What is SSL, and why do I need an SSL certificate?

In July 2018 Google made some changes to its Chrome browsers which mean that web pages that are not encrypted using SSL – HTTPS:// will have a clear ‘Not secure’ warning.

With Chrome being used by the majority of all internet users chances are very high that your visitors and potential clients will see that your website is not safe to use.

This is a part of a strategy from Google to make the whole internet secure, and it is already affecting search engine results pages … Yes SSL is a ranking factor!

This is the reason that now it is the ideal time to ensure that you’re giving visitors to your website a green light with an SSL certificate.

SSL certificates encrypt information between the browser and web server, preventing any man-in-the-middle style attacks by keeping any data sent between a user and a website secure. This is fundamental if you have an online store, process credit card details or have any kind of user logins and other sensitive personal information.

The benefits for you are:

1. It builds Trust and Credibility to your visitors
2. HTTP sites are now performing better than non-https sites.
3. Your site will rank better in Google as Google has SSL as a ranking factor.

If you have any questions about SSL, please contact us, or if you wish to have this set up on your site please go here.

Here is a more technical explanation of how SSL is working

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard technology for establishing an encrypted link between the browser and a web server. This link makes sure that all data that is passed between the web server and browsers remain private. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites to protect their online communications with their customers.

To be able to create an SSL connection a web server will need an SSL Certificate. When you choose to activate SSL on your web server, you will be prompted to complete a number of questions about the identity of your website and your company. Your web server then creates two encryption keys – a Private Key and a Public Key.

The Public Key does not need to be secret and is placed into a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) – a data file also containing your details. You should then submit the CSR. During the SSL Certificate application process, the Certification Authority will validate your details and issue an SSL Certificate containing your details and allowing you to use SSL. Your web server will match your issued SSL Certificate to your Private Key. Your web server will then be able to establish an encrypted link between the website and your customer’s web browser.

The complexities of the SSL protocol remain unseen by your customers. Instead, their browsers provide them with a key indicator to let them know an SSL encrypted session currently protects them – the lock icon in the lower right-hand corner, clicking on the lock icon displays your SSL Certificate and the details about it. All SSL Certificates are issued to either companies or legally accountable individuals.

Typically an SSL Certificate consists of your domain name, your company name, your address, your city, your state and your country. It will likewise contain the expiration date of the Certificate and details of the Certification Authority responsible for the issuance of the Certificate. When a browser connects to a secure site it will retrieve the site’s SSL Certificate and check that it has not expired, it has been issued by a Certification Authority the browser trusts, and that it is being used by the website for which it has been issued. If it fails on any one of these checks, the browser will display a warning to the end user letting them know that SSL does not secure the site.

You can also obtain an SSL certificate by routeing your site through a CDN (Content Delivery Network) where they will have the certificate registered to them but on a shared basis. This is equally as secure as if you had your SSL certificate.

What we do at YUHANITO

YUHANITO can help you with everything you need to get better online. We can handle your entire digital strategy, website, profiles in social media, digital marketing and all the complicated technical details to effectively increase your online profits.

We provide a managed web design service where we manage your site and keep it updated and secure on a regular basis.

Contact us if you have questions or need help! You can reach us by sending us an email with your questions: support@yuhanito.com or leave your contact information below and we will be back to you as soon as possible.