ssl

How does SSL protect websites?

If you are from an IT background, then there will be a chance that you have heard of SSL certificates. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. So what is it? Why is it matters to you if you won a website? How can you use it on your website? And any more things we will discuss here.

1.What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. It is a certificate that authenticates your website and enables an encrypted connection for your website. It is an online security protocol that creates an encrypted link between your website’s web server and your user’s web browser.

  1. Why is it matters to you if you won a website

Actually, websites owner or companies need SSL certificates for their websites to secure their transactions of private data like passwords, bank details, etc. It also helps to secure customers’ online data and their activity from online threats.

In one sentence, SSL helps to secure your connection and prevent cyber attackers from reading or modifying information transferred between two systems.

So how can you know that the website has an SSL certificate and your connection is secure?

When you visit any website, if there is a padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar, it means, that website is being protected by SSL.

  1. How does an SSL certificate work?

SSL works by guaranteeing that any information moved among clients and sites, or between two frameworks, stays difficult to peruse. It utilizes encryption calculations to scramble the information on the way, which keeps programmers from perusing it as it is sent over the association. This information incorporates possibly delicate data, for example, names, addresses, Visa numbers, or other monetary subtleties.

This process is done like this-

  1. When you want to fetch information from your browser on the internet, then your    browser tries to connect to the website that is secured with SSL.
  2. Web server sends its copy of SSL certificates to the browser as a response.
  3. In the next step, the browser checks the SSL certificate and decides should it be trusted or not. If the certificate is trustworthy, then it signals this to the web server for the next steps.
  4. Then the web server returns a digitally signed acknowledgment to start an SSL encrypted session for the user.
  5. Now in the final step, encrypted data is shared between the browser and the web server.

This process is referred to as SSL handshake. This whole process does not take more than milliseconds.

When a website is secured by an SSL certificate, the acronym HTTPS (which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) appears in the URL. Without an SSL certificate, only the letters HTTP - i.e., without the S for Secure - will appear. A padlock icon will also display in the URL address bar. This signal trust and provides reassurance to those visiting the website.

If you are curious to see the SSL certificate details, then you can click on the padlock symbol located within the browser bar. You can see the full details after clicking on it, like-

  1. You can see the domain name of the website for which the SSL certificate was issued.
  2. You get the name of the organization for which this certificate was issued.
  3. You get the details about the authority that issued this certificate.
  4. You can see the digital signature of the certificate authority that issued the SSL certificate.
  5. You get the name of associated subdomains that are linked to that domain.
  6. You can see the date on which this certificate was issued.
  7. You also get the expiry date of the SSL certificate.
  8. You can see the public keys of that certificate.
  9. Types of SSL certificate

There are many types of SSL certificates available that can be used for a different purpose. Certificates are processed by a Certificate Authority (CA), which is software designed specifically for running and granting these certificates.

For encryption and validation certificates, there are domain, organization, and extended validation. For certificates defined by the domain number, the types are single, multidomain, and wildcard.

  1. EV or Extended Validation SSL certificate

This is the most expensive and highest-ranking SSL certificate. It should be used for high-class website which collects classified personal data from the user and involves online payment.

This SSL certificate displays the HTTPS, padlock, with the name of the business in the address bar. To set up an EV SSL certificate, the website owner must go through a standardized identity verification process to confirm they are authorized legally to the exclusive rights to the domain.

  1. OV SSL or Organization validated certificate.

This certificate verifies that your organization and domain validation are real. Organization Validated (OV) SSL certificates offer a medium level of encryption and are obtained in two steps. First, the CA would verify who owns the domain and if the organization is operating legally.

On the browser, users would see a small green padlock with the company’s name following. Use this type of certificate if you don’t have the financial resources for an EV SSL, but still want to offer a moderate level of encryption.

  1. Domain validation (DV) certificate

This certificate offers a low level of encryption. This is the quickest validation you can get, and you only need a few documents to obtain this.

This verification happens when you add a DNS to the CA. For this certificate, the CA will review the right of the applicant to own the domain being submitted.

  1. Wildcard SSL certificate

This SSL certificate validates your domain and subdomain. Wildcard SSL gives an advantage that if you purchase a certificate for one domain, you can use that same certificate for your other subdomains.

  1. Unified communication (UCC) SLL certificate

This SSL certificate allows multiple domain names to be on the same certificate, just like wildcard SLL.UCC was created to bridge communication between a single server and browser but has since expanded to include multiple domain names by the same owner.

UCC certificate in the address bar shows a padlock to display its validity. They can also be considered an EV SSL if they are configured to show that green text, padlock, and home country. The only difference is the number of domain names associated with this certificate.

  1. Single domain SSL certificate

As the name suggests, it protects only one domain. This SLL certificate will not be able to protect your subdomain. This certificate is best for single-page websites or any simple website.

  1. Conclusion

It is the website owner’s responsibility that his website users feel secure on their website. An SSL certificate ensures your website users’ privacy. It secures your website by encrypting them. An SSL certificate ensures that sensitive data exchanged between the web server and the browser is safe, improving the website’s trustworthiness.

Other than providing protection against malicious intent, an SSL certificate also strengthens the site’s SEO performance. It helps you to rank up your website on different search engines.

If you want to protect your website with SSL but don’t know how, Hosting centre is one of the best SSL certificate provider company in India.

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