How Does SSL Certificate Issuance and Verification Happen?
SSL, or Secure Socket Layer, is a form of encryption that protects data exchanged between servers and users. It’s one of the most important aspects of security for websites, e-commerce stores, and other online companies. SSL certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) after verifying certain information about the organization or individual requesting the certificate.
How Are SSL Certificates Issued?
When you purchase an SSL Certificate, the Certificate Authority (CA) will validate your request against their Certificate Policy and Practices Statement (CP/PPS). After verifying that you have control of the domain and that your organization meets their identity verification requirements, it will issue the certificate.
The CA uses two different types of data to verify your request: Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and Domain Control Validation (DCV). The CSR is generated by your server and contains information about your organization and domain. The DCV is used to verify that you have control over the domain. The CA will send a validation email to the registered email address for the domain or provide you with a code to place in a specific location on your website. Once you have completed the validation process, the CA will issue your certificate.
How Are SSL Certificates Verified?
When an SSL certificate is first issued, the issuing authority will verify the domain and company information to ensure that it is legitimate. After that, they will send an email to the registered administrator for the domain listed on the certificate to confirm that they have authorized the issuance of the certificate. Once the administrator responds, the certificate will be issued.
The issuing authority may also perform additional checks, such as looking up the Whois record for the domain or contacting the website owner directly. They may do this if they are unable to verify the information in the initial request or if they want to confirm that the person requesting the certificate is authorized to do so.
Once a certificate has been issued, it can be used immediately. However, browsers will only show the green https padlock icon if the certificate has been verified by a trusted third party. Verification usually happens automatically when a browser connects to a site secured with SSL for the first time. The browser checks whether it trusts the issuing authority and whether the Certificate Revocation List (CRL) contains any information about revoked certificates. If everything checks out, the browser displays the padlock icon.
What Are the Benefits of SSL Certification?
As the name suggests, SSL certificates are used to establish secure communication between a server and a client. The main benefits of using an SSL certificate are:
1. Encryption of Communications – all data passing through an SSL connection is encrypted, making it difficult for anyone to intercept and read the data;
2. Authentication – SSL certificates can be used to verify the identity of the server (and, in some cases, the client), ensuring that communications are not being intercepted and redirected by a third party;
3. Increased Security – use of an SSL connection can help to increase the overall security of a website or application by deterring hackers and other malicious actors from accessing sensitive data;
4. Compliance With Industry Regulations – many industries have regulations in place that require the use of SSL/TLS encryption for certain types of data transfers;
5. Improved Search Engine Ranking – Google has stated that HTTPS is a ranking factor in its search algorithm, meaning that sites with valid SSL certificates may enjoy better visibility in search results.
How to Choose an SSL Certificate Provider
When it comes to SSL certificates, there are a lot of factors to consider. The most important factor is choosing a reputable and trusted SSL certificate provider. With so many providers out there, it can be difficult to know who to choose. Here are a few things to look for when choosing an SSL certificate provider:
-Accreditation: Make sure the provider is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the WebTrust or ETSI.
-Pricing: Compare pricing between different providers to find the best deal.
-Features: Some providers offer more features than others, so decide what features are important to you and choose a provider that offers them.
-Support: Choose a provider that offers good customer support in case you have any problems.
Need more help? You can contact IT Solution Pte Ltd for a free consultation regarding choosing an SSL certificate. We have partnered with the most reputable certificate authorities in the world and we can help you choose the best one among them. We’ll also help you install and configure the certificate and provide further help in case of issues.
