Importance of SSL Certification

Websites on the web are budding up like mushrooms. Each day, thousands of websites come into existence and some of them might be useful as well. But not all of them are safe for the customers as there are some malicious elements always trying to sneak up and steal valuable details from the customers. Obviously, this is a huge dilemma that customers face every single day when it comes to cybersecurity.

But there is a way- SSL Certification. SSL certified websites are safe for the consumers as they protect them from potential data thefts and are well trusted by the customers as well. SSL is a good thing, right? Now the big question- What is this SSL certification?

We are here for answering the same question. Let us take you through the details of SSL Certification, its basics and some major advantages.

WHAT IS AN SSL CERTIFICATE?

Secure Sockets Layer (abbreviated as SSL) is a cryptographic protocol which is used to secure the communications happening over a computer network. Similarly, SSL Certificates are data files that play an important role in making the data secure and provide encryption. The primary function of SSL is to deliver on the part of privacy and data security, especially when there is a communication network established between two computers.

Have you ever noticed the ‘S’ in the address bar after HTTP and it reads as https:// and after that, the address is mentioned? This ‘S’ means Secure and is a piece of evidence that the website is secured by SSL protocol. Would you ever provide the information related to your credit or debit card if it is not secure?

The key function of SSL is to keep high-value information related to credit and debit cards, passwords or login credentials and others such as social security number, etc. safe from threats. Without SSL, the data sent and received between two communicating systems will be in normal text and it will be hacked or intercepted by hackers and other kinds of cyber threat. So you can figure out how crucial SSL is.

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How important is SSL Certificate?

The answer to this question is rather, obvious. It is very, very important to have an SSL certificate for your website. There are a few points that we are going to highlight so that you can get a fair idea on the importance of SSL Certification.

Trust: This is the biggest factor that is responsible for any interaction or business to happen between a consumer and a merchant. Trust can do magic for any business and that too coming from a customer, it is as valuable as Gold. A website secured by SSL encryption will flash green in the address bar of your browser and hence, a seal of security that you can trust the vendor and it is not a scam or fraud.
Authentication: Another important factor that you should note down in your priority list. Authentication is a proof that you are sending the relevant information to the appropriate computers because as a merchant, you will be dealing with multiple customers at a time and it can get tough if the information of any customer lands at the wrong place.
Protection of Sensitive Information by Encryption: As we mentioned above as well, Encryption is highly crucial as it will protect all the valued information safe and undercover which could be understood by the appropriate recipient only. The information will be sensitive as it can include details of bank accounts or cards or the password. The simple text is no way to protect such coveted information and hence, Encryption will be the key.
The requirement for PCI Compliance: Payment Card Industry (PCI) has a very strict policy that if you want to accept credit card details from any customers, you have to pass a list of audits to show that you are in compliance with PCI policies. And to your surprise, one of the mandatory criteria is to have a valid SSL certification.

SSL certification can cost you some additional dollars every year because the providers have to validate your identity, hence the involvement of cost. But as you know, without SSL there are many key aspects are going to miss and you certainly do not want that to happen. So, the best way is to get your SSL certification as soon as possible and get going. Good Luck and Happy Certification.