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Secure your Digital Territory with an SSL Certificate

Secure your Digital Territory with an SSL Certificate

ssl certificate | 27th Aug 2024

The world is becoming more interconnected through rapid digitalization, and cybercrimes are rising exponentially too. The year 2023 saw a notable increase in cyberattacks, resulting in more than 343 million victims. Between 2021 and 2023, data breaches rose by 72%, surpassing the previous record.

Security has been a major concern for ages. Kings had to protect their land from enemies, and today we have to defend our digital territory from cyber crimes. Periods changed, people changed, but the problem remains the same. The issue of protecting territory!

An Introduction to SSL Certificate

SSL certificate comes as a defense mechanism for your website. It helps give your website a uniqueness that marks it as originally yours. The first step towards safeguarding your territory is to mark your territory. SSL certificate does that exactly.

If you are active on social media, you must be aware of a blue tick on X and Instagram. It is issued by social media platforms to authenticate to an account. This is done to show that the account belongs to the same person and is not fake. An SSL certificate is like that blue tick.

While browsing some websites, you might have seen an icon of a green lock or the word secure along with HTTPS written before the domain name. This indicates that the website is secured and has obtained an SSL certificate.

Now let us discuss, what an SSL certificate is, from a technical point of view.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL (Secure Socket Layers) is a security protocol in which the internet traffic is encrypted and the server identity is verified.

It is an authenticating mechanism that helps service providers ensure the safety and security of their users’ data. It is a data file hosted on the website server to verify the correct server identity. It helps establish a secure connection between the web browser and the website server.

Types of SSL Certificates

The basic work of the SSL certificate is to provide security for the user’s data and prevent data theft. There are different security functions of an SSL certificate at each level, and based upon that, there are mainly 3 types of SSL certificates.

Single-Domain Certificates (SDC):

It is issued for only one particular domain and cannot be used for any sub-domain. However, all the pages associated with that domain are secured under the SDC.;

Wildcard SSL:

Wildcard SSL can be useful if you have a base domain and other sub-domains. You have to take one certificate for all sub-domains, which makes it a cheaper option.

Multi-Domain Certificates (MDC):

This is quite similar to Wildcard SSL, but the point of difference is that you can get a single certificate for multiple domains and sub-domains too.

These SSLs are issued to a website after the organization is verified. This verification has different levels and is done by the certification authority. Based on different validation levels, SSLs are further categorized into 3 categories:

  • Domain Validation Certificates (DV SSL):

  • This is the least level of validation. It does not require any severe investigation of the business. All you need to do is provide the DNS record to the certification authority, and you are good to go. It is done to prove you are in control of that domain.

    1. Organization Validation Certificates (OV SSL):

      This is a manual validation process. The certification authority contacts the organization and asks for its details. This process makes OV SSL more trustworthy as compared to DV SSL.

      1. Extended Validation Certificates (EV SSL):

        These are the most expensive certificates and are suitable for websites, that deal with online financial transactions. E-commerce websites, banking websites, and service websites are the ones that mostly engage in transactional activities. Thus, such organizations or businesses undergo stringent investigation.

        Why do You Need an SSL Certificate?

        A website needs an SSL certificate for several reasons. A few of them are listed below:

        Data Security:

        To keep user data secure, it is essential to have an SSL certificate for your website. It secures the connection between a web browser and the website’s server, preventing the users’ and the website’s data from theft.

        Verify Ownership:

        The SSL certificate provides an authentication mechanism to verify the ownership of the website. Like the blue tick that authenticates the original account, an SSL certificate helps keep your website unique and distinguished.

        Better SEO:

        Search engines prefer ranking websites that are safe and secure for the users. Therefore, it is important to get an SSL certificate to rank higher in the search engine.

        Avoid Website Duplicacy:

        Cyber threats are on the rise, and creating duplicate websites is one of the most common threats that organizations are facing today. An SSL certificate helps prevent attackers from creating a fake version of your website, making you more reliable for your users.

