Many people have this common query regarding SSL certificates. Most of them don’t know what an SSL certificate is. So, for the novice, here are the complete details about what is SSL certificate. An SSL certificate can be called a part of the code on the internet server which offers security for all the communications that take place online or over the web. When a web browser connects with your trusted website, the SSL certificate allows an encrypted (secure) connection. It is like sealing a box before putting it in the courier facility. Besides that, an SSL certificate also helps in the creation of trust because every SSL certificate contains or has important identification information. When you ask for an SSL certificate, then the 3rd party will verify your organization’s data and issue a unique certificate to you with that data. It is called the authentication process.
Why Does a Website Need an SSL Certificate?
Through an SSL certificate one can keep an online communication very private, even though they go through the public internet. Plus, an SSL certificate gains the trust of the people and encourages them to provide personal information on your site or website. If you intend to ask the clients or customers about their personal data like credit card numbers or fiscal account details, health benefits and so on, then you should keep the data private. You also need to ensure that your website is authenticated with an SSL certificate. SSL certificate is also used for web-based applications, email servers, server-to-server communication and so on.
The Distinct Levels of Encryption and Encryption Defined-
The mathematical method of decoding and coding data is known as encryption. For instance, the number of bits will let you know about the size of the key. For instance, 40-bit, 128-bit, 56-bit, 256-bit encryption and so on. Just like a long password, a large key has more possible integrations. One of the things that you should know is that 128-bit encryption is more than a trillion times stronger than 40-bit encryption. Whenever an encryption session is created, the strength of the encryption is identified by the capacity of the web browser, web server, customer computer OS, and SSL certificate.
How Can an SSL Certificate Make Your Website More Reliable?
One of the things that you should know is that an SSL certificate comprises of verified data about the website it protects to assist the users or customers to confirm that they are communicating with an authentic website, i.e., your true website. The industry’s highest standard of verification is extended validation, and it offers the most notable assurance to users, in which the address bar turns green in high-security browsers.
When you show a trusted site seal, like that of Thawte, the users can click the trust mark to see the website identification data, the 3rd party like Thawte, which is verified, the expiration date of the SSL certificate, and so on. In a new browser, the website identification data may appear, when the users go over the address bar. They can also click on the closed padlock icon to find out more.