SSL Explained: What They Are and How To Get Yours

In this article you’ll discover what SSL certificates are, what they do and how to get one for yourself (free), with some best practices for using them.

The internet is a wild and scary place. Hackers, viruses, phishing sites, and other malware can make it an extremely dangerous place to browse without proper protection. HTTPS encryption is one of the primary ways that you can keep your browsing safe from prying eyes and hackers. This article will walk you through what SSL certificates are, what they do, why you need them to protect your browsing, how to get one for yourself, and some best practices for using them.

What Is an SSL Certificate?

SSL (or Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are digital certificates used to keep your data secure when browsing online. They’re used to encrypt the traffic between your computer and the website you’re visiting. This means that third parties won’t be able to see what you’re doing or accessing. This is vital for anyone who is working with sensitive information, like financial data. SSL certificates also come with authentication, which means you’ll get a green padlock in your browser that confirms you’re connected to the right server. SSL certificates were initially used to transfer money online. Now they’re used to encrypt all data sent between your computer and a website.

Additionally, a good optimized Irish WordPress hosting can offer a secure certificate, and with a good customer support they can install it for you – you only need ask.

To get the best of what SSL certificates have to offer you’ll have to use HTTPS instead of HTTP.

How Do SSL Certificates Work?

SSL certificates work by creating a private and public key for your website. The public key is used to encrypt the data being sent to the server, and the private key decrypts that data. This creates a secure connection between the server and the user. This way, only the server can decrypt the data. Even if someone intercepts the data in transit with a man-in-the-middle attack, it’ll be unreadable to them. The certificates work over both HTTP and HTTPS. When using them over HTTP, a padlock is shown in the browser. When using them over HTTPS, a green padlock is shown in the browser. The important thing to remember is that the padlock isn’t an SSL certificate itself. It’s a visual signal that the website is using SSL certificates.

Why Should You Use an SSL Certificate?

SSL certificates are vital for protecting your website and its visitors. If a website doesn’t use a secure certificate, it’s easy for a man-in-the-middle attack to be carried out. This can be done by someone sitting in a public place and hacking into your traffic to see what you’re doing on the internet. If a website uses an SSL certificate, it becomes extremely difficult for the person performing the attack to decrypt the data.

How to Get an SSL Certificate?

It’s important to note that SSL certificates are different than the certificates used to sign and verify software. To get a valid certificate you’ll need to work with a digital certificate authority. They’re the companies in charge of issuing certificates to websites (for example:ZeroSSL it’s free, or try WordPress plugin – Really Simple SSL). If a website is using an invalid certificate, you’re likely to see a pop-up in your browser saying as much. Digital certificate authorities are also the ones who will revoke a certificate. In the event that a certificate is compromised, a valid VA will revoke it. This will remove the certificate from the website. When you’re purchasing an SSL certificate, you’ll have to provide some information about your business. This includes your name and address, as well as details about your website. For some of the digital certificates you will have to pay a fee.

One, Good Advice When Using SSL Certificates

  • You want to make sure that you’re using the latest version of SSL certificates. There’s always a chance that a new security vulnerability will be discovered. When this happens, the digital certificate authorities will revoke the affected certificates. If you’re using an outdated version of SSL certificates, your visitors could be at risk. Beyond using the latest version, it’s a good idea to keep digital certs up to date.

Conclusion

When it comes to online security, HTTPS is one of the best ways to go. Not only does it keep your sensitive data safe, it also helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Without it, a hacker could intercept your data and steal it for themselves. That being said, not every website uses HTTPS by default. If you want to make sure your visitors always get the best possible security, always make sure that the website you are visiting uses an SSL certificate. It’s easy to get started with a digital certificate—you just need to pick a trusted certificate authority, provide some important details about your site, and then install their certificate on your website (or whichever products you want to protect). Digital certificates are great for keeping your browsing safe from prying eyes. They can also help remove the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks.

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