The SSL Certificate that Your Website Needs!
The SSL certificate or Security Sockets Layer certificate are installed on websites to protect them from hackers or any other form of outside interferences. As soon as an SSL certificate is installed on a server, the URL changes from HTTP to HTTPS which suggests that the website is secure for any form of transaction. Many Web Hosting company provide free SSL Certificate to their clients.
Now, there are primarily three types of SSL certificates. While all of them do the basic function of data encryption, they do vary in some ways. For instance, the amount of security provided by these certificates is not equal. Also, just like all mobile phones basically perform the same functions, but you buy one depending on the price, the look, the features and other criteria, similarly, all the SSL certificates, on the surface level are the same, but they do differ when you go deeper into it. To buy an SSL certificate from , the most important criteria is, ofcourse, trust. How much trust can each of these SSL certificates guarantee? That is the primary question! Also, which one would go with your budget and would fit in with the nature of your business?
To find the answers to these questions, let us discuss them in details!
1.Organisational Validated Certificates
In the case of Organisational Validated Certificates, the Certificate Authority checks if the company or the organisation which has applied has the right to a particular domain. They call them to make sure that the company is genuine. They verify everything that is mentioned in the application such as the name and address of the company. The OV certificate gives a kind of credibility to the website making the visitors feel secure while sharing sensitive information. Also, more information about the company is revealed to the visitors once they click on the security padlock. This increases their trust in the company as they themselves get to verify if the organisation is a fraud or not.
2.Domain Validated Certificates
Domain Validated Certificates are the cheapest form of SSL certificates out there. The Certificate Authority here only verifies the domain name, the name and contact details of the applicant, but doesn’t go beyond that. They don’t try and check if the company is legitimate or not. It is only suitable for websites where no private information will be shared, otherwise it poses a great danger for the visitors. When they click on the security padlock, no information about the organisation is shown, unlike the OV certificates. There is no way to find out if the company is lawful or not.
The DV certificates are perfect for those who need an SSL certificate on a short notice and who do not want to go through the long process of submitting documents. However, these certificates should only be used by websites where there is no commercial transaction, as they do not guarantee absolute security.
3.Extended Validation Certificates
Extended Validation Certificates are the most trusted SSL certificates. Over the years, many established businesses have chosen EV certificates over OV certificates and they have themselves noticed the difference. Using EV certificates immediately increases the trust of the customers on the company. The vetting procedure of EV certificates is lengthier and much more comprehensive than that of OV certificates. Also, with EV certificates, one can see a green bar on the user address, which makes it immediately recognisable, as that green bar doesn’t come with any other certificates. It becomes almost impossible for hackers to pose as a particular website because the green bar can be seen only with verified EV certificates.
So, after going through all the three SSL certificates and the advantages and disadvantages provided by each of them, it becomes quite clear that EV is the best choice by miles. EV certificates have completed changed the way website security was perceived in the online world. People have become a lot more aware about online security and the other related issues with EV certificates. All the well-known companies choose EV over other SSL certificates as it helps in increasing their brand value as well as the trust among the clients. It eventually leads to a growth in online traffic and the sales of these companies. So, considering all these and more, it is safe to say that if you are planning on getting an SSL certificate for your website, EV is the way to go!
These are the different validation levels for the SSL certificates. Now, let us take a look at the various types of SSL certificates.
1.Single Domain Certificates
Single Domain Certificates are cheap compared to the other types of SSL certificates. It secures only one domain and doesn’t include any of the other sub-domains associated with it. It also comes in different prices and warranties for the different validation levels of SSL certificates. Single Domain Certificates are best suited for small or medium sized businesses which do not manage multiple websites.
2.Wildcard SSL Certificates
A Wildcard SSL Certificate is a better option compared to Single Domain Certificates for managing big numbers of websites. Along with securing the main domain, it protects all the other sub-domains as well. One can go on adding sub-domains in the future and it will protect all of them. It is good for those businesses which need a flexible SSL certificate, at a lower cost compared to Multi-Domain SSL certificate.
3.Multi-Domain SSL Certificate
A Multi-Domain SSL Certificate secures multiple numbers of domains with only one certificate. It lets one secure up to 100 domains with that one certificate. The businesses can add or delete domains whenever they want. It also doesn’t need different IP addresses for the various host names. A Multi-Domain SSL Certificate is an easier option because one needs to just follow one certificate and not individual certificates for every domain. As that one certificate is about to get expired, one would just need to renew it, and not a number of certificates. Also, since there no individual certificates for the various domains, the cost also gets reduced to a large extent.