        Gain User Trust:

        Because your website gets valid authentication, it builds customers’ trust in your business.

        How Does SSL Certificate Work?

        There are several steps in working on an SSL certificate, but the whole process takes a few milliseconds to complete.

        Here is the entire process explained in the following steps:

        1. The user provides input data into the website via the web browser.;
        2. The browser connects to the web server and requests it to identify itself.
        3. The web server sends a copy of the SSL certificate hosted on the website’s origin server to the web browser.
        4. After receiving the certificate, the browser authenticates it and verifies the credentials.
        5. If the verification is successful, the web server provides a digitally signed acknowledgment to start an SSL-encrypted session.
        6. Finally, the data given by the user is encrypted and shared between the browser and web server.

        To summarize the working of SSL, an SSL certificate encrypts the user data, sends it to the website’s origin server, and verifies if the web browser is connecting with the correct server or not to ensure that the user remains shielded from data theft and other cyber threats.

        Can an SSL Certificate be Used on Multiple Servers?

        There are two viewpoints. Let us discuss both to understand whether an SSL certificate can be used on multiple servers.

        1. Technical: Certainly Yes! An SSL certificate can be used on multiple servers. There is no technical hurdle as such. It can be done through the following ways:
        1. Copying it to all servers
        2. Installing it in the load balancer
        3. Installing it in the reverse proxy
        1. Administrative: It depends on the following cases:
          1. Legality: The certification authority decides whether the issued SSL can be used on servers or platforms other than those mentioned in the agreement.
          2. Security: As all the technical processes require an SSL to be copied, it poses a security threat to the data.
          3. Maintainability: The expiration of one SSL certificate will affect the entire set of servers where it has been copied and installed. This could pose a big threat to your website’s functionality.
          4. Zebyte Cloud SSL Certificate Service

            Zebyte provides all the SSL certificate services that your website needs.

            Here are some key features of our SSL certificate services:

            1. Enhanced Security:

            We protect your users’ sensitive data with robust encryption protocols, ensuring secure online transactions and communications.

            Reliable Data Protection:

            Easy installation of your SSL certificate so that you can give secure services to your users and guarantee integrity, authentication, and customer trust, protecting your website against cyber threats of all nature.

            Cost-effective:

            We give you flexible payment options at reasonable rates.

            1. Safe Connection Expertise:

            Get the best from Zebyte’s domain expertise in SSL technology to keep all transactions safe online.

            The Trust of Zebyte Cloud:

            You work on growing your business, while we lend our technical expertise to you.

            Final Thoughts

            According to the latest report by SSL Pulse, 35.9% of the 134,595 surveyed sites—totaling 48,330—failed to follow best practices for SSL implementation. (Source). On the other hand, a data breach costs $4.45 million on average. (Source)

            These statistics are alarming enough to make you understand the importance of an SSL certificate.

            When are you going to get an SSL certificate for your website? Try the SSL Certificate service from Zebyte today and secure your business from all cyber threats!

            If you want to learn more about SSL certificates, read our other blog here.

            https://www.zebytecloud.com/protect-your-website-with-ssl-certificates/

            Click on the link below to learn more about our SSL Certificate services.

            https://www.zebytecloud.com/ssl-certificates/

            Feel free to talk to our team of experts. Connect with us by email and get solutions tailored to your specific needs.

            contact@zebyterentals.com

            Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

            Question: What happens when an SSL certificate expires?

            When SSL certificates expire, the risks are significant. Outages become more likely, leading to potential profit loss and long-term reputational damage.

            Expired certificates also increase the risk of cyberattacks, as data is no longer protected by encryption, making it vulnerable. This cybersecurity lapse can erode customer trust, as indicated by the warning message “Your connection is not private,” potentially driving customers away.

            Consequently, retention rates can plummet, as 81% of consumers might disengage with brands after a breach.

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