Your website.A private connection.

SSL Certificates enable data encryption on the internet and allow data to be transmitted securely from a web server to a browser. With SSL, your website can use the https protocol and will display a padlock in end users web browsers to indicate the connection is secure.

SSL Certificates are an essential part of the internet. They not only encrypt communication between your computer and the server where a website is located, but they also provide verification that a site is what it claims to be.

There are 3 different levels of vetting that SSL Certificates are based upon. Domain Validated (DV) , Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV). The major difference between the types of certificate relates to the information the Certificate Authority, RapidSSL, GeoTrust and DigiCert, requires and validates in order to issue a certificate. The higher levels of certificate require more information, and often is displayed in the browser bar. EV SSL for example turns the browser bar green and displays the organization name to visitors to generate more trust.

A Wildcard SSL certificate provides the same encryption and authentication features as other SSL certificates but can also be applied to an unlimited number of subdomains of a website. A Wildcard SSL certificate supports the root domain (example.com) as well as its subdomains.

EV or Extended Validation certificates are the highest class of SSL available and give the most credibility and trust to your website. EV assures consumers that their personal and financial information is protected at the highest levels of authentication. Additional verifications are performed, such as corporate agency record checks, applicant contact info, and whether the business has existed for a minimum of 3 years. EV certificates are best suited for business-critical webpages.

The certificate authority checks that the applicant controls the requested domain. DV does not verify a legal organization’s identity in the way OV or EV does. It is a focused route to a certificate for an encrypted connection.

A business can use DV when domain control validation meets its needs. If you want verified organization details in the certificate, consider OV or EV and their additional validation requirements.

Choose an available method that matches the access you can provide. DNS validation needs access to authoritative DNS records, file validation needs access to the requested web location, and email validation needs an eligible approval mailbox.

Check the record type, hostname and value against the exact instructions. Confirm you added it at the authoritative DNS provider and allow time for the change to become visible. A record placed in a different DNS service will not satisfy the check.

Yes. If your DNS has a Certification Authority Authorization policy, it must permit the issuing authority to issue the requested certificate. Ask whoever manages your DNS to review the policy if issuance is blocked.

The certificate must be installed and HTTPS configured on the website. You may also need to update the application’s site URL and redirect HTTP requests. Issuance alone does not change how your server delivers pages.

Compare the requested website hostname with the names listed in the certificate. The visitor may be using www, a subdomain or another address that is not covered by the installed certificate.

You cannot install a certificate with an unrelated key. Generate a new key and certificate request, then follow the product’s reissue process. Protect the new private key and install the new certificate when it is issued.

Keep track of both subscription renewal and the expiry of the installed certificate. Complete any new domain validation, obtain the replacement certificate and install it at the relevant endpoint before the old one expires.