SSL Certificates: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re running a website, an SSL certificate is essential to ensure your visitors’ sensitive information stays safe from hackers.

In this basic guide, we’ll cover the basics of SSL certificates, how they work, why they’re important to Google, and how you can easily install them on your WordPress site. Don’t wait until it’s too late – read on to learn more about why your website needs an SSL certificate now more than ever.

What is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a protocol that allows your browser to create a safe connection between itself and a website or server. It verifies the legitimacy of the website being accessed by ensuring that visitors are visiting the right site and preventing other people from impersonating your company and website.

SSL certificates add another layer of data encryption which will protect sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details, establishing a secure connection between their browser and your website’s server.

Verifying the legitimacy of a website

SSL certificates are an essential tool for verifying the legitimacy of a website. SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is a protocol that establishes a secure connection between your browser and the server hosting the website you’re visiting. It ensures that visitors access the correct site and prevents others from impersonating your company and website through authentication. Verifying website legitimacy is vital for online security because it adds another layer of data encryption to protect sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details. You can easily check if a website has an SSL certificate by looking for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar or checking if its URL starts with “https.”

Establishing a secure connection between the browser and the server

SSL encryption is a critical tool for establishing a secure connection between your browser and server. It works by verifying the legitimacy of the website being accessed through authentication provided by a certificate authority.

There are different types of SSL certificates available, with varying levels of authority and cryptographic strength, so it’s important to choose one that meets your needs. Remember to renew your SSL certificates regularly to ensure continued protection for sensitive information exchanged between browsers and servers.

How SSL Works

SSL certificates are essential for online security, especially with the increasing number of hacking incidents. SSL allows your browser to create a secure connection between itself and a website or server, verifying that visitors are accessing the correct site and preventing impersonation. The SSL Handshake process involves requesting an SSL certificate from the web server, checking its trustworthiness, initiating an encrypted session and sharing data securely.

Google has also made it clear that having an SSL certificate impacts search ranking as they label standard HTTP pages as non-secure.

Installing SSL certificates on WordPress sites is easy using plugins like Really Simple SSL or CTW SSL for Cloudflare.

The SSL Handshake Process

The SSL Handshake process is a crucial step in establishing a secure connection between your website and your visitor’s browser.

It involves verifying the identity of the web server, exchanging cryptographic keys for encryption, and ensuring that all data shared during the session is encrypted.

This process helps prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details. The importance of secure key exchange cannot be overstated since it ensures that only authorized parties can decrypt confidential information exchanged during the SSL Handshake process.

Encryption of Shared Data

SSL certificates use encryption to secure the transfer of data between a browser and a web server. There are two types of encryption used in SSL Certificates: symmetric-key cryptography and asymmetric-key cryptography. Symmetric-key is faster but less secure, while Asymmetric-Key is slower yet more reliable for protecting sensitive information like credit card details.

Encryption provides benefits such as securing communication channels, preventing eavesdropping, data tampering or identity theft. However, it also has limitations that can slow down website performance and increase costs due to its complexity in implementation which should be considered before installing an SSL certificate on your website.

Importance of SSL to Google

Google has already started labelling all standard HTTP pages as non-secure, making it essential to have an SSL certificate.

Not only does it keep customer’s personal information safe from hackers, but having SSL will also positively impact your search ranking on Google. As of July 2018 onwards, sites not using HTTPS may be penalized and issued warnings by Google; therefore, having an SSL certificate is crucial for website owners.

Effect on Search Ranking

Google has placed a significant emphasis on website security, with HTTPS now being considered as a ranking signal. This means that websites with an SSL certificate will have improved search engine result page (SERP) presentation and may see an improvement in their search rankings compared to those without one.

As of July 2018, Google began labelling all standard HTTP pages as non-secure; therefore, having an SSL certificate is essential for any website owner who wants to avoid penalties from Google and ensure the safety of their users’ personal information.

Treatment of HTTP Pages

Browser warnings for non-SSL sites can have a negative impact on user trust and engagement. As Google begins to label standard HTTP pages as non-secure, it is essential to migrate your website to the HTTPS protocol. Without an SSL certificate, your website might even be penalized by search engines like Google.

Installing an SSL certificate on WordPress sites is easy with the right plugin and requires minimal coding or changes on your side. Protecting sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details with SSL encryption will add another layer of security for your customers/users while visiting your site.

Installing SSL Certificates on WordPress sites

If you want to protect your WordPress website from hackers, installing an SSL certificate is a must. It verifies that the appropriate company owns the website and establishes a secure connection between visitors’ browsers and your server, encrypting all data shared between them.

Google also considers having SSL important, as it affects search rankings and labels non-secure HTTP pages starting July 2018. Fortunately, installing an SSL certificate on WordPress is easy with plugins like Really Simple SSL or WP Force SSL – purchase or obtain a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate first, then use the plugin to install it for you.

