SSL CERTIFICATE NEED ONE

What Is An SSL Certificate And Do I Need One?

June 28, 2017 | Written by Angelo Giuffrida | 8 min read

June 28, 2017 | Written by Angelo Giuffrida | 8 min read

At VentraIP Australia, we understand the importance of protecting your customers’ information when interacting with your website. One of the most effective ways to ensure this protection is by using SSL certificates. These certificates are crucial in keeping data secure, particularly when sensitive information like credit card details and personal data are involved.

This post will answer all your questions about SSL certificates, including what they are, why they matter, and how they can benefit your website. Whether you’re wondering if you need one, curious about the different types of SSL certificates, or trying to decide between a free or paid option, we’ve got you covered. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear understanding of SSL certificates and how they can help protect your website and build trust with your visitors.

What is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL certificate is like a digital passport for your website. It serves two main purposes:

Encryption: It encrypts the data that is transferred between your website and your visitors. This means that any information sent to or from your site (like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal details) is scrambled so that only the intended recipient can read it. Think of it as putting your letters in a tamper-proof envelope before mailing them.
Authentication: It verifies the identity of your website. When someone visits your site, the SSL certificate confirms that they’re actually connecting to your site and not a fake version of it set up by cyber criminals.

How does an SSL Certificate work?

An SSL Certificate creates a secure, encrypted connection between your website and the person visiting it. Think of it like a private tunnel that keeps everything safe as it travels between the visitor’s browser and your website’s server.

Here’s how it works in simple terms:

Visitor Accesses Your Website: When someone visits your website, their browser (like Chrome or Firefox) tries to connect to your website’s server.
Handshake & Verification: The browser and server “shake hands” digitally, meaning they agree on encrypting the information being sent back and forth. The server sends its SSL Certificate to the browser, which includes a public key—a kind of digital padlock.
Encryption Begins: Once the browser checks and verifies that the SSL Certificate is valid (making sure it’s from a trusted source and is up-to-date), it uses the public key to create a secure, encrypted connection. This means that any data sent between the visitor and your website—like passwords, credit card details, or personal information—gets scrambled into a code that only your website can read.
Secure Connection Established: From this point on, all the data passing between the visitor’s browser and your website is protected by encryption. Even if someone tried to intercept it, they wouldn’t be able to read it because that encryption locks it up.

In essence, an SSL Certificate ensures that any sensitive information shared on your website remains private and secure, giving your visitors confidence that their data is safe. It’s like having a secure, locked box for every piece of information that travels between your site and your visitors.

Do You Really Need an SSL Certificate?

If you’re running a website, the short answer is: Yes, you do. Here’s why:

Protect Your Visitors’ Data: If your website asks for any personal information from visitors—whether it’s a simple contact form, a login, or even a shopping cart—an SSL certificate ensures that their data stays private. Without SSL, this information could be intercepted by hackers.
Build Trust with Your Audience: People are becoming more aware of online security. If visitors notice that your site doesn’t have the padlock icon or that it’s marked as “Not Secure” by their browser, they may leave and never come back. On the other hand, seeing that your site is secure builds trust and encourages them to interact with you.
Improve Your Search Engine Ranking: Google and other search engines favour websites with SSL certificates. This means that having one can give you a boost in search engine results, making it easier for people to find you online.
Avoid Security Warnings: Modern web browsers, like Chrome and Firefox, display warnings when users try to visit a site without an SSL certificate. These warnings can scare potential visitors away. Having an SSL certificate ensures your site loads without any alarming messages.

When is a Free SSL Certificate Suitable?

While not having an SSL certificate can pose serious risks, there are instances where a free SSL certificate can be a good fit, particularly for blogs and small websites that don’t handle online payments. Our Let’s Auto SSL certificates are an excellent option for these types of sites.

