An SSL certificate, or Secure Sockets Layer certificate, is a digital certificate that verifies the authenticity and identity of a website and enables secure communication over the internet. It is an essential component of the HTTPS protocol, providing encryption and ensuring data integrity.
Here are the main purposes and functions of an SSL certificate:
- Authentication: An SSL certificate serves as a digital credential that verifies the identity of a website. It is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) after the CA validates the website’s ownership and authenticity. When a browser connects to a website with an SSL certificate, it checks the certificate’s authenticity to ensure that the website is legitimate and not an imposter.
- Encryption: SSL certificates enable encryption of data transmitted between a user’s browser and a website’s server. This encryption scrambles the data in a way that makes it unreadable to unauthorized parties. It ensures that sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card details, and personal data remain secure during transmission, preventing interception or eavesdropping.
- Data Integrity: SSL certificates ensure the integrity of data by using cryptographic algorithms. These algorithms create a unique digital signature for the data being transmitted. When the data reaches the recipient, it can be verified to ensure that it hasn’t been tampered with or altered during transmission.
- Trust and Security: The presence of an SSL certificate on a website is indicated by a padlock icon and “https://” in the browser’s address bar. This visual indicator reassures users that their connection is secure, and their data is protected. It builds trust between the website and its visitors, assuring them that their information is being transmitted over a secure connection.
- Compliance: Some industries, such as e-commerce, are required to have SSL certificates to comply with regulations.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Google has stated that SSL encryption is a factor in their search ranking algorithm. A website with an SSL certificate is more likely to rank higher in search results than a website without one.
SSL certificates are widely used by websites that handle sensitive information or engage in e-commerce transactions. They are also important for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), as search engines tend to prioritize websites with SSL certificates in their search results.
What is an SSL Certificate Provider?
An SSL certificate provider is an entity that issues SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates to website owners or organizations. SSL certificates are digital certificates that establish a secure connection between a web browser and a web server, ensuring that data transmitted between them is encrypted and protected from unauthorized access.
SSL certificate providers act as Certificate Authorities (CAs) and are responsible for verifying the identity of the website owner and issuing the SSL certificate. They perform various authentication processes to validate the ownership and legitimacy of the domain or organization requesting the certificate.
SSL certificate providers offer different types of certificates to meet various security needs. These can include:
- Domain Validation (DV) Certificates: These certificates verify the domain ownership and are the most basic type of SSL certificate.
- Organization Validation (OV) Certificates: OV certificates provide higher assurance by verifying the domain ownership as well as validating the organization’s legal existence and physical address.
- Extended Validation (EV) Certificates: EV certificates offer the highest level of trust and security. They involve a rigorous validation process, including verifying the legal and physical existence of the organization, and display the organization’s name in the browser address bar.
SSL certificate providers also offer wildcard certificates, which secure a main domain and all its subdomains, and multi-domain certificates, which secure multiple domains with a single certificate.
When selecting an SSL certificate provider, it’s essential to choose a reputable and trusted company that follows industry standards and provides reliable customer support. The provider’s certificates should be recognized and accepted by major web browsers to ensure compatibility and trustworthiness for visitors to your website.
Why us?
Why us? Our award-winning SSL Certificates work with all major browsers and devices, and protect an unlimited number of servers.
- Get higher search rankings on Google
Google is a heavy investor in Internet security and safety. They now use HTTPS as a search signal in their ranking algorithm. An SSL secured website (HTTPS vs. non-secured HTTP) will help boost your search ranking on Google.
- Offcial Google Webmaster Central Blog: HTTPS as a ranking signal
- Should I Switch From HTTP to HTTPS for SEO Reasons? – Forbes
Why us? Our Standard SSL certificate is an easy, cost-effective way to secure sensitive data and help increase your Google rank.
- Less Likely To Be Hacked
An SSL is trusted by customers, meaning they will feel safer using your website. When browsers are forced to use HTTPS connections it raises the security policy, meaning less opportunities for hackers
SSL Certificate Where To Buy? We provide cheap SSL certs with a full range of solutions such as: San SSL, Subdomain SSL, Multi-Domain SSL and Premium SSL certificate