Shared SSL Certificate vs Dedicated SSL Certificate
To know the difference between Shared and Dedicated SSL Certificate we have to first know what does SSL Certificate means. So SSL Certificate stands for Secure Socket Layer and its main function is that whenever we share any data from any web browser to a web server then it encrypts that data and then sends it to the web server and vice versa. So it provides security to your personal data which is being shared from web browser to web server or web server to web browser by encrypting that data. This SSL Certificate is issued by the Certificate Authority (CA). And there are many different providers who provide different types of SSL Certificate at different prices, you can go for any one of them according to your budget and requirement.
What is a Shared SSL Certificate?
So basically this is a free SSL Certificate which you don’t have to buy and it covers your entire server so that you could login to webmail or your control panel on a secure connection but it doesn’t mean that your data is safe. If you are using a Shared SSL Certificate then your data is not secure and it is easily accessible by any outsider or third person (Hackers) without your permission. It only provides a secure connection but not encrypts your data which is being shared between your web browser and web server.
So if it does not provide security to your data then why is it used for? So nowadays it has been made mandatory by Google to have an SSL Certificate otherwise whenever you will open the website then it will show you a message “not secure connection”. So to stop this happening the website owner uses a Shared SSL Certificate that whenever anyone visits its website then “not secure connection” message will be not shown to him by Google and this will gain the trust of the user that the website is safe and secure to use. So this is the main purpose for which is basically used but it is not safe and secure.
There are some limitations for Shared SSL Certificate which are –
- The first and most important limitation is that it is not installed on the name of your domain. These are installed on the name of host, of the shared hosting provider and not on your URL. So if any of the users is checking the Certificate details then he or she will find that the certificate domain name and the name of the website are different which will make the user to think that this website is fake or real and it will create a situation of panic in their mind and it is probably possible that they will not use that website.
- As you have read above that the data which is being shared between the web browser and web server is not safe and secure and it is not in encrypted form also. So if you are sharing any kind of data on a website which is using a Shared SSL Certificate then your personal information is easily accessible by the hackers or any outsider and they can easily get access to your data without your permission. So there is very much risk involved if you are sharing information on this type of website.
- The third and the last limitation is that this Shared SSL Certificate doesn’t include your business name because the certificate domain name and the website name are different which creates very much panic for the customers and generates the trust issue for that website and as we all know that in business or organizations trust plays a very important role and if the user will not trust you then it is not good for your business or organization.
What is a Dedicated SSL Certificate?
So this SSL Certificate is basically just opposite of the Shared SSL Certificate. These Certificates are installed on your domain name and whenever anyone is seeing your SSL Certificate then it will show your domain name instead of the host provider name which generates trust among the users and they feel safe and secure on that website. This Dedicated SSL Certificate is also known as Private SSL Certificate.
If you are using Dedicated SSL Certificate then your data which is being shared between your web browser and web server is safe and secure as it is in encrypted form and if any outsider or third person (Hackers) wants to gain access to your data without your permission then it is not possible for them to get access which makes your data safe and secure. So this does not only provide security to your but it also provides many other facilities also like whenever you want Dedicated SSL Certificate then you have to verify your documents from the Certificate Authority and then only you can get this Dedicated SSL Certificate which means that any website having a Dedicated SSL Certificate is totally legitimate and trustworthy and it is safe and secure for users.
There are basically three types of Dedicated SSL Certificate and they are –
- Domain Validated SSL Certificate (DV SSL Certificate) – This digital certificate is issued for a single domain only and it can’t be used by any sub domains or another domain. This requires less paperwork and it is easy to revocate and it is less time consuming also. This is also known as Single Domain SSL Certificate.
- Organizational Validated SSL Certificate (OV SSL Certificate) – This Dedicated SSL Certificate is used for the organizational purposes because if you are having this digital certificate then you can protect your subdomain also of that registered domain. This requires more time as compared to the first one and it is a little bit more time consuming as compared to the first one and it is easy to revocate. It is also known as Wildcard SSL Certificate.
- Extended Validation SSL Certificate (EV SSL Certificate) – Through this digital certificate we can protect multiple domains but it is issued only to organizations or businesses which are having a legal identity. It requires more paperwork as compared to all and it is more time consuming and very tough to revocate but it is the safest and secure Dedicated SSL Certificate and it is very much costly also as compared to all the digital certificates.
You can choose any of the Dedicated SSL Certificate according to your need and budget.
