SSL is security technology that encrypts data sent between web browsers and servers. This ensures that sensitive information like login credentials, credit card numbers and personal details remain private.

Websites with SSL certificates display trust indicators, such as a green address bar or the company name in the URL bar (for EV SSL). The certificate also protects websites from hackers and phishing attacks.

Encryption

SSL is a protocol that ensures data exchanged between your web server and the user’s browser stays private. This protects the data from cybercriminals and complies with regulations that require websites to keep their visitors’ personal information private. It also helps build trust and makes customers feel more confident when submitting their personal information on your website.

How SSL works is that it uses encryption algorithms to scramble the data being transferred between your server and the browser. This makes it unreadable for threat actors, who would otherwise easily intercept personal information like passwords, names, and credit card numbers. The public key stored in the CSR and then in the SSL certificate encrypts data sent to the destination server, while the private key on the server decrypts it when it arrives. This process happens within milliseconds. The browser then shows a padlock icon and the HTTPS acronym in the address bar to indicate that a secure connection is being used.

Validation

SSL certificates secure the back-and-forth between browsers and servers by encrypting data, making it impossible for threat actors to intercept information. They also provide validation, which is a critical aspect of trust. Certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs), which verify the information on them using technical methods. The CAs then add the certificates to a list of trusted certificates in their databases, called the root store. Browsers then check the certificates when users connect to websites.

When a browser connects to a website with an SSL certificate, it checks the server’s public key to establish an encryption key. This key is then used to encrypt future traffic. The certificate contains other information about the site, including the domain name and business. This process is known as validation, and different types of certificates have varying degrees of validation. The lowest-cost certificates, for example, only validate domain ownership and not the business behind it. Higher-value certificates validate both.

Trust

With phishing scams and identity theft on the rise, users are becoming increasingly wary of sharing personal information on websites. Fortunately, SSL certificates help to build trust and confidence between you and your customers by authenticating your website’s identity.

SSL Certificates are created and signed by trusted bodies known as Certificate Authorities (CAs). Browsers come with a pre-installed list of CAs they trust, so that when a new CA issues a certificate, the browser instantly trusts the organization behind it.

The root certificate is the highest level of trust in an SSL hierarchy, with the others branching off from it like a tree. The root certificate verifies the entity’s identity and encrypts the symmetric session key that will be used to communicate with the server.

The next level up is an intermediate certificate, which is a middleman that ties your server SSL/TLS certificate to the root certificate via a chain. This is a common practice, but each step in the chain needs to be verified as well.

Cost

SSL Certificates help protect data that is transmitted between web browsers and your web server from cybercriminals. They also boost your site’s search engine optimization (SEO) rankings and build trust between you and your customers.

The cost of an SSL Certificate depends on the brand, authority and form that you choose. Certificate Authorities verify the identity of website owners and maintain strict security standards, which requires financial and human resources that are reflected in the price.

Domain Validation SSL certificates require the shortest verification process and are ideal for blogs and informational websites that do not collect data or accept online payments. Organizational Validation SSL certificates require a more rigorous validation process and display the website owner’s name in the browser address bar.

Enterprise-level organizations that manage multiple sites and networks may find it challenging to keep track of their SSL Certificates’ expiry dates. This can result in costly downtime and loss of customer trust.