How do SSL certificates help in safeguarding e-commerce transactions?
Do you know how big the e-commerce industry is? A billion…a trillion?
In just 2020, the global e-commerce market was valued at $4.8 trillion. And it is expected to be $6.3 trillion by 2023.
It has become a way of life for many of us, but did you know that every time you make a purchase, you could be putting your personal and financial information at risk? It is essential to monitor them closely and ensure that they are secure.
Look closely at the top left corner of your screen; you’ll see a lock icon. That lock indicates the status of your Secure Sockets Layer certificate. If there is a green lock, it means your SSL certificate is secure, and if there’s a warning sign, it means that your certificate has expired or has not been created in the first place.
In this blog, we will explore the usage of SSL, how they work, and the role it plays while you’re about to purchase via any online-based store or maybe what happens if its SSL certificate expires.
What is SSL?
Before we get started, let’s understand SSL. It is more like a digital passport (or, say security protocols, to be exact) that helps to create a secure and encrypted connection between web servers and browsers. It works by encrypting data as it travels between the server and the browser, making it impossible for anyone to read the data without the appropriate decryption key. Thus, protecting from interception and tampering by hackers or other malicious actors. Think of SSL as a secret code that only you and the website can understand. And the validity of that secret code is checked by SSL certificates.
Types of SSL certificates
These SSL certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) and come in different types, such as Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV).
- Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificates: This is the most basic type of SSL certificate. It only verifies if the domain name is registered and the person requesting the certificate has control over the domain. The validation process is typically automated and takes only a few minutes. DV certificates are suitable for personal websites, blogs, and small business websites.
- Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificates: OV certificates require a more rigorous validation process than DV certificates, including verification of the organization’s name, address, and other details. This process typically takes a few days to complete. OV certificates are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses and e-commerce websites that collect sensitive customer information.
- Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates: EV certificates provide the highest level of validation and security. The validation process includes a thorough examination of the organization’s legal and physical existence, as well as other stringent requirements. EV certificates display a green address bar in the user’s browser, which indicates the highest level of trust and security. EV certificates are ideal for large businesses and organizations that deal with sensitive data and financial transactions.
The following two certificates are more like a combination of the above ones.
- Wildcard SSL Certificates: Wildcard certificates are designed to protect a domain and all its subdomains with a single certificate. For example, a wildcard certificate issued for the domain example.com can be used to secure subdomains like mail.example.com, blog.example.com, and shop.example.com. Wildcard certificates can be DV, OV, or EV, depending on the level of validation required.
- Multi-Domain SSL Certificates: Multi-domain certificates (also known as Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificates) allow a single certificate to secure multiple domains and subdomains. This makes them ideal for organizations that manage multiple websites or online services. Multi-domain certificates can be DV, OV, or EV, depending on the level of validation required.
And while you’re shopping online, most e-commerce websites use Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates due to their advanced level of validation and security.
What happens if your website doesn’t have an SSL certificate?
- Lack of encryption: Without an SSL certificate, the connection between the user’s browser and the web server is not encrypted. It means that any data transmitted between the two can be intercepted and read by third parties, including personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers.
- No secure connection: Most modern web browsers display a warning to users when they try to visit a website without an SSL certificate. This warning informs them that the connection to the website is not secure and can be easily intercepted by attackers.
- Decreased user trust: Seeing a warning about an insecure website can cause users to lose confidence in the website and its owners. It can lead to a decrease in traffic and revenue, as users may be hesitant to enter personal information or make purchases on the website.
- Increased vulnerability to attacks: Without encryption, websites are more vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, where an attacker intercepts and alters the data being transmitted between the user and the web server. This can result in sensitive data being stolen or manipulated.
- Lower search engine rankings: Search engines such as Google prioritize secure websites in their search results, and having an SSL certificate is a factor in determining a website’s ranking. Without an SSL certificate, a website may have lower visibility and traffic a result.
Thus, having an SSL certificate is crucial for ensuring the security and trustworthiness of a website. SSL certificates help detect website issues early and protect against hacking attempts while complying with industry standards.
Now, the question remains, have you checked your SSL certificate? Don’t worry SiteHawk to do just that for you! Check out https://sitehawk.io/ and try our powerful monitoring services for free and be assured of never letting losing customers due to security reasons :)
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