SSl Certificate

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL Certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details. When installed on a web server, it activates the padlock and the https protocol and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser. Typically, SSL is used to secure credit card transactions, data transfer and logins, and more recently is becoming the norm when securing browsing of social media sites.

SSL Certificates provide secure, encrypted communications between a website and an internet browser.

Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate?

Trust and security are what make people confident enough to provide private, sensitive information online. SSL certificates are what make a website trusted. Organizations must use an SSL certificate to secure their site if they wish to take online payments or expect their visitors to submit confidential information. Apart from building essential trust and security into your website, SSL certificates also help with SEO efforts now that Google is providing a rankings boost for pages that are served over https.

How Can an SSL Certificate Help My Online Business?

As part of the process of issuing an SSL Certificate, a Certificate Authority (CA), such as Network Solutions, authenticates the purchasing company's identity. The CA verifies the purchaser's credentials using WHOIS database information, Dun & Bradstreet data, articles of incorporation, government-issued photo ID's and/or other credible sources. This comprehensive approach to identity validation ensures that an SSL Certificate is a reliable symbol of your company's trust worthiness. In turn, your SSL certificate shows customers that your business is legitimate and that it's safe to conduct business with you online.

What is encryption and why are there different levels?

Encryption is a mathematical process of coding and decoding information. The number of bits (40-bit, 56-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit) tells you the size of the key. Like a longer password, a larger key has more possible combinations. In fact, 128-bit encryption is one trillion times stronger than 40-bit encryption. When an encrypted session is established, the strength is determined by the capability of the web browser, SSL certificate, web server, and client computer operating system.

How does SSL make my web site more trustworthy?

An SSL certificate contains verified information about the web site it secures to help users confirm that they are communicating with your web site. Extended Validation is the industry’s highest standard of verification and provides the most visible assurance to users: the address bar turns green in high-security browsers.