If you want to ensure the safety of your website’s users and strengthen your position on the market as a reliable, trustworthy brand, you should make sure that the information between your website and browsers is exchanged in a professional manner. An SSL certificate can help with this.
Many times on websites, we fill out and send back data through forms for specific transactions. However, the information we enter on an unsecured site can be intercepted by a hacker, and when it comes to sensitive data, this is no joke. After all, everything from your email address to your bank transaction details could be there
In hacker jargon, this “interception” is often referred to as a “man-in-the-middle attack.” Such a scenario is definitely not optimistic and does not inspire our confidence, right?
However, the situation is different when we visit a website encrypted with SSL (Secure Socket Layer). What is it? SSL certificates are small data files that cryptographically together establish an encrypted link between a specific web server and your browser. This type of link ensures that all information transmitted between the web page and the browser remains private
The browser will connect to the web server, look at the SSL certificate, and then bind our computer and the server. It is this binding connection that is the essence of security, ensuring that no one but the user and the site can see or access the information that will be entered.
Above all, users want to feel that the data they are sharing with us is safe and that our site is robust enough to prevent any leaks. Customers are more at ease, more likely to make purchases, and more likely to get in touch when using SSL secured websites.
Having an SSL certificate shows that we have gone through a specific way to verify the credibility of our site, and often also the entire company. Therefore, the consumer has a clear signal that we attach the highest importance to the quality of service and its security.
This benefit largely connects with the previous ones. Taking care of security, following the rules and keeping the highest standards on our site are factors that strongly reflect on increasing the trust and popularity of the company.
SSL certificates are divided into different categories and subcategories. We can distinguish the following when it comes to validation level:
1.EV i.e. certificates with extended valid ation – important for those companies that need identity confirmation, for example the site processes online payments. It is the most expensive certificate that guarantees users that we legally collect data needed to perform certain activities, such as collecting credit card numbers.
2.DV or Domain Verification Certificate – offers a low level of encryption, shown as a green padlock next to the URL in the address bar. The fastest and cheapest verification we can get, but which does not verify any identity information.
3.OV or Organization Validated Certificate – confirms that our organization and domain verification is genuine. They offer a moderate level of encryption, which is good in cases where we cannot afford more advanced forms.
The most important thing is to find out what type of certificate we need. In most cases, a standard SSL certificate will cover our business. However, for businesses in regulated industries – such as finance or insurance – it’s a good idea to talk to your IT team to make sure we meet the specific SSL certificate requirements set in our niche.
