SSL Certificates

TLS (Transport Layer Security) the successor protocol and an improved version of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). It works similar to SSL using encryption for protecting the transmission of data and information.

Moreover, SSL Certificates are digital certificates which prove that the identity of the websites is authenticated and all the information sent to SSL installed website will stay encrypted with the help of SSL/TLS technology.

Whenever a user visits a secured website, an SSL/TLS Certificate installed on it offers identification information regarding its web server and creates an encrypted connection. Furthermore, all of this process is done within a second.

Let’s understand how an SSL works.

• Web browser or server tries to connect with the server of a website secured with an SSL/TLS Certificate and make a request to a web server for identifying themselves.
• Copy of a web server’s SSL/TLS Certificate is sent to the browser or server.
• Once the browser/server receives it verifies whether to trust the SSL/TLS Certificate and then sends a message to the web server.
• The web server sends back an acknowledgment in a digitally signed format for starting an SSL encrypted session.
• Now, the access is granted to share encrypted data between the web server and the browser/server.

Yes. If you have a website, SSL is needed. Earlier, it was okay to have an SSL only for the website which was collecting information from the user. But after Google’s update regarding SSL, it is needed no matter what type of website you have, whether you collect the information or not. Even a simple blog will also display a “Not Secure” if the SSL is not installed on it.

Yes. If you have a website, SSL is needed. Earlier, it was okay to have an SSL only for the website which was collecting information from the user. But after Google’s update regarding SSL, it is needed no matter what type of website you have, whether you collect the information or not. Even a simple blog will also display a “Not Secure” if the SSL is not installed on it.

SSL/TLS Certificate installed on the website means it helps to secure the data transferred between the visitor and a website and vice-versa. Though one thing has to be noted that, it doesn’t mean the information on the server is secured, as once the sensitive data reaches the server it’s up to the admin on how to keep it safe for example, encryption of database.

In other words, HTTPS means HTTP is sent over an SSL encrypted connection which covers GET & POST with other HTTP actions while keeping it safe and unaltered as all the data is passed via an SSL tunnel to the client browser.

The main reason to use SSL is to encrypt and secure sensitive information sent over the Internet, so only the recipient who is intended can have access to it while making it unreadable to any third-party in-between. As any information sent over internet pass through various computers before reaching its destination server, ultimately making your sent information such as credit card details, login credentials vulnerable to attacks, if it’s not encrypted with an SSL certificate. Additionally, SSL is important because it provides:

• Authentication: Provides surety that the information is sent to the right server and not any fraudster who is trying to steal data.
• Trust: Visual trust indicators such as a green bar or a lock icon are displayed on the popular web browsers like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, letting your website visitors know about your genuineness.
• PCI Compliance: Pass the audits and satisfies the requirement of the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards, which are needed for any website which accepts credit card details.

If you own a website these days, it’s a compulsion that you must have an SSL/TLS certificate installed on it. Now, it’s no more like any luxury, but it’s more a necessity. Additionally, some of the benefits you get by installing an SSL/TLS certificate are like:

• SSL helps in protecting your server-client transactions such as sharing of credit card number while purchasing online by making an encrypted tunnel between the two.
• SSL helps in providing authentication of the website. It helps in identity verification, which is an important aspect regarding web security.
• SSL helps in satisfying the requirements of PCI/DSS as a website needs to be PCI compliant to receive online payments.
• It provides visual trust indicators which help in boosting the trust and confidence of website visitors.
• SSL helps in establishing non-repudiation with the combination of Encryption, Integrity and Authentication. In other words, SSL makes a secured transaction due to which none of the party, i.e., server or client can say that the communication is coming from someone else.
• Removes web-browser security warning message “Not Secure.”

Getting an HTTPS on the website is quite easy. Simply follow the below steps:.

• Get your website on a dedicated IP address.
  Purchase a certificate from the trusted Certificate Authority or its resellers.
• Activate the purchased SSL/TLS Certificate by following all the necessary steps such as generating CSR.
• Install your SSL/TLS Certificate.
• Finally, make the necessary changes to use HTTPS.

At one time it was a mandatory requirement to have a dedicated IP for each SSL certificate on a web server. This is no longer the case due to a technology called Server Name Indication (SNI). Your hosting platform will specifically have to support SNI. You can find out more information about SNI in this link

Getting an HTTPS on the website is quite easy. Simply follow the below steps:.

• You need to generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) from the control panel provided by the hosting provider.
• Send authentic documents about your organization establishment in case of extended validation certificates (EV)
• Purchase a certificate from the trusted Certificate Authority or its resellers.
• Install SSL/TLS Certificate you get from the CA.
• Finally, make the necessary changes to use HTTPS.

Yes, you can get SSL for free. Some of them who provides are as below:.

• Let’s Encrypt: A collaborative project of many tech giants offers an SSL/TLS Certificate for free. Additionally, it’s automated, which means there’s no need to create CSR. All these processes happen in the background without giving you any hassle.
• Comodo: It’s one of the branded Certificate Authority and yes it offers a free SSL certificate for 90 days period validity. It’s one of the best choices to look around and get familiar with SSL or any short-term project.
• Cloud Flare: Cloud Flare one of the popular CDN & Security Company recently announced that they do offer free SSL universally, even for the free plan users.
• StartCom: It provides a class 1 Domain Validated (DV) SSL/TLS Certificate for free, which is one of the good choices for a personal blog or website.
• WoSign: It’s one of the Certificate Authority, who offers an SSL/TLS Certificate for first two years free. Additionally, SSL Certificate provided by them supports SHA2 algorithm.
• SSL For Free: It uses ACME server of Let’s Encrypt and provides DV (Domain Validated) SSL certificate for free which are issued within a few minutes.

Additionally, some other who provides free SSL/TLS Certificate as a trial for the first 30 days are:

• GeoTrust
• Entrust (60 Days free trial)
• Trustico
• Quality SSL

Different SSL Certificates are needed for a different type of websites. Again, SSL certificates are divided into two categories:

Validation Level:

• Domain Validated SSL Certificates, which are good for a personal blog or content-based website which does not collect any sensitive information from the users.
• Organization Validated SSL Certificates, which are a good option for any website which shares any critical data
• Extended Validated SSL Certificate is an excellent choice for websites like shopping portal or banking, which deals with financial transactions and other sensitive information like credit card details.

Functionality Wise:

• As the name implies, Single domain SSL/TLS Certificate is used for only one domain. It covers domain with “www” as well as non “www” prefix.
• Multi-Domain/ SAN SSL certificate also known as UCC (Unified Communications Certificate) which covers multiple domains with a single SSL certificate
• Wildcard SSL Certificate is good for the one who wants to cover one main domain with multiple sub-domains.
• Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificate is a combination of Wildcard SSL and Multi-domain SSL Certificate, which covers multiple domains with multiple sub-domains.

After the announcement of Google’s compulsion towards installing an SSL/TLS Certificate, it can affect it, because if the SSL certificate is not installed on the website, it will start displaying the “Not Secure” message or worst website will stop loading in any of the popular web-browser. Again, content is more important. If there’s an SSL certificate, but the website is not user-friendly or content is not relevant to users need, it will be useless, which will make a negative impact on the SEO of a website. In other words, low traffic and lower conversions. Lastly, a user may get a boost in ranking due to SSL/TLS Certificate installed on it.