A secure and trusted website through SSL certificates
In today’s digital age, most of our personal and financial information is stored in the internet. The recent data breaches have shown that our online security is not as safe as we thought it was. It is time to rethink how we use the internet and what we can do to protect ourselves, and in turn, our customers from hackers and cybercriminals.
The need for a secure and trusted secure web communication has never been greater than it is today. In this section, I will discuss the importance of having a secure and trusted website and how it can be achieved through Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate.
What are SSL certificates and why do we need them?
A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is a security protocol that ensures privacy and data integrity, while also providing authentication of the website. SSL certificates are used to encrypt traffic between web servers and browsers in an effort to prevent eavesdropping or tampering with information during transmission over public networks such as the Internet. The encryption provided by SSL prevents sensitive communications from being intercepted by third parties like cyber criminals who can use this personal information for their own benefit. In addition, most websites require users to log into accounts using usernames/passwords before they access any other pages on them; however since these credentials travel through unsecured channels when you enter it online, hackers could potentially intercept your login details if not encrypted properly which would allow them unauthorized access onto your account(s). This is why having an HTTPS-enabled site means better protection against man-in-the-middle attacks.
Can SSL Certificate protect against phishing?
Phishing is a concern for many companies, as it can result in the loss of sensitive information and financial resources and more importantly, customer trust. One way to protect against phishing attacks is through SSL certificates that verify online identity by identifying all domains on which they are used. SSL certificates are obtained by having a digital certificates signed off by trusted Certificate Authorities (CA). Trusted CAs validate the identity of the web servers so there is no way any malicious website will be able to impersonate a legitimate website by taking on an identical web address.
SSL certificates come with different levels of validation depending on your needs: Domain Validation (DV) – These cost less than $10 per year but require a simple verification process where you confirm ownership over domain name. Organization Validation (OV) – These cost more (~$300 per annum). They go through an extensive validation procedure which includes verifying the company’s existence in public databases; confirming physical address; sending postal mail with return receipt requested etc. Extended Validation (EV) – These have the highest level of trust because they need additional proofing steps including phone calls for business owners, background checks for companies and legal entities plus other identity assurance procedures before the CA can issue the certificate. Correspondingly, these type of certificates costs more.
Extended validation (EV) certificates were created specifically to combat phishing scams because EV certs require more stringent verification processes than other types of digital certifications do. They also display the organisation’s name in the certificate, so users know with greater certainty whether or not they are on the right website before sending personal data or making payment over the web.
What type of SSL certificates should I choose?
If providing online identity assurance and trust to your customers is a priority, OV or EV certificates should be chosen over DV certificates. As these certificates cost more, resellers of these type of certificates typically provide free technical support and at times, free onsite support too. It is important to have good support from a reseller with strong technical expertise as resolving SSL certificate issues are usually time critical.
Are you looking to improve the security and trust on your website? Contact us at sales@cloudsine.tech or sslsales@netrust.net for a free consultation.
Authored by Aaron, Netrust Pte ltd
