Make sure you renew the certificate before expiry to maintain security and avoid browser errors.

A wildcard SSL certificate secures unlimited subdomains on a single cert. This allows easy scaling to add or remove subdomains without needing new certificates. They typically cost 2-3x more than single domain certs however.

Start with a single domain and upgrade to a wildcard SSL later once your subdomain strategy is established.

These refer to the identity verification level:

Domain Validation (DV) – Basic, only verifies domain ownership
Organization Validation (OV) – Confirms business identity
Extended Validation (EV) – High assurance certificates confirming legal, physical and operational existence

EV SSL certificates provide maximum trust and security to websites.

Websites can generate their own self-signed SSL certificates. However these certificates are not issued by any trusted authority so browsers will display warnings against using them.

Purchase SSL certificates from reputable CAs like Digicert, Comodo, Globalsign for full trust and encryption.

Summing Up

Installing an SSL certificate should be one of the first steps taken to secure any website. Here are some key takeaways:

SSL certificates encrypt data and establish trust between websites and browsers
Different types include domain, organization & extended validation certificates
Prices range from $10 – $150+ per year from trusted CAs
Free certificates have lower security and require more renewal effort
Look for security indicators like “https” and padlocks to identify safe sites
Explore top certificate authority options to find the best SSL for your site

Encrypting your website traffic with SSL should not be optional in today’s environment. Follow the recommendations outlined in this guide to research the top providers and install trusted SSL certificates across all your websites for complete security and confidence.

Neil Beckett

Neil is an accomplished web, designer and developer with over 15 years of experience in creating and optimizing websites for small businesses and online entrepreneurs. Read full bio

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