![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ssl-encryption.jpg\")
<\/a>SSL certificates are digital certificates that help websites increase security. This is done in two main ways – proof of identity<\/strong> and encryption<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Applications for SSL certificates need to be verified by organizations called Certificate Authorities<\/strong> (CAs<\/strong>). Depending on the type of SSL, the CA will carry out various verification checks to see if the registrant information is accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SSL certificates utilize private and public keys that help encrypt communications between websites and their visitors<\/strong>. This added security level ensures that anyone who intercepts the data won\u2019t be able to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three categories of SSL certificates, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within these categories, SSL certificates also differ in the number and type of domains they cover<\/strong>. For instance, a single domain SSL is for one primary domain name only. It will not cover any associated subdomains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Digital security<\/strong> has become an increasing concern over the years. We are living in times when an increasing number of data breaches lead to leaked personal and financial information. One example of this was the Forex trading site FBS<\/strong> that lost over 16 billion data records<\/strong> earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As incidents like this are piling up, website visitors inevitably grow more concerned about giving out any kind of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, SSL certification is helping websites restore some confidence in the security of their data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can also:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Web browsers today want visitors to be aware of how safe websites are for them to visit. Because of that, visitors can see at a glance if the pages they land on are SSL-equipped<\/strong><\/a>. If the website is secure, they will see a padlock icon containing important owner information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many websites today require customers to leave some data – and for many reasons too. For example, ecommerce sites need it to process payments and ship orders, while other pages may need information for subscriptions. SSL helps keep data sent between websites and visitors encrypted and safe from unauthorized breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google <\/strong>is one of the largest search engines in the world and responsible for most of the organic traffic coming your way. To ensure visitors go to safe sites only, the company prefers to send them towards SSL-equipped websites by default. Not having an SSL can negatively affect your search ranking, resulting in fewer visitors getting to your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cybercriminals use a plethora of tactics to steal information, and phishing is one of the most popular ones. However, as more sites get equipped with SSL, it has become more challenging for them to create spoofed sites. Visitors can easily verify the website identity at the click of a button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ecommerce sites need to adhere to stricter regulatory standards in terms of security. One of the requirements for PCI compliance<\/strong> is the need to have SSL on the site. Websites must be PCI-compliant to store valuable billing information provided by their clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SSL certificates may be essential to security, but they naturally come at a price. But don’t you worry – although there are a fair number of commercial options, free SSL certificates exist and are easily obtainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help make the web a safer place, organizations like Let\u2019s Encrypt <\/strong>offer free SSL solutions. Anyone who owns a website can apply for and use a free SSL, typically DV-type certificates<\/strong>. While not the best, they offer visitors a basic level of site verification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is also possible to get free SSL coverage through other service providers. For example, using Cloudflare as a Content Delivery Network<\/strong><\/a> (CDN) allows you to utilize their blanket SSL service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The price for commercial SSL certificates can vary widely – anywhere between $7<\/strong> to well over $1,000 <\/strong>per year. Prices typically reflect the depth of verification that website owners need to go through. More expensive certificates often come with warranties against loss<\/strong> – sometimes into the millions of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The beauty of SSL certificates is there are several ways you can install them. The methods available to you will also depend on your web hosting package and provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at two methods you can use. The simplest way is with the help of a web hosting control panel.<\/strong> This graphic-user interface simplifies much of the process, enabling even those new to SSL a smooth and straightforward installation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Various web hosting service providers may offer different certificate configuration tools,<\/strong> but the end goal is the same – to ease the SSL installation process. One example of a tool sometimes available on cPanel<\/strong> is AutoSSL<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the name implies, using AutoSSL is as simple as having your SSL token<\/strong> information<\/strong> in hand. Type whatever information AutoSSL requests in the setup wizard and let the CA do the rest. Of course, AutoSSL isn\u2019t unique, and other web hosting control panel-based tools are available as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re using a self-hosted server solution without a control panel, however, you might have to install everything manually. As an example, here is how to do so on an Apache server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 1 – Move Your SSL Certificate Files to the Server<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When applying for an SSL certificate, you will receive a Certificate Signing Request<\/strong> (CSR). This generates your digital certificate and your public and private keys. You must ensure that you copy these files to the same directory on your web server as instructed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make things even more secure, change the file permissions once you’ve uploaded all files. Ensure they are readable only by the root admin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 2 – Locate the Apache Config File<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your configuration file may be located in different folders depending on how you\u2019ve set up your Apache installation. The server\u2019s primary configuration file <\/strong>is usually called \u201chttpd.conf\u201d<\/em> or \u201capache2.conf.\u201d <\/em>and is most likely found in the \u201c\/etc\/httpd\u201d<\/em> or \u201c\/etc\/apache2\u201d<\/em> directories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 3 – Configure the File and Enter Commands<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve found your configuration file, create a backup before you edit anything. You can do so with the following command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n cp default-ssl.conf default-ssl.conf_backup<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the backup is completed, you can edit the config file. The section you have to focus on is Virtual Host<\/strong>. Each type of connection your website can accept needs its own virtual host. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, websites that want to operate via secure and non-secure connections<\/strong> must have two Virtual Host sections.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this section, ensure the following fields are correct:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 4 – Run a Command Test<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have saved the configuration file changes, run a test to ensure that the changes made are correct. You can use the following command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n apachectl configtest<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 5 – Restart Apache<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you verify that everything is fine up to this point, you must restart Apache:<\/p>\n\n\n\n apachectl stop<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n apachectl start<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That is all there is to it. As you can see, even if you have to go through the process of SSL installation manually, the steps are comprehensive and straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, knowing you can rely on your hosting provider for help always brings much-needed peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ScalaHosting offers various SSL solutions, ranging from free to paid options<\/strong>. We support the no-cost Let\u2019s Encrypt<\/strong> SSL solutions here, or you can always opt-in for a commercial SSL<\/a> from GeoTrust <\/strong>and Symantec<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting up a certificate with Scala is quite easy as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
SSL Certificate Benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Increase Visitor Trust<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Safeguard Data Transmission<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Improve Search Ranking<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Mitigate Phishing Attacks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Contribute to Regulatory Compliance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Free and Commercial SSL Certificates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Install an SSL Certificate?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Using AutoSSL for SSL Installation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>How to Install OpenSSL on Apache Server<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
ScalaHosting SSL Solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n