An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates a website’s identity and enables an encrypted connection. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, a security protocol that creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser. Companies and organizations need to add SSL certificates to their websites to secure online transactions and keep customer information private and secure.
SSL certificates work by ensuring that any data transferred between users and websites, or between two systems, remains impossible to read. It uses encryption algorithms to scramble data in transit, which prevents hackers from reading it as it is sent over the connection. This data includes potentially sensitive information such as names, addresses, credit card numbers, or other financial details. The process is sometimes referred to as an “SSL handshake”.
There are different types of SSL certificates with different validation levels:
- Extended Validation certificates (EV SSL): This is the highest-ranking and most expensive type of SSL certificate. It tends to be used for high profile websites which collect data and involve online payments.
- Organization Validated certificates (OV SSL): This version of SSL certificate has a similar assurance level to the EV SSL certificate.
- Domain Validated certificates (DV SSL): The validation process to obtain this SSL certificate type is minimal, and as a result, Domain Validation SSL certificates provide lower assurance and minimal encryption.
- Wildcard SSL certificates: Wildcard SSL certificates allow you to secure a base domain and unlimited sub-domains on a single certificate.
- Unified Communications Certificate (UCC): UCCs were initially designed to secure Microsoft Exchange and Live Communications servers. Today, any website owner can use these certificates to allow multiple domain names to be secured on a single certificate.
The easiest way to see if a site has an SSL certificate is by looking at the address bar in your browser: If the URL begins with HTTPS instead of HTTP, that means the site is secured using an SSL certificate. Secure sites show a closed padlock emblem, which you can click on to see security details – the most trustworthy sites will have green padlocks or address bars
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