A Simple Guide to Choosing an SSL Certificate

Let’s start with explaining What is SSL?

SSL is an acronym for Secured Socket Layer, it is Digital Certificate for websites for encryption of client serve path. It helps in keeping sensitive data obtained from clients secure.

Initially SSL Certificates were only purchased by E-commerce Websites because they deal with Payment Gateways and risky information about their clients like credit card information which needs tight security.

But to make the Internet Environment more Safer, Modern Browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Mircosoft Edge, etc. started showing ‘Not Secure’ popup over every website which does not have a SSL Certificate.

You must have this thought in your mind that if I have a blog or an Organisational Website which is not trading data, then why would I need SSL. So, let’s understand the need of it by Few Points:

A SSL Certificate

1. Makes your Website secure by providing encryption
2. Helps you improve Website Ranking on Major Search Engines like Google
3. Removes “Not Secure”, building trust in your readers to use website
4. Saves your users from phishing and MITM

Why Pay, When it is Free?

Lifespan

Free Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificate comes with Validity of 90 days, which gets auto renewed after every 90 days where as a Paid SSL Certificate has a validity for 2 Years but from coming September 2020, this would change to 1 Year after which you would need to renew it.

Warranty

Paid SSL Certificate provides you with a warranty if anything goes wrong at the CA end such as a Data Breach and provides you with a compensation cost (which is like an Insurance) but Free SSL does not provide any warranty.

Support

With Paid SSL, Customer service is available 24×7 but with a Free Version you get a Community-based Support Model in which the user needs to troubleshoot and detect problems themselves.

Installation

Let’s Encrypt Installation is very difficult and does not provide option for Enterprise-grade Support whereas with Paid SSL, you get installation support from the Provider Team.

Types of SSL Certificate

Domain Validation (DV)

This is the only type of SSL Certificate provided by Let’s Encrypt which provides you with Domain Validation. You can get it too from Kohli Hosting with every Hosting Plans. DV SSL Certificate is economical and easiest option to secure your website.

Useful for websites like:-

1. Blogging Website
2. Personal Website
3. Non-Payment Website

Organizational Validation (OV)

An OV SSL Certificate is a High Assurance Paid Certificate which provides Identity confirmation and protection for your website and business. OV SSL is a step up from DV SSL Certificate. OV SSL provides https and shows the Corporate Identity.

Useful for websites like:-

1. Business Website and Startups
2. Restaurants or Catering Website
3. Accounting & Taxation website
4. Education Website

Extended Validation (EV)

An EV SSL Certificate is the highest form of the Paid SSL Certificate available in the market.  EV SSL goes through a very strict validation process where it is checked that you are legally registered, currently in operation at the address listed by you with the telephone number listed and also owns the website domain name. After this process. you are provided with a green padlock and shows Company’s Registered Name with Country Code (For example, IN for India). It shows that the Company is legitimate which helps your customer believe you are trustworthy.

Uses for websites like:-

1. E-Commerce Websites
2. Government Websites
3. Social-Media Sites
4. Banks & Insurance Provider Websites
5. Trading Websites

WildCard SSL Certificate

Wildcard SSL Certificate secures unlimited numbers of subdomains with a Single Paid Certificate. This certificate is a solution for someone who hosts multiple websites or pages that are available on the same domain.

Useful for websites like:-

*.yourwebsite.com

Multi-Domain SSL Certificate

Multi-Domain SSL Certificate is used to secure multiple domain names, Subdomains and Public IP Addresses using only one SSL Certificate.

Useful for websites like:-

1. facebook.com and fb.com
2. youtube.com or yt.com
3. example.com or example.net

Chinmai Bhardwaj

Engineer by Day, Story-Teller by Night

kohli.company