{"id":61526,"date":"2021-04-08T06:00:25","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T12:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/?p=61526"},"modified":"2026-01-22T08:26:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T14:26:24","slug":"what-is-ssl-and-why-you-need-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/what-is-ssl-and-why-you-need-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What is SSL and Why You Need It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates are all about web security, pretty much all websites today need them. Thanks to increasing cybersecurity threats, search engines like Google now take SSL certification into account as part of their search ranking algorithms<\/strong>. As such, there is an intrinsic link between websites, SSL, and Google<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have one yet and have been wondering, \u201cIs SSL Required for my Site?<\/em>\u201d – the short but firm answer is Yes<\/strong>. To learn more about SSL certificates and how you can benefit from them, read on…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State of Cyber Security in 2021<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What<\/a>
Data records lost (in billions) between 2013 and 2020 (Image Source: Government Technology<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Covid-19 situation has changed everything around us, including our online habits. Because of the global pandemic, many people and businesses have been forced to operate remotely<\/strong>. They had to digitize ahead of schedule or develop entirely new business models that rely heavily on the Internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unsurprisingly, ecommerce saw a significant boom<\/strong>, with sales in the US spiking by 32.4%<\/strong> over the year to hit a record high of $791.70 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While that may be good news, it came accompanied by a massive rise in data breaches<\/strong> resulting in over 37 billion <\/strong>lost records – more than double what we saw in 2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While SSL isn\u2019t a stop-all solution, it is certainly a first-line defense that webmasters should definitely consider, even if they’re not directly making sales through their website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an SSL Certificate?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Websites are accessed using the HTTP protocol, and SSL certificates utilize the more secure HTTPS<\/strong>. The \u201cS\u201d<\/em> appended to the end indicates the HTTP connection is Secure. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SSL certificate is a digital data file<\/strong> that sits on web servers and helps anyone connecting to the website verify the server\u2019s identity<\/strong>. It includes information such as the domain name it protects, ownership, a digital signature, expiration date, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While all the information is essential, the most vital pieces are public and private keys<\/strong>. These keys help encrypt data<\/strong> that passes between websites and visitors, keeping the connection safe from prying eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can get an SSL certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA)<\/strong>. These are the companies responsible for validating the identity <\/strong>of those applying for SSL certificates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of SSL Certificates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What<\/a>
Click on the padlock icon next to the website URL on your browser address bar to see a website\u2019s SSL certificate information.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now that we know the role of SSL certificates let\u2019s take a closer look at the different types. There are t<\/strong>hree primary categories of SSL certificates available today: Domain Validated (DV)<\/strong>, Organization Validated (OV)<\/strong>, and Extended Validation (EV)<\/strong>. While they offer similar encryption levels, the registration process is different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domain Validated SSL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Among SSL certificates, DV is the easiest to acquire<\/strong>. The CA simply needs to verify the<\/strong> domain name<\/strong> and ensure rightful ownership<\/strong> of the applicant. Aside from that, no other information needs to be confirmed. It is the most basic level of SSL certification available at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This easy process makes DV certificates especially popular among non-commercial websites<\/strong> such as personal blogs, portfolio sites, hobby sites, and the like. There are even free DV SSL certificates<\/strong> available such as those from Let\u2019s Encrypt<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organization Validated SSL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The same basic ownership check applies for OV SSL certificates such as with DV. However, Organization Validated SSLs take things a bit further. The CA must also check on the organization <\/strong>applying for the certificate to ensure it matches the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This extra layer of vetting helps website visitors<\/strong> who can see the information displayed on the SSL certificate. OV SSL is typically used by business sites<\/strong>, especially those which deal with personal or financial customer data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extended Validation SSL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Among SSL certificates, EV requires the most careful vetting process<\/strong>. Not only must the application information and website match, but the CA will take further steps for complete verification. This process includes matching data with official records<\/strong>, checking on physical presence<\/strong>, legal checks<\/strong>, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EV SSL certificates are mainly aimed at websites that need to ensure high levels of security and customer confidence. Examples of businesses that often utilize EV certificates are financial institutions<\/strong>, ecommerce marketplaces<\/strong>, and online retail outlets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from these three categories of SSL certificates, there are also various subtypes <\/strong>within. These have more to do with the scope of the SSL certificate<\/strong> rather than verification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single Name SSL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These SSL certificates cover a single domain name<\/strong>. The distinction is essential since if you buy a single name SSL, it restricts how you branch out from that domain name. For example, purchasing a single name SSL for \u2018\u2019www.mywebsite.com\u2019\u2019 <\/em>won\u2019t cover associated <\/strong>subdomains<\/strong><\/a> like –mail.mywebsite.com<\/em>, sales.mywebsite.com, or microsite.mydomain.com.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildcard SSL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Wildcard SSL will help resolve the restrictions of the single name SSL. They cover the primary domain name along with as many as 250 associated subdomains<\/strong>. This gives you a level of flexibility that a single name SSL cannot achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re still asking yourself, \u201cWhich SSL Should I Use?<\/em>\u201d the answer mainly depends on what you\u2019re doing with your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the question you can ask yourself include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n