SSL Certificate
As of July 2018, Google Chrome will change how the browser displays sites with the http:// protocol. These sites will now be classified as “not secure.”
For a site to be displayed as “secure,” it must use the https:// protocol, which requires an SSL certificate.
But what is an SSL certificate?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a global standard security technology that enables the encryption of communication between a web browser and a server.
It is already used by millions of online businesses and individuals to reduce the risk of sensitive information (such as credit card numbers and passwords) being stolen or altered by hackers.
SSL has two primary functions:
- To authenticate the website’s identity.
- To encrypt the data being transmitted.
What types of SSL certificates are there?
SSL certificates can be categorized by the number of domains they protect:
- Single Domain – Protects only one domain or subdomain.
- Wildcard – Protects one domain and an unlimited number of its subdomains.
- Multi-Domain – Protects multiple different domains.
They can also be categorized by their level of validation:
- Domain Validation (DV) – This is the least expensive level (or even free) and covers basic encryption and verification of domain ownership.
- Organization Validation (OV) – In addition to domain validation, this verifies details about the owner, such as the organization’s name and address.
- Extended Validation (EV) – This is the highest level of security, involving a thorough verification of the entity’s authenticity before the certificate is issued.
On all websites built by Design4Web, an SSL security certificate is implemented.