Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates help to protect and secure the information on the website. It is considered as the encryption center for protecting the data that is running between two servers or machines. SSL certificate helps to boost up the ranking of the website on search engines. Business owners should buy and install an SSL certificate for making the web safe and authentic. The website becomes open for hackers or cyber criminals without an SSL certificate. Customers mostly look into the security and encryption symbol first on the address bar of the website and then move further with the website.
Need of an SSL Certificate
SSL certificate comes with a variety of benefits. In the current scenario, an SSL certificate is not considered a luxury but it becomes a necessity. The data receive and sent from the website is safe and secure with an SSL certificate. There are some keys and locks provided by the SSL certificate which makes the credit card details, passwords, and other personal information safe and protected. The trust of the website among the customers increased through SSL certificates and more people visit the website. SSL certificate is mandatory for websites that collect user’s sensitive information.
Options of Validation Level of SSL Certificate
SSL certificate consists of three types of validation level that helps to find the best SSL certificate for the website.
- Domain Validation (DV) – This validation level of SSL certificate helps to provide protection to internal projects and not to open the web. DV is a cost-effective certificate and also some companies provide DV without any cost. The level of encryption is very low.
- Organization Validation (OV) – This SSL certificate comes with a moderate encryption level that helps to secure businesses and organizations of the governing body. The validity proof of the organization is needed before issuing the OV certificate.
- Extended Validation (EV) – This level of validation is the most trusted and provides the highest level of encryption to the websites. The guidelines of the EV certificate are strict and without any identity proof and location of the business, an EV certificate will not be issued.
Best SSL Certificates for Different Sites
- E-commerce websites – Domain Validated (DV) SSL certificate is the best choice for small business sites. It is a cost-effective certificate but the validation level is low. For example – blog sites, private customers’ sites, etc., can choose this certificate. DV certificate installation process is very easy, simple, and quick.
- Businesses and Organizations – The sites of small businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations (NGOs) should choose Organization Validated (OV) certificate. OV certificate provides a moderate level of validation but best for non-transactional data websites. The certificate authority (CA) authenticates various information about the organization such as company name, domain name, and other personal information. The company details and domain name is mentioned in the OV SSL certificate after issuance.
- Corporations and E-commerce sites – The governmental companies, corporations, and e-commerce websites that collect sensitive information of the users and deal with high-risk data should install Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates. It provides the highest level of validation and protects high-risk financial, medical, and other data records. For example – baking sites, online store sites, online transactions sites, etc., should issue and install EV certificate for giving higher protection to the website and security to the customers’ information.
Find SSL Certificate According to Number of Domains
There are different types of SSL certificate which one can choose as per securing the number of domains:
- Single Domain Certificate – This certificate helps to secure only a single domain and it is the right choice for small websites.
- Wildcard Certificate – This certificate helps to secure the primary domain along with an unlimited number of subdomains.
- Multi-Domain Certificate – This certificate is mainly used by large organizations that help to secure main domain and various Subject Alternative Name (SAN) domain names under a single certificate.
