SSL Certificates | Web Site Security (2024)

FAQs

What is SSL site security? ›

SSL: Secure Sockets Layer

SSL is standard technology for securing an internet connection by encrypting data sent between a website and a browser (or between two servers). It prevents hackers from seeing or stealing any information transferred, including personal or financial data.

Many site owners believe that an SSL certificate is enough to make a website secure. However, simply having an SSL does not completely cover website security. An SSL helps encrypt data as it moves between visitors and web servers, but it does not provide comprehensive protection from hackers.

The difference between HTTP and HTTPS is the “S”, which stands for “Secure”. A website that uses HTTP provides a much less secure connection and endangers customer data. To secure your website with HTTPS, you will need to install an SSL certificate and redirect HTTP to HTTPS using a . htaccess file.

To run a successful business website, you need an SSL certificate to prevent traffic interruption. Even if you don't collect any information from your website visitors, your website requires an SSL certificate to prevent customers from getting a pop-up that indicates your website is unsecured.

A website needs an SSL certificate in order to keep user data secure, verify ownership of the website, prevent attackers from creating a fake version of the site, and gain user trust. Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption is possible because of the public-private key pairing that SSL certificates facilitate.

In short: SSL keeps internet connections secure and prevents criminals from reading or modifying information transferred between two systems. When you see a padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar, that means SSL protects the website you are visiting.

Any websites without the SSL certificate will remain http while those with encryption will show https in users' browsers. Chrome, Firefox and other browsers have began issuing warnings that non-https sites are insecure.

Fortunately, there are two quick checks to help you be certain: Look at the uniform resource locator (URL) of the website. A secure URL should begin with “https” rather than “http.” The “s” in “https” stands for secure, which indicates that the site is using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate.

SSL certificates are now a requirement for all websites. The browsers – led by Google and Mozilla – have mandated all sites be served with encryption via HTTPS. To accomplish this transition the browsers have created a new security warnings.

A common issue after adding an SSL certificate is that your browser still shows your site as insecure. This most often happens because there are links on your page that still point to HTTP instead of HTTPS.

What websites do not use SSL? ›

The list includes: Baidu.com, wikia.com, bbc.com, dailymail.co.uk, spn.com, alibaba.com, foxnews.com, speedtest.net, ign.com, 4chan.org, and many more.

The SSL certificate acts as the website's public key and validates its identity and information to authenticate it to be a valid site. The private key is kept safe and secure, while any device or API request trying to access the site will have to reference the public key to verify the site's identity.

If you don't have an SSL certificate, the connection between your visitors and your server is not encrypted (remains in plain text). This is a serious web security vulnerability because attackers can place themselves between the users' browser and your server, and intercept sensitive data in transit.

On average, a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate costs around $60/year. However, the price can vary from $8 to $1000/year, depending on various factors, such as the number of domains one can protect, the validation process, the warranty, or the certificate authority itself.

In fact, most modern web browsers no longer support SSL at all. TLS is the up-to-date encryption protocol that is still being implemented online, even though many people still refer to it as "SSL encryption." This can be a source of confusion for someone shopping for security solutions.

HTTPS: What are the differences? HTTPS is HTTP with encryption and verification. The only difference between the two protocols is that HTTPS uses TLS (SSL) to encrypt normal HTTP requests and responses, and to digitally sign those requests and responses. As a result, HTTPS is far more secure than HTTP.

Go to SSL/TLS > Edge Certificates. For Disable Universal SSL, select Disable Universal SSL. Read the warnings in the Acknowledgement. Select I Understand and select Confirm.