Why certificates are used

Renew Now. Support by Category Enterprise Retail Partner. Why Us. Digital certificates are everywhere. By Category. Code Signing. Join the Community. Follow us on Twitter. Watch Videos on our YouTube Channel. Post Quantum Cryptography. All rights reserved. Thus, SSL helps users drive to your real website, saves users from frauds and enhances your reputation.

This has been evident in various studies conducted by SEO experts around the world. One such study conducted by Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko. To receive online payments, your website must be PCI compliant. Apart from encryption and authentication, SSL certificates are vital from a customer trust point of view. The easy to identify signs inform the users that the data they send will be secured. It could be possible that in near future website may even get blocked to load on the browser.

No matter which website you have, from a personal blog to any shopping portal SSL is mandatory and by not following with it may result in loss of visitors which is not something a website owner would like to face. Usually, this is a self-signed certificate that is, a certificate from the CA authenticating its own public key and the last certificate in the chain. In other cases, the CA can return a chain of certificates. In this case, the bottom certificate in the chain is the same a certificate signed by the CA, authenticating the public key of the key entry , but the second certificate in the chain is a certificate signed by a different CA, authenticating the public key of the CA to which you sent the CSR.

Then, the next certificate in the chain is a certificate authenticating the second CA's key, and so on, until a self-signed root certificate is reached. Each certificate in the chain after the first thus authenticates the public key of the signer of the previous certificate in the chain.

In an SSL connection, both the client and the server encrypt data before sending it, then decrypt it upon receipt. The browser sends a message over the network requesting a secure session typically, by requesting a URL that begins with https instead of http. It also verifies that the CA certificate has not expired. The browser then sends the encrypted session key to the server so that they both have a copy.

After the handshake, the client has verified the identity of the Web site, and only the client and the Web server have a copy of the session key. From this point forward, the client and the server use the session key to encrypt all their communications with each other. Thus, their communications are ensured to be secure. To use SSL, the Application Server must have a certificate for each external interface, or IP address, that accepts secure connections.

Use the procedure described in To generate a certificate using the keytool utility to set up a digital certificate that your Web server can use for SSL. Other signs that can help you determine if a site is real or not include checking for a physical address and telephone number, checking their returns or refunds policy, and making sure prices are believable and not too good to be true.

Stay alert to phishing scams. Sometimes cyber attackers create websites that mimic existing websites to trick people into purchasing something or logging in to their phishing site.

It is possible for a phishing site to obtain an SSL certificate and therefore encrypt all the traffic that flows between you and it. A growing proportion of phishing scams occur on HTTPS sites — deceiving users who feel reassured by the padlock icon's presence. Cybersecurity risks continue to evolve but understanding the types of SSL certificates to look out for and how to distinguish a safe site from a potentially dangerous one will help internet users avoid scams and protect their personal data from cybercriminals.

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What is an SSL certificate? How do SSL certificates work? The process works like this: A browser or server attempts to connect to a website i. The browser or server requests that the web server identifies itself. The web server sends the browser or server a copy of its SSL certificate in response.

The browser or server checks to see whether it trusts the SSL certificate. If it does, it signals this to the webserver. The web server then returns a digitally signed acknowledgment to start an SSL encrypted session. Encrypted data is shared between the browser or server and the webserver.

Details typically included within SSL certificates include: The domain name that the certificate was issued for Which person, organization, or device it was issued to Which Certificate Authority issued it The Certificate Authority's digital signature Associated subdomains Issue date of the certificate The expiry date of the certificate The public key the private key is not revealed Why you need an SSL certificate Websites need SSL certificates to keep user data secure, verify ownership of the website, prevent attackers from creating a fake version of the site, and convey trust to users.

An SSL certificate helps to secure information such as: Login credentials Credit card transactions or bank account information Personally identifiable information — such as full name, address, date of birth, or telephone number Legal documents and contracts Medical records Proprietary information Types of SSL certificate There are different types of SSL certificates with different validation levels.

Wildcard SSL certificates Wildcard SSL certificates allow you to secure a base domain and unlimited sub-domains on a single certificate. For example: www. Obtaining your SSL involves the following steps: Prepare by getting your server set up and ensuring your WHOIS record is updated and matches what you are submitting to the Certificate Authority it needs to show the correct company name and address, etc. This is an action your hosting company can assist with.

Submitting this to the Certificate Authority to validate your domain and company details Installing the certificate they provide once the process is complete. Can an SSL certificate be used on multiple servers? What happens when an SSL certificate expires? Secure sites show a closed padlock emblem, which you can click on to see security details — the most trustworthy sites will have green padlocks or address bars. Browsers also show warning signs when a connection is not secure — such as a red padlock, a padlock which is not closed, a line going through the website's address, or a warning triangle on top of the padlock emblem.

How to ensure your online session is safe Only submit your personal data and online payment details to websites with EV or OV certificates. To avoid these kinds of attacks: Always examine the domain of the site you are on and ensure it is spelled correctly.