The right to privacy is an intrinsic part of personal liberty. On the internet, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates play a central role in protecting your data from unwanted third parties. They keep all communications between a browser and website secure and encrypted.
For nearly 30 years now, SSL and its successor TLS certificates have kept browsing a safer experience for billions of users. As of 2023, SSL/TLS certificates are mandatory for all websites.
How Do SSL Certificates Work?
An SSL certificate is a unique digital certificate – a piece of code – attached to the web server of a website. You must approach a Certificate Authority (CA) to get a certificate. The CA is a trusted organization that issues SSL certificates to individuals or organizations operating a website.
Without an SSL certificate, the data we send to a website via the browser will be transmitted in plain text. Any attacker who manages to intercept the data can see and use that information. Encryption scrambles this data so that even if it is intercepted, the attackers cannot use it in any way.
SSL/TLS certificates work with modern web browsers to create an encrypted connection using a set of 3 cryptographic keys – a private key, a public key, and a session key.
Websites with SSL/TLS certificates receive the green “https” and secure padlock icon on most modern browsers. In contrast, if you visit a site without a valid SSL certificate, the browser will dissuade you from visiting it due to potential security threats.
What is the Difference Between SSL and TLS?
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the successor protocol to SSL. Since its inception, SSL has undergone constant upgrades to improve its security. Due to persistent security flaws in SSL, developers created a different protocol based on SSL 3.0.
Launched in 1999, the new version was called TLS. Both SSL and TLS are used interchangeably. The basic principles are the same – TLS is just the modern, improved, more secure version of SSL. Very few websites use original SSL as it is outdated and insecure.
How To Get an SSL Certificate for a Website
You must buy an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Manager Platform. This is how the process unfolds:
Identify Your Needs
You have to find the answers to these two questions to figure out the type of SSL certificate you need:
- How many domains and subdomains do you want to secure with the certificate – single domain, multi-domain, or wildcard?
- What kind of validation and encryption strength do you need – domain, organization, or extended validation?
A simple single-domain validation is probably enough for a small local business or offline store. However, for larger e-commerce organizations that accept customer data, you will need multi-domain and extended validation.
Purchase the SSL Certificate
You can buy the SSL certificate that matches your needs from the CA’s website. You must provide relevant details like your website IP address, WHOIS record, and further information about your business organizations. The cost of the SSL certificate will depend on the features you need.
Generate and Submit a CSR
To get an SSL, you must generate a certificate signing request (CSR) on your web server to get an SSL. Usually, the guidelines on this will be provided by your CA. After generating the CSR, you must submit it on the CA’s website for verification.
Certificate Issuance and Installation
The CA/SSL certificate authority will check all the information provided by you to ensure that everything is factual. The process is more stringent for high-level extended validation. After a successful verification, the CA will send you the SSL certificate, associated files, and your private key.
Use the private key and the files to install the SSL certificate on your web server. You will also have to configure your server for HTTPS. Finally, test your website SSL using online SSL checker tools and a simple browser visit.
Use an Automated Certificate Management System
Once installed, an SSL certificate has a fixed expiry date. In the past, you had five years of validity on SSL – now, that has shrunk to just 13 months. And by 2024, this will further decrease to just three months. Use an Automated Certificate Manager System to prevent complications arising from expired certificates. From security certificate issuance to PKI management, Sectigo offers a range of industry-leading solutions to enterprises across diverse sectors.