Purchasing or Obtaining an SSL Certificate

When it comes to purchasing or obtaining an SSL certificate for your website, there are a few things you need to know. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

  • Understanding the Different Types of SSL Certificates: There are various types of SSL certificates available, including domain validation (DV), organization validation (OV), and extended validation (EV) certificates. Each type offers different levels of security and verification, so make sure you choose the right one for your needs.
  • Choosing a Reliable Certificate Authority: When purchasing an SSL certificate, it’s important to choose a trustworthy and reliable certificate authority (CA). Look for CAs that have been around for awhile and have established reputations in the industry.
  • Validating Your Domain and Business Identity: To obtain an SSL certificate, you must process validating your domain ownership and business identity. This can involve submitting documentation such as government-issued IDs or proof of business registration.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your website is equipped with the proper level of security provided by an SSL certificate.

SSL certificates that are free do not provide any guarantee against cybersecurity breaches or data theft. However, if a website owner opts for a paid SSL certificate, they will receive a predetermined amount of compensation in case of fraudulent transactions leading to financial loss.

Free SSL certificate services:

While free SSL certificates do exist, they may not provide the same level of security as paid certificates, and their reliability can vary.

Let’s Encrypt issues free certificates, and while they offer basic encryption, they do not offer extended validation, which verifies the organisation behind the website. Free certificates may also require more frequent renewal and may not offer adequate protection against more sophisticated cyber attacks. Ultimately, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of both free and paid SSL certificates before making a decision.

The browser will only show the name of the organisation alongside the padlock if Extended Validation (EV) certificates have been verified and validated. Only Extended Validation (EV) certificates verify and display the organisation’s name next to the padlock in the browser.

SSL Certificate

Using a Plugin for Installation

When it comes to installing an SSL certificate on your WordPress website, using a plugin can save you time and effort. Here are some tips for using a plugin effectively:

  • Researching and Selecting the Right SSL Plugin: Look for plugins that have high ratings and positive reviews. Some popular options include Really Simple SSL, CTW SSL for Cloudflare, and WP Force SSL.
  • Activating the Plugin on Your WordPress Site: Install the chosen plugin through your WordPress dashboard like any other plugin, then activate it.
  • Configuring Settings for Optimal Security: After activating the plugin, follow the steps outlined in the plugin and to modify your site address in your WordPress settings to “https” to ensure proper functionality.

With these simple steps, you can easily secure your website with an SSL certificate without needing extensive coding knowledge or technical skills.

Modifying WordPress Settings

Enabling HTTPS in General Settings is an important step to ensure that your website is secure. Additionally, you can update Internal Links to Point to HTTPS URLs for better security. The .htaccess Configuration for Redirects to HTTPS Version of Your Site helps redirect all traffic from HTTP versions of your site to the secure version.

Here are some steps you can follow:

  • Go into your Wordpress dashboard and navigate to “Settings.”
  • Click on “General” and locate the section labeled “WordPress Address (URL)” and “Site Address (URL).”
  • Update both with the https: // prefix.
  • Install a plugin like Really Simple SSL or CTW SSL for Cloudflare.
  • Once installed, these plugins will automatically help set up your site with SSL just by activation.
  • For added security, modify .htaccess manually by adding simple coding which redirects HTTP links directly to HTTPS.

Manual Modification of .htaccess

Before making any changes to your .htaccess file, it’s essential to create a backup copy of the original. This is important because if anything goes wrong, you can quickly restore the previous version and avoid causing any unnecessary issues. Once you have created a backup, you can proceed with adding code snippets that force HTTP-to-HTTPS redirection in your .htaccess file.

After modifying the .htaccess file manually or using a plugin like Really Simple SSL, we recommend testing and verifying the implementation of HTTPS protocol on your website to ensure everything is functioning correctly. This step will provide peace of mind knowing that your website visitors are secure while browsing through your site.

In conclusion, SSL certificates are essential for securing your website and protecting your users’ sensitive information. With the rise of online transactions and hacking incidents, having an SSL certificate is more important than ever. Getting an SSL certificate is easy and can be done with minimal coding or technical skills.

Following the steps outlined above, you can configure your website to use HTTPS and ensure optimal security for your website and its visitors. Don’t wait until it’s too late; get your SSL certificate now and protect your website from potential security threats.

Worried about your site’s safety?

We won't spam you. Unsubscribe any time.

Wait! Before you go!

Get 10% discount for any WP Security Ninja plan!

 

Subscribe to our newsletter for new releases, discounts and general WordPress Security news. Sprinkled with other interesting stuff :-)

10% OFF

Subscribe to our newsletter

* We do not spam or share your email

Discount on any Security Ninja plan

and get

Hi and welcome back :-)