If you are about to start a website or have just finished creating one, it is time to think about what type of digital certificate your site needs. There are many different types, and some will be more suitable than others depending on the nature of your business. We will go through each of them here and give you an idea of which would be best for certain situations.
What is SSL?
SSL is a security protocol that provides encrypted communication between your web browser and the website it is connected to. It also prevents third parties from stealing sensitive data, such as passwords or financial information, which could be used without permission. This makes SSL encryption important for eCommerce businesses where users are making payments online.
Why do you need it for your website?
As a business owner, you must protect your website and the data being sent to and from it. Without encryption, there are many risks involved with running an online store or service. These include:
– Loss of personal information such as credit card details
– Identity theft – by using SSL certificates on websites, hackers your website is asking for any sort of sensitive data from the user, such as a password or credit card details; this will need SSL encryption.
This could be because you are sending those transactions to an external payment provider where they would become visible outside the secure environment created by SSL certificates. For example, if someone had access to the network, they could intercept the data and use it for their purposes.
What type of SSL do you need?
There are four main types: Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validated (OV), Extended Validation (EV), and Wildcard certificates. Each one has different features depending on your needs, so we will look at them in more detail below.
Domain Validation (DV)
This type of certificate is the most basic and cheapest option to get, but it has its limitations when running an online business. A DV SSL will encrypt communication between your website visitors and server, which means that any data sent or received by either would be secure.
It is also more likely that you will get a domain validated certificate on your personal or home computer since it only requires validating who owns the website. This means there are fewer requirements compared with OV and EV certificates, which require more checks before issuing the final encryption files.
Organization Validated (OV)
This type of certificate is more appropriate for an owner who wants to expand their business online. It requires a company representative from the domain owner’s organization to verify that they are legally registered and have been in operation for at least 12 months, which could be difficult if you run a website on your own or have just opened up.
The main benefit of OV certificates is that any data sent between the web browser and server will be encrypted with 2048-bit encryption files, so this would likely be suitable for most types of e-commerce transactions where sensitive data needs protection. In addition, providing there are no issues, users should get warnings about invalid certificates being used, which will help your users and visitors feel safe when visiting you online.
Extended Validation (EV)
This type of SSL certificate is the most well-known as it looks different in a web browser, so certain features need to be checked before providing encryption files for websites. To get an EV certification, companies have to prove their organization. They also need to pass more rigorous checks on who runs or owns the company itself, which means there could be issues if you run a website from home and don’t want all these details made public. However, one advantage is that no warning messages should appear about invalid certificates because browsers such as Chrome and Firefox prioritize this verification process over other types of security.
Wildcard certificates
Wildcard certificates are designed for companies that host multiple websites on the same domain. They work the same way as DV and OV SSLs, but they can be used across all of your subdomains. So if you have a website with blog posts linked to another site that sells products, then this type of certificate would cover both once again. There will not be any browser warnings when users visit either of these sites when using an EV or wildcard SSL certificate.
Why domain validation certificates are not recommended
While DV certificates are the cheapest option if you run an online business, they do not provide the same level of security as OV and EV SSLs. This is because when a browser connects to your site, it sends out information about where it came from for your website to identify who has visited so that any responses can be sent back correctly.
However, a hacker could intercept this data by using man-in-the-middle attacks to get around encryption files, making them vulnerable to identity theft or other types of fraud, which would have serious consequences on their financial position. In addition, Google Chrome will show alerts during web browsing sessions such as ” secure” messages when users log into a website protected by a DV SSL certificate. This alert does not provide the same peace of mind as OV and EV certificates because it leaves users vulnerable to steal their details. So this would be especially problematic when making online transactions such as buying or selling goods and services on an eCommerce site.
In the end, it just depends on what you want your website to accomplish. If you’re looking for a site that will provide information about your company and its products, then an SSL certificate may be best. However, if you are hoping to create a more interactive experience with customers or visitors who wish to engage in transactions online, perhaps a digital signature is better suited for you.
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