We provide free SSL certificates to all customers with an active web hosting service through VIPControl. This certificate is easy to install — just a click of a button—and it offers the same level of 256-bit encryption as paid SSL certificates. However, it’s important to note that free SSL certificates don’t come with the additional warranty and validation that paid certificates offer.

What’s the difference between a free SSL Certificate and a paid SSL Certificate?

The difference between a free SSL certificate and a paid SSL certificate primarily comes down to the level of trust, support, and features they offer. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Validation and Trust Levels:

Free SSL Certificates: These typically provide Domain Validation (DV) only, which means they verify that you own the domain. While this is sufficient for basic security, it doesn’t offer the same level of assurance as higher validation types.
Paid SSL Certificates: Paid options can offer higher levels of validation, such as Organisation Validation (OV) or Extended Validation (EV). OV and EV certificates involve more rigorous checks, including verifying your organisation’s identity, which builds more trust with your customers. EV certificates, for example, often trigger the green address bar in browsers, signalling to users that your site is highly secure.

2. Warranty and Support:

Free SSL Certificates: Generally, free SSL certificates come with little to no warranty. This means that if something goes wrong—such as a breach or an issue with the certificate—you might not have any financial protection or dedicated support.
Paid SSL Certificates: Paid certificates usually come with a warranty, which provides financial protection in case of a breach caused by a certificate issue. They also typically include access to customer support, often available 24/7, to help with installation, troubleshooting, and renewal.

3. Lifespan and Renewal:

Free SSL Certificates: Free certificates usually have a shorter lifespan, typically 90 days, requiring frequent renewals. This is automated in many cases.
Paid SSL Certificates: Paid certificates usually have longer validity periods, ranging from one to three years, meaning less frequent renewals and a more “set it and forget it” experience.

4. Features and Customisation:

Free SSL Certificates: Free options are generally basic, offering just the standard SSL/TLS encryption. They work well for securing a personal blog or a small website without any e-commerce.
Paid SSL Certificates: Paid options often come with additional features, like wildcard SSL (which secures multiple subdomains), multi-domain SSL, and better compatibility with older browsers. These features are particularly useful for businesses with complex online operations.

How Do You Get an SSL Certificate?

Obtaining an SSL certificate might sound complicated, but it’s actually quite straightforward. Most web hosting companies offer SSL certificates as part of their packages, and some even provide them for free. Once you’ve purchased or requested an SSL certificate, it needs to be installed on your website. This is something your web hosting provider can usually handle for you, or if you’re a bit more hands-on, you can do it yourself with a step-by-step guide.

When do I Need to Purchase an SSL Certificate?

Not having a warranty-covered SSL certificate can be detrimental to the reputation of your business and may even mean you’re financially liable if your customers’ data is stolen. Therefore, if you sell many goods from your website, it’s recommended that you purchase a premium SSL certificate.

Since our paid certificates come with a warranty of up to $1,500,000 per transaction, your customers will feel safer when checking out and more inclined to support your business in the future, with the knowledge that every transaction is properly secured and protected.

What Happens If You Don’t Have an SSL Certificate?

Without an SSL certificate, your website and its visitors are exposed to potential risks. Personal data could be intercepted, your website might be flagged as unsafe by browsers, and your search engine ranking could suffer. In short, not having an SSL certificate puts both your site and your users at risk.

Sounds good! Where to Now?

By now, it is safe to assume that you’ve identified what type of website you run and can make the best decision according to this information. If you’re a small-time blogger who enjoys posting about your latest recipes or sharing your experience about a new place you’ve travelled to, then the free AutoSSL Certificate is likely the right option for you.

If you’re a fashion-savvy designer who sells expensive jewellery or clothing via your website, then you’ll want to invest in a premium SSL certificate, which we offer directly from Comodo and can be purchased from our website.

Having an SSL certificate is an absolute necessity for ensuring that your customers have a safe and stable environment to browse. An SSL is not just about security. It is about trust and building a relationship with your customers. Start safe and activate your SSL today!

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