What is an SSL certificate?
SSL certificates perform two main functions. Firstly, they show the user that the website has a secure connection between their computer’s web browser and the website’s hosting server. Secondly, the SSL encrypts any actual data entered by the web user into the website which cannot be decoded should information be intercepted without the unique, long and complicated decryption key that is issued with the SSL certificate. SSLs are also important for user confidence and ‘assurance’ as website visitors can see if a site is secure by the little padlock in the browser address bar and the prefix ‘https:’ (‘s’ for ‘secure’). There are several SSLs available all with different levels of assurance, warranties, and prices.
Basic level (free) SSLs provide basic encryption of user details entered into the website such as things like contact forms or EOI forms. These are adequate for most standard websites. However, more assurance can be obtained with a paid-for SSL certificate.
Prices depend on the level of warranty required and the fee is billed annually. SSL certificate providers, GlobalSign, provide this warranty should anything go wrong with one of their certificates.
SSL certificates provide the same high level of security and encryption. The main difference between them is the warranty and the ‘assurance’. Assurance is the level of trust you want to give your users and this is gained during the certificate application process and shows proof of your company identity and you are who you say you are. Website users can see the certificate information by clicking on the little padlock in the address bar.
Basic SSLs are are also known as low assurance SSLs and come with $1000 warranty from GlobalSign. These provide a high level of website security but, as their name suggests, only provide a basic level of assurance. These can be issued immediately without an application process and no company information is stored in the certificate itself meaning there is no validation of your company identity and users cannot be truly assured that whoever is receiving their information is who they say they are.
Domain Validated SSLs are known as medium assurance SSLs and come with $10,000 of warranty. These can be issued immediately without an application process and the Certificate Authority will check that the applicant has the right to use a specific domain name, usually by a validation email which is sent to an email address that has the same domain suffix as the website. Again, no company information is stored in the certificate itself meaning there is no validation of your company identity and, similarly, users cannot be truly assured that their information is going where it appears.
Organisation Validated SSLs are high assurance SSLs and come with a $1.25m warranty. There is an application process for this SSL and as well as validating the applicant with the domain, the Certificate Authority checks that the organisation/company actually exists with an extra vetting procedure. Company information is then ‘validated’ and included in the SSL certificate giving users clarification that the company is genuine should they wish to inspect the certificate.
Extended Validation SSLs are the same high assurance SSLs but come with $1.5 of warranty. The application process is the same but the Certificate Authority does more rigorous vetting to confirm the applicant’s company identity and checks that the certificate has been correctly applied to the website.
Our SSL providers have never known a GlobalSign SSL to fail requiring the warranty to be claimed by the applicant. If you are unsure about which SSL you will need for your website, please get in touch and we’ll be able to advise you.