SSL Certificate for Secured Websites
Whenever you access a website, there's an htttp or https prefixed to the domain address. HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is a communication protocol used to transfer data over the web, but it does not provide any encryption, making it vulnerable to interception and tampering. HTTPS (HTTP Secure) is the secure version of HTTP that uses SSL or TLS encryption to protect the data being transferred. It runs on port 443 instead of HTTP’s port 80 and includes authentication through digital certificates, ensuring the identity of the server. Websites using HTTPS have URLs starting with https://, while those using HTTP start with http://. HTTPS is preferred for any site handling sensitive data like logins or payments and is also favored by search engines for better ranking and trust.
In this article, we will understand how to use SSL certificates to make your website secure. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts data transmitted between the server and the client.
Key Points
- Purpose: SSL certificate encrypts data to ensure privacy and security.
- Types: There are multiple type of SSL certificates: Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), Extended Validation (EV). Each comes with different level of security measures associated with it.
- Installation: To set up SSL certificate for your website, contact your hosting provider or do a manual server configuration. Some hosting providers provide facilities for installing SSL certificates for your website using cPanel.
- Renewal: SSL certificates must be renewed periodically. If your hosting provider provides this features, they do the renewal on your behalf.
Benefits
- SSL certificate increases security for users.
- SSL certificate enhances trust and credibility.
- SSL certificate improves search engine rankings (SSL is a ranking factor) as search engines prefer secured websites.
- When you install an SSL certificate, browsers display a padlock icon in the browser address bar. This builds trust with your user network.
How to Get an SSL Certificate
Choose an SSL Provider
Pick a trusted SSL provider such as:
- Let’s Encrypt (Free)
- Comodo
- DigiCert
- GlobalSign
Alternatively, check if your hosting provider offers SSL certificates.
Type of SSL Certificate
- Domain Validation (DV): Basic level for personal websites.
- Organization Validation (OV): Business-level validation.
- Extended Validation (EV): Best for sites handling sensitive data.
Purchase or Get Free SSL
If you want a free SSL certificate, use providers like Let’s Encrypt. Paid options are available from hosting providers or Certificate Authorities.
Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
- Log in to your hosting account or server.
- Use server's control panel or the server terminal to generate the CSR.
- Provide necessary details like domain name, company name, location, and email address.
Submit CSR to the SSL Provider
Upload the CSR to your chosen SSL provider. Verify your domain ownership via:
- Email validation
- DNS record update
- File upload to your server
Download and Install the Certificate
- After validation, download the SSL certificate files.
- Install the files using your server’s control panel.
Test and Configure
- Verify the installation using tools like SSL Labs.
- Redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS by updating your server configuration.
Author
Anurag Gupta is an M.S. graduate in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University. He also holds an M.Tech degree in Systems and Control Engineering and a B.Tech degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.
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