The SSL certificate is a security protocol aimed at protecting data and information conveyed over the Internet. Here are the types available and which to choose for your ecommerce.
The Secure Sockets Layer , or SSL, is a website security certificate . If we think about the amount of information transmitted every day by all of us on the Internet - from personal data to access passwords, up to the credit card number - it is clear that the protection of privacy and sensitive data must be an important point of attention. This security protocol uses an encrypted communication system , based on the exchange of protection keys put in place between the client server and the web server .
What is an SSL certificate used for? First of all, to guarantee users who connect to a specific site that the identity of the company that owns the domain is verified, protecting them from possible risks of fraud. In addition, the SSL connection protects the exchange of information from possible third parties, unauthorized, who could try to steal data. An even more urgent need the more the site is linked to money transactions, as could be the case with an e-commerce website.
How does the SSL certificate work?
But what happens when a site uses the SSL certificate? It happens that when communication between client server and web server is activated, it sends the digital certificate to the browser to be validated and to give the green light to the secure connection. Users are sure to navigate in this type of situation - protected by a website security certificate - by looking at the navigation address where there is a padlock and the wording https: // instead of http.
All the main applications are able to support the SSL cryptographic protocol and the subsequent TLS ( Transport Layer Security ). Among them the browsers Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox etc .; e-mail programs such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail App, Outlook etc .; messaging applications and file transfer programs such as SFTP ( Secure File Transfer Protocol ), an alternative to unencrypted FTP.
Types of SSL certificate: which one to choose and who issues them?
How do you get an SSL certificate? Only authorized Certification Authorities (CAs) can issue certificates and establish their validation levels. The SSL certificate can therefore be purchased either directly from one of the CAs, or from authorized resellers, or even from some hosting providers based on data protection needs. For this reason, the price is also subject to change , because it depends on the type of SSL certificate and the consequent level of security and reliability. In this scheme we summarize the types available and their intended use according to the site: blogs, e-commerce, small or large companies.
SSL Certificate Domain Validation (DV ) and Domain Wildcard Validation (DVW) : it is the basic level of the protocol that can be requested by any legal entity, person or company. The certification authority (CA) carries out automatic checks for the validation of the domain at DNS level, or by sending a verification e-mail. Therefore, no additional documents are required and the procedure is quick and cheap. These elementary certificates still meet the required standards and are suitable for personal blogs, showcase sites and startups.
SSL Organization Validation (OV) certificate : intermediate level of site security validation. In this case, the CA carries out a series of non-automatic, but manual, checks carried out by sending the necessary documentation. For example, the domain belonging to the natural or legal person, company, who is submitting the request and the procedure takes longer than the SSL / DV and SSL / DVW certificates must be verified. The application of this type of security certificate is recommended for e-commerce sites that carry out a small and medium-sized business.
Extended Validation SSL Certificate (EV) : this is the maximum level of validation that is issued only after a careful check by the CA, the certification authority, which verifies the ownership of the domain, the identity and the registered office of the owner company. It is also ascertained that the site complies with the standards established by the guidelines of the Certificate Authority / Browser Forum . It is the most expensive type of security certificate, adopted for example by e-commerce banks and multinationals.