Website security is a crucial priority for all website owners and users. Website owners need to protect their websites from the surging numbers of cybersecurity threats, while website users want assurance of a safe browsing experience. You will need to show your website users that they can trust you with their security. The 2020 SiteLock cybersecurity and website report has revealed some alarming figures. According to the report, websites are currently experiencing an average of 94 attempted attacks every day. The same report further points out that websites are visited by bots an average of 2608 times every week.
If these statistics and figures are something to go by, then it is pretty obvious that the website security sphere is a topic worth one’s time. It is also a wake-up call to website owners who need to rise to the occasion and install better and more advanced infrastructure well-suited to fight attackers.
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The SSL Certificate- A Perfect Weapon For Website Owners
There are plenty of website security measures that one needs to install. For instance, one will need to acquire antimalware software, install a firewall, conduct regular system and software updates, perform data backups and install an SSL certificate on the website. Website security will be at its best when all these measures work in tandem. But today, our focus is on SSL certificates. Some cybersecurity experts have argued that the SSL certificate is the best website security tool every webmaster should have.
Indeed, the SSL certificate plays one of the most crucial data security roles- data encryption. If you are reading this, the chances are that you already know how data encryption works. But for the avoidance of doubt, it would be best to shed some light on how SSL encryption works. When the certificate is installed on a website, the website undergoes HTTP to HTTPS migration. HTTPS is a safe transfer protocol that only allows the transmission of encrypted data. Once data is encrypted, it no longer exists in raw text form. Rather, it is converted to an indecipherable format referred to as ciphertext. One can only comprehend the meaning of encrypted data after decryption.
Which Type of SSL Certificate Should You Use For Your Website
Different websites have different needs and specifications. Similarly, different SSL certificates are suitable for different websites. Before you buy an SSL certificate, you need to first establish the requirements of the websites and choose a certificate that suits those needs. Most important is to understand the different types of SSL certificates that are available on the market.
There are two ways of categorizing the different types of SSL certificates. They are;
- The Number of Domains and Subdomains
- The Level of Certificate Validation
Types of SSL Certificates Based on Number of Domains and Subdomains
1. Single-Domain SSL Certificate
As its name suggests, a single-domain SSL certificate provides encryption to a single domain plus all its pages. So if you have a single website you want to migrate from HTTP to HTTPS, a single-domain SSL certificate would be the ideal certificate to pick. The certificate secures only a single fully-qualified domain name. For other domain names, you will need to go for another certificate. The certificate is suitable for blog websites and simple eCommerce websites. Also, note that a single-domain SSL certificate does not secure any associated domains.
2. Wildcard SSL Certificates
The wildcard SSL certificate is the second certificate under this category. Like a single-domain SSL certificate, this type also provides security through encryption to a single domain. However, unlike the single-domain SSL certificate, the wildcard SSL certificate also covers an unlimited number of subdomains but under the primary domain.
Wildcard SSL certificates have long been said to be an ideal choice for websites that have several subdomains under the main domain. You do not have to purchase single certificates for every subdomain. Just a single wildcard is enough to do everything for you. As such, these certificates are cost-effective, time-saving, and easy to manage, which is why they are highly recommended.
3. Multi-Domain SSL Certificate
The multi-domain SSL certificate is the third and last certificate type under this category. The functionality of this certificate is the direct opposite of the wildcard certificate. It secures multiple domains. Other names used to refer to this certificate are the unified communication certificate (UCC) and subject alternative name (SAN).
It is essential to understand that all these types of SSL certificates offer the same encryption levels. The only difference lies in the subject alternative name used to specify the extra domains. Like the wildcard SSL certificate, multi-domain certificates also reduce administrative costs. They are the ideal choice for Microsoft Exchange servers and mobile device environments.
Types of SSL Certificates Based on SSL Validation Levels
Secure sockets layer certificates also differ based on their validation methods. In short, every type of SSL certificate would require different ways to be validated or approved for use. The certificate authority is the organization charged with the mandate of validating SSL certificates. The three types of SSL certificates based on the validation level are explained below;
1. Domain Validation
Domain-validated SSL certificates are the most straightforward certificates to acquire. Website owners who wish to get DV SSL certificates will only need to prove that they are the legitimate owner of the domain with which the certificate is to be attached. The certificate authority typically performs the validation via mail or by counter-checking the DNS system records for your website. A single DV SSL certificate can secure both non-www domain and www domain.
The key advantage of DV SSL certificates is that they are easy to acquire. A website owner can obtain one within minutes after requesting the certificate. Additionally, these types of certificates are compatible with 99.9% of all known web and mobile browsers, so you do not have to worry about compatibility when dealing with DV SSL certificates. DV SSL certificates are also the cheapest type of SSL certificates in the market, some coming for free. They are suited for small blogs and portfolios, and websites that do not collect sensitive user data.
2. Organization Validated SSL Certificate
The second type of certificate under this category is the business-validated certificate. This is a high-level SSL certificate that is majorly used for validating large entities and organizations. The issuance procedure of this certificate is a bit more extensive than the procedure for issuing a DV SSL certificate. For this reason, OV SSL certificates take longer than DV certificates to be issued.
The organization requesting the certificate will have to provide all relevant documents such as bank statements, an article of incorporation, a legal license issued by the government, and an attestation letter approved by the CA. Because of the extensive issuance process, OV certificates will take up to three or more days to be issued, depending on the certificate authority issuing them. Examples of OV SSL certificates include DigiCert basic OV SSL certificate, DigiCert Wildcard Certificate, and comodo Instant SSL Pro.
3. Extended Validation SSL Certificates
EV SSL certificates provide the highest level of security and safety to websites. When installed, the name of the business is displayed in the URL. This tells the users that the business is genuine and that the certificate authority that verified the certificate is genuine.
Unlike domain-validated and business-validated SSL certificates, the validation process of EV certificates is stricter and more extensive. It also takes more time to be issued than the other two certificates. Therefore, EV SSL certificates are good options for businesses and organizations that deal with online payments, healthcare websites, banking websites, government websites, and those that hold sensitive user data.
Summary
There is no one-size-fits-all SSL certificate for all websites. Different websites have different needs, and different certificates address different needs. Before buying a certificate for your website, you should first do research to ascertain your website needs and choose a certificate that addresses all those needs. This article has explained the different types of SSL certificates you need to know.