What is SSL?

What is an SSL certificate and what are its types?

An SSL certificate stands for Secure Sockets Layer, an encryption-based Internet security protocol. It was first developed by Netscape in 1995 to ensure privacy, authentication, and data integrity in Internet communications. A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate encrypts information between a server and a client, and SSL protects any sensitive information that is being exchanged between the two systems. This certificate prevents hacking and altering any transmitted information, including anything sensitive or personal, such as credit card details, account logins, other financial information, names, and addresses.

A website that implements SSL will have “HTTPS” in its URL instead of “HTTP.” HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) is visible in the URL when a website is secured with an SSL certificate. Certificate details, including the issuing authority and the name of the website’s company, can be viewed by clicking on the lock icon in the browser bar.

In 1999, with the SSL update, its name changed to Transport Layer Security (TLS). TLS (Transport Layer Security) is just an updated and more secure version of SSL, and this certificate is still known as SSL.

Why is SSL/TLS important?

On sites without SSL, data on the web is transmitted in plain text, making it easy for hackers to read the message. For example, if a consumer visits a website and places an order and enters their credit card number into the website, that credit card number is entered unsecured over the internet and the information can be easily hacked. But the basic principle is that when you install an SSL certificate on your server and a browser connects to it, the SSL (or TLS) protocol encrypts the information sent between the server and the browser (or between servers). By encrypting any data that passes between the user and the web server and by authenticating, SSL ensures that anyone who looks at the data can only see a scrambled message. The consumer’s credit card number is secure and can only be viewed properly on the shopping website where they entered it.

Given that many of our daily transactions and communications take place online, there is little reason not to use SSL. In order to secure the information exchange space and the Internet and prevent fraud, phishing, data theft and espionage in organizations, Google scans and scans websites, lists all websites that have a security risk for any reason and warns them if a user tries to open these pages. This program, called Google Safe Browsing, is currently and gradually listing websites where users can enter information, including name, address, account number, password, etc., but this information entry is not done under the secure SSL protocol. If there is a form for users to complete on websites and they do not use SSL, their website will soon be listed by Google and they will receive an annoying Not Safe message when entering the website.

What information does an SSL certificate contain?

The domain name for which the certificate was issued.
To which person, organization or device it was issued.
Which organization issued the certificate.
Certificate issuance date
Certificate expiration date and …
Public key

One of the most important information in an SSL certificate is the website’s public key, which makes encryption possible. The user’s device sees the public key and uses it to create secure encryption keys with the web server. Meanwhile, the web server also has a private key that is kept secret. The private key decrypts the data encrypted with the public key and the information reaches its destination without any problems.

What are the types of SSL certificates?

There are several different types of SSL certificates, including:

Domain Validated (DV): These types of SSLs are certificates that are based only on domain registration. No checks are made on the registration of the organization or company that owns the website and are used for public websites.

Organization Validated (OV): In this type of certificate, organizations are checked by the certificate provider to confirm that the applicant organizations are fully registered and official.

Extended Validation (EV): The conditions for issuing this type of certificate are determined by a specific standard and have very strict authentication steps. In addition to providing trust and confidence, EV certificates also activate a green bar in the visitors’ browser and the official name according to your official gazette will be displayed next to the lock.

SSL Wildcard: This allows you to include all subdomains of that domain under your SSL certificate along with your main domain. For example, a wildcard certificate can include www.nexfon.ir, shop.nexfon.ir, while a single domain certificate can only cover the first one.

Multi-Domain SSL Certificates (MDC): We can use this certificate for domains that are set on one IP up to 100 different domains.

Cases for Multi-Domain SSL Certificates (UCC): We can use this certificate for domains that are set on one IP up to 100 different domains and like EV it also has a green bar in it.

Roger activates visitors.

Is SSL the same as TLS?

SSL can be considered the grandfather of another protocol called TLS, which was first introduced in 1999 by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as an updated version of SSL. Since the IETF was responsible for this update and Netscape was no longer involved, its name was changed to TLS. Of course, there is no significant difference between the final version of SSL and the first version of TLS, and this name change was simply to announce the change of ownership.

Today, these two terms are often confused with each other, because they are still very much related. Some people still use the word SSL instead of TLS, and others have replaced the term SSL/TLS encryption.

What are the most important advantages of SSL?

In the previous sections, we partially understood what the importance of having an SSL certificate is and how it helps secure our website; However, in this section, we are going to examine the important advantages of SSL with a closer look.

1. The role of SSL in protecting website and user data

The most important task of SSL is this; protecting user data. When an SSL certificate is installed on a website, the information stored on the website is encrypted bit by bit so that no third party can read it. In this way, the website information is completely safe from hackers and attackers; because even if the attacker somehow enters the system, he will not be able to interpret this data. This means that all website and user data is protected against any cyber attack.

2. Verifying the identity of the website with an SSL certificate

The Internet is useful and useful, but at the same time it is full of deception and fraud. That is why the need for security protocols that protect users from fraudulent websites or other forms of cybercrime is increasing day by day. By authenticating the identity of websites, SSL certificates actually guide users to which websites to trust and which not.

3. Better search engine rankings with SSL

Google gives more importance to websites that prioritize user privacy and security and places them in higher rankings. So even if security issues are not very important to you, if you want your website to be seen on the first pages of search engine results, consider obtaining an SSL certificate.

Don’t forget that even if you invest a lot of money in SEO, with this small mistake and ignoring the importance of SSL certificates, you will face problems with better rankings by Google.

4. Meet PCI/DSS Requirements with SSL

The Payment Card Industry (PCI) has 12 security requirements that all websites must adhere to in order to provide a secure browsing experience for customers. The most important of them is the SSL certificate, which keeps sensitive data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. safe. Therefore, if you have a website where users have to provide you with their sensitive information, then providing an SSL certificate is a must.

5. Strengthen customer trust with an SSL certificate

How willing are you to visit websites that are not secure or that pose the slightest risk to your information by browsing them? Absolutely not! No one trusts such a site and some even refuse to open such pages. Therefore, by installing SSL certificates, your visitors will browse your website with confidence and will be many times more likely to return.

Final Words

SSL encryption protocol helps you show your users that they can trust you by providing a completely secure and encrypted experience. Simply get an SSL certificate for your website and you’ll kill two birds with one stone by getting noticed by Google as a trusted website.