What is an SSL Certificate?
When you send off a letter in the mail, you will make sure that it is properly sealed so that no one can open it and read the content without you, or the person receiving it, knowing. Sealing an envelope protects the messages within and ensures that the data within it is safe and will get to the person who you are sending it to, without being compromised. An SSL certificate works in a very similar way as it enables an encrypted connection that authenticates a website’s identity. SSL is an acronym that translates to Secure Sockets Layer, and it is an encrypted link that is built between a web server and a web browser.
What Does an SSL Certificate Do?
An SSL certificate is an added layer of protection that secures interactions between a web server and a web browser, ensuring that data that is placed on a website is protected. If you have a website that processes online transactions or records the personal information of those who visit your website, it is even more crucial to ensure that you are protected with an SSL certificate.
Is it Important to Use an SSL Certificate?
Yes, having an SSL certificate is extremely necessary for any website, but if you are documenting personal or banking information it is especially important! An SSL certificate keeps internet connections secure and prevents anyone from having access to the information on your website. As the internet grows and more and more businesses use websites to store information like banking and personal details, criminals with malicious intent may try to hack into servers and steal this information. An SSL certificate stops people with malicious intent from being able to modify or read data that is being transferred between any two systems!
Who Should Use an SSL Certificate?
It is important that anyone with a website use an SSL certificate! Not only does this certificate work to protect you from those with malicious intent who are trying to access information, but it also verifies ownership, ensuring no one can make a fake site with your information, and conveys trust to those who visit your webpages! If your website needs access to personal or banking information, and a user trusts your site enough to hand this data over, you need to ensure that you have the systems in place to prevent this information from getting into the wrong hands.
What Are The Things to Consider When Using an SSL Certificate?
The type of SSL certificate that you use is an important consideration to make when you are setting up this feature. There are many different kinds of certificates that have different SSL certificate authority, strengths, weaknesses and levels of protection! Since they are so different, the pricing plans for each of these do differ as well, so you should do your research before going with one!
Does an SSL Certificate Have a Validity Period?
Unfortunately, SSL certificates do have a validity period, and after a certain amount of time, they will expire. Though this may seem like a bit of a hassle, they expire so that information can be updated as things change on your website. If you had to buy or sell a website, the information on the SSL certificate would need to be updated with the new information. Currently, an SSL certificate is only valid for a period of two years, with the option to extend for a further three months.
Once this time period is over, your website will no longer be protected by the SSL certificate. When this happens, users will be made aware that the website is not secure, ensuring that they are aware that the website is not protected. If you run an e-commerce website and your shoppers are presented with this type of warning message, it will impact their trust in you and may cost you customers.
What is The Importance of an SSL Certificate in E-Commerce?
An SSL certificate is important for any type of website, no matter what industry you are in or the type of business you run. It is however extremely important for E-commerce websites! On these kinds of websites, users are expected to give banking information so that they can purchase the product that they are interested in. In order to protect this information, it is extremely important that e-commerce websites have an SSL certificate!
Being an E-commerce website also makes you more of a target. Hackers and criminals with malicious intent know that people place their banking and personal information on these kinds of websites, making them a target! Ensuring that you have an SSL certificate that is up to date with all of the relevant information and ensuring that it is protecting your website is so important when it comes to protecting both yourself and your clients!
What are The Types of SSL Certificates?
You do not just get one kind of SSL certificate, there are actually many different kinds. The following are just a few of the different types of SSL certificates to choose from!
- An Extended Validation certificate: For those websites that have online payments and very important personal information is given, you are going to want the highest form of protection. An extended validation certificate is the highest-ranking and most expensive kind of certificate!
- A Domain Validated certificate: For those who need a lower form of protection and have minimal information that is shared across the network, a domain validated certificate would probably be the best option for you! These types of SSL certificates are less expensive as they offer less protection.
