What you need to know about SSL Certificate

In today’s world the Internet has become an integral part of our life. Each and every individual is connected to the internet and is able access it from anywhere at any given time. In this digital era, you’ll find a website for every possible object you can think of only because it wants to create its digital presence. We surf many websites in a day but we never think about how secure the website is. It is something which really needs some attention and action. Cybersecurity is a major concern for any business due to the increase in cyber threat from many hackers.
 
Websites are often compromised and sensitive information is leaked which is exchanged through the website. Website security is essential to prevent data theft and misuse of the same. A website breach can create huge liability costs and will make the users lose their confidence in a business. The data on your website is precious and important to your business because it holds your customers’ data and it is your responsibility to protect it.

There are still a large number of internet users who are not aware about what an SSL Certificate is and how important it is to protect your website. In this blog we will start from the basics and cover as much information as possible about SSL Certificates.

What is an SSL Certificate?

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a standard security innovation which establishes a scrambled connection between a web server and a program. This particular link ensures that whatever data is exchanged between the web server and the browser remains private and fundamental. Basically, SSL Certificates are little information documents which digitally attach a cryptographic key to an association information.
 

How SSL Certificates protect your data?

When an SSL Certificate is introduced on a web server, it enacts the lock and the https convention which then permits secure associations from a web server to a program. A user can easily recognize and be assured if a website has SSL Certificate by simply looking at the address bar which will display a padlock in green color and https; where the ‘S’ stands for secured. SSL Certificates are used to secure data transfers and logins, financial information like credit card transactions and social media and e-commerce sites which have a lot of user/customer data.

When an SSL Certificate is installed on a server, a secure connection is established between the Client and the Host computer (If a Client needs to set up an SSL session then a request is made to the Host who then establishes a secure link). In this case, only the Host can decrypt the responses and the Client can verify the SSL Certificate. Now, the Host and the Client can exchange the decrypted information which only these two parties are able to read. It protects sensitive information which is submitted by a user including the client’s name, address and credit/debit card information and it is not limited to just this.
Importance of SSL Certificate

SSL Certificate is the backbone of a secure internet connection. As we surf the internet and go through many websites in a day, there is a good chance that some of the websites are unsecure because they lack SSL Certificate. It is critical to share any information on these websites because it can lead to theft or misuse of your data. For safe exchange of data and smooth web browsing experience it is very essential to install an SSL Certificate on your server.

Benefits of an SSL Certificate

•    Encrypts Sensitive Information

SSL Certificate encrypts information which can be understood by only the intended parties. Any information which is exchanged on the internet often passes through one or more computers which increases the chances of a third party to obtain that data. SSL Certificate puts erratic information in the original information which stops anyone to access the information unless they have an encryption key. Without the proper key the information will be useless even if it falls in the wrong hands. You can easily recognize if the site is secured by looking at the ‘http’ which has changed to ‘https’ and the lock icon in the address bar.

•    Provides Authentication

When receiving an SSL Certificate, the client also obtains a Server Certificate which acts as a safe mediator between the browser and the server. A client needs to be sure that the overall information is being transferred to the right server. Customers or website visitors are able to see these certificates to check if the website is trusted or is just an imitation. These certificates also mention that the certificate provider is reliable and trustworthy.

•    Necessary for Accepting Payments

SSL Certificate is important to exchange any sensitive payment information on the website. To adhere to these online payments standards, one needs to have a certificate of at least 128-bit encryption. The certificate should be PCI certified which examines if the source who is providing the certificate is to be trusted, the strength of encryption level is checked and it is must to provide a private connection to a user to submit his/her payment information on the webpage. If you have an e-commerce site and you accept online payments, then nothing is as important as holding a SSL Certificate.

•    Guards gainst Phishing

These days there are many spam emails which users receive from uncertified locations, which apparently takes the user to a fake website to extract payment information from them. These sites try to convince you that it is an authentic website, but when a user sees that these websites are not safe for exchanging any type of information then the user scrams away from such websites. Hackers have a hard time obtaining an authenticate SSL Certificate because of their inappropriate business practices.

•    Business Future Proofing

It is important to acquire new customers and retain all of them in order to be successful. When you provide your customers with what they require, you make sure that you have taken care of their needs and they will stick with you in the future. There are bigger risks in e-commerce today but if you protect your customer, the customer will definitely protect your business by staying loyal to you.

Conclusion

Internet is not a safe place to be if you don’t comply with safety standards. There are many hackers who are after your information and will try to get their hands on it the second they get a chance. It is important to protect your business when you have important exchange of information online. SSL Certificates take care of your online transactions by providing you top level of data security.