SSL Certificates

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL Certificates are small data files that enable secure connections between a website and the user's browser. This is critical when securing online transactions such as credit card payments, data transfer and user logins.

It is an essential tool to ensure that users feel safe using your website. In recognition of this, modern browsers such as Chrome and Firefox alert users when an SSL certificate is absent from a website. In addition, Google regards the SSL certificate as a search engine ranking factor.

SSL certificates bind together a domain name with the organization's identity and location allowing users to 'trust' that the connection is secure.

The SSL certificate changes the application protocol to HTTPS in the browsing bar, thus:

SSL Certificate https protocol

Website Hacking

Hacking is an ever-present, increasingly prevalent danger for web users. Theft of personal information, credit card details and hijacking of browser sessions makes the modern web an oftentimes hostile place. SSL Certificates assist website owners to restore trust in online transactions, and in interacting with your website.

All websites should therefore be secured with SSL certificates if you are serious about security and earning the trust of your customers.

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What is the difference between a self-signed and not SSL Certificate?

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a type of digital certificate that encrypts communication between a website and its users. It's important for protecting sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, from being intercepted by hackers.

A self-signed SSL certificate is one that is signed by the website owner, rather than a trusted certificate authority (CA). This means that the certificate is not verified by a third party and may not be as secure as one issued by a CA.

A certificate issued by a CA undergoes a thorough vetting process to ensure that it is legitimate. When a website uses a certificate issued by a CA, visitors to the site can trust that the certificate is valid and that the website is who it claims to be.

On the other hand, a self-signed certificate does not provide the same level of assurance. While it can still encrypt communication between the website and its users, there is no third-party verification that the website is legitimate. As a result, self-signed certificates may be less trusted by users and may not be accepted by some web browsers.

What is the difference between TLS and SSL?

TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) are both protocols that are used to secure communication over the internet. They are often used to encrypt communication between a website and its users, and are particularly important for protecting sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, from being intercepted by hackers.

The main difference between TLS and SSL is that TLS is a newer and more secure version of the SSL protocol. SSL was developed in the 1990s and has since been replaced by TLS. SSL is no longer considered secure and should not be used.

Both TLS and SSL use an encryption process that involves the use of a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt the data, while the private key is used to decrypt it. However, TLS uses stronger encryption algorithms and has additional security features that make it more secure than SSL.

In general, if you see a website that uses the term "SSL," it is likely using an outdated version of the protocol and may not be as secure as one that uses "TLS." It's important to ensure that your website is using the most up-to-date version of the TLS protocol to ensure the best possible security.

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