Owning a business website requires a lot of strategies and effort to attract people’s interest. Sometimes is not about getting complex ideas but going to the basics. Customers and search engines so appreciate security. It’s a value directly linked with reliability and a good reputation. Besides being an obligation, it can really bring benefits to your business.
Let’s dig a bit into 4 SSL certificate types for your website. One of these should be suitable for your site.
What is an SSL certificate?
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is an efficient cryptographic protocol for securing online communication. The objective of having such a protocol on your website is to encrypt all the data exchanged between you and your clients for protection. SSL certificate also proves your identity to users.
SSL certificates are useful for all websites, especially those requiring sensitive users’ information for money transfers or log in. SSL visual signals (the https and padlock in the address bar) give confidence to users.
4 SSL certificate types for your website
Domain Validation (DV SSL). It is easy to get and cost-effective. It supplies a basic level of encryption and security. To get it, the Certificate Authority (CA) will check via e-mail if the one applying is the owner of a registered domain name. The CA will examine if the e-mail you provided corresponds to the one registered for such domain in the WHOIS record. You will receive a message, and if your reply is gotten properly, the certificate gets issued fast. This means you get it in a file you can easily add to your website, and that’s it.
DV SSL could suit websites that don’t manage sensitive users’ data (blogs, portfolios, information…).
Organization Validation (OV SSL). It is more expensive than DV SSL, and the process to get it takes longer because it’s more exhaustive. It offers a higher encryption level, and it strongly validates an organization’s identity and legitimacy. The CA will verify the organization’s data (name, current physical address, telephone number, and domain ownership) and not a fake, unreliable organization. If CA determines your organization is genuine, in a few days, your OV SSL can be issued. It will openly show the organization’s name, city, state, and country where it exists. Bigger businesses or even government agencies use this certificate.
Extended Validation (EV SSL). Here you get a really robust encryption level, security, and organization’s reliability authentication. The time and the price to get this certificate increase considerably in comparison with the previous. To authenticate your organization and data involves extra steps, checking of legal documents, etc. Normally, organizations looking for this certificate are the ones handling lots of constant transactions. They need to strongly guarantee trust for their users and security for every payment or data transfer. For example, banks, financial institutions, big e-commerce ventures, international brands, government, tech companies, etc.
Multi-domain SSL certificate. This is a practical way to get encryption and security for a principal domain name and many more subject alternative names (SAN) through only one certificate. Security can be even EV (high level) for all domains you include. Secure hundreds of SANs for less money and in less time (amount depends on every provider). Include, modify or eliminate the SAN you need. This is a popular choice for organizations with a presence in different locations, international ventures that own diverse top-level-domain names (TLDs).
Conclusion.
To buy an SSL certificate is a good investment. Security totally matters for protecting your users’ data and your own organization or business. Besides, since having an SSL certificate is promoted by search engines, you should comply with the requirement for getting ranked conveniently.