Will you keep your business at stake for just $5? You may be thinking, what silly question I am asking. But you won’t believe, today SSL certificate is available at bare prices then also people don’t consider it as a necessity. There can be many reasons like lack of attention, unorganized business operation and inactive security administrator. If you love your business then you must secure your website with SSL. It’s EASY and PRICELESS.
THE BASICS – What is SSL Certificate?
SSL is the acronym for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a protocol that facilitates the exchange of data between client and server in a secure environment.
Whenever any information is entered in the user browser the SSL binds the connection between browser and web server in such a way that nobody else can have access to it.
In order to create an SSL connection for your website, you need to get SSL certificate.
SSL certificates are issued by CA(Certificate Authority) after ownership verification so no unauthorized person or hacker can get access, to steal your sensitive data.
IMPORTANCE – Why Do We Really Need SSL Certificate?
The internet provides the opportunity to take your business to every corner of the world without actually going there.
This phenomenon attracts a number of businesses to go online, to expand their boundaries. In a day to day activity, there are so many transactions that take place between your web server and visitors/customers browser. The transaction can be anything from personal information to bank account details.
When a connection is established using HTTP instead of HTTPS any computer in between the server and client can record the data and use it for malpractices.
To ensure data integrity of your customers you must put web security tools in place to win trust and peace of mind. The search engine also encourages website owners to secure their website that is why a secured website gets extra advantage in SEO ranking, compared to general websites.
SSL certificate ensures Encryption, Authenticity and Privacy
RECOGNIZE – How To Know If The Website Has A Valid SSL Certificate?
If you see the URL of website starting with HTTPS and a green padlock icon in the address bar then you can be pretty sure that the site has SSL connection.
To get the details about certificate authority, identifiers and valid period, you need to click on the padlock icon. The small window that pop-up will throw information whether the certificate is valid or not. It will also show the mixed content warning if the website contains some insecure elements.
If you go to certificate details tab you can find all sorts of valid information.
INTERESTED – How To Get SSL?
There are several types of certificates available in the market. First, you need to decide which one will be best for you. Some of the popular CAs are COMODO, Symantec, GeoTrust, Thawte, GlobalSign, DigiCert, GoDaddy, Network Solutions etc.
You can easily buy the certificate from an online vendor to secure your website. Every certificate has own validation procedure and may take 1-7 days.
INSTALLATION – Is This Really Difficult?
Setting up the SSL certificate on the server is easy. After buying the certificate you will need.CRT files for activating the certificate on your web server. The SSL protocol recognizes.CRT files extension to allow the secure connection.
But when you will log-in to the SSL vendor client dashboard for the first time, after purchase, you will find that the certificate associated with the domain is marked as ‘inactive’.
To make this active, you will need to obtain.CRT files from the CA and install on your server. But in order to apply, you will need CSR (Certificate Signing Request) codes. You can easily generate CSR codes from your server. Let’s begin.
- Go to the server dashboard (cPanel)
- Open SSL Manager
- Generate private key and CSR ( Certificate) against your domain name
- Copy the encrypted codes and paste in the form provided by SSL vendor dashboard
- In next step, you need to provide your entity details and authentication e-mail/file
After submitting the details, the CA will verify your details. Once the validation process is completed you will find CRT bundle in your dashboard and e-mail as well. Upload the files to your web-server. In SSL manager, you will find the activated certificate details with a validity period.
The final step of installation is migrating your whole website from HTTP to HTTPS. There are basically three steps:
- Add ‘S’ after HTTP in the web address ( Go to WordPress >> General Setting)
- Add 301 permanent redirection from HTTP to HTTPS
- Update the search console and social media accounts with new web address
Conclusion
In today’s scenario, your business faces a number of challenges like heavy competition, security threats and lack of time. SSL certificate is a great way to create trust, protect data and reduce redundant security monitoring activities.
If you find this article useful, consider sharing with your friends.
