SSL certificate means small data files that are digitally compiled to a cryptographic key to a business’s details. When these data are installed on the webserver, the security gets activated. Once this is done the website protocol also gets activated and the secure connection from a server to a browser starts. This includes the hostname, server name, and domain name. To know how important an SSL certificate is you need to understand a few basic things. For example, how important is a seatbelt while driving or how important are wearing protective eyewear is whole watching an eclipse.
SSL Certificates Are Essential in 2019
Basically, if you have a blog or website in today’s time, you need to have an SSL certificate. The benefits of an SSL certificate will be explained now for easier understanding. SSL certificate works as a protection for all your data. Its basic function is to ensure that your server to client communication. While the installation process is going on, all your information, irrespective of the size, get encrypted. To explain this is a simplified language, it means all the data and information are locked and protected.
This data once locked will only be unlocked by the recipient-that is the browser or server and is not accessible to anyone else over the internet. All sensitive data such as credit card numbers, IDs, passwords, and other information are protected by SSL. Protection is required against scammers and hackers whose miscellaneous activities are on the rise. SSL deciphers the data into an indecipherable format and even hackers cannot work through it.
SSL also certifies your identity which is another important task. This is to provide authentication to your website as now, in 2019, identity verification has become mandatory. The most important aspect of web security is the verification of your identity. The Internet has become very deceptive in today’s time and your security is in your hands. It happened in the year 2009 that a boy had travelled all the way to meet a girl he befriended on Facebook, only to find that he was duped. He traveled 400 miles and got cheated on by 2 boys who were supporters of a rival football team. Not all such stories are funny and some are quite serious where people have even lost thousands of their money on fake claims. This is exactly where SSL helps.
During the installation of the SSL certificate, a validation process is set up by a third party known as Certificate Authority, CA. They will provide you with a certification to verify you and your business’s identity. Once these identities are proved, your website will be given trust indicators who validate your integrity. This enables more traffic to your website and users also develop faith and know where they are dealing. Simply think of this as verified accounts on Twitter wherein the only different point is that you need to get your identity verified and not the account.
Read More: How To Install a Free SSL Certificate on Your Website
Purpose of SSL Certificates
This verification ensures that no hoaxer or imposter can create a fake blog or website and pretend to be you. The technical term for this is Phishing. SSL also brings in huge traffic to your website and saves you from various kinds of fraud. This is important for you and your business’s reputation.
SSL certificate helps your website in search engine ranking, which is extremely important. When Google changed its algorithm in 2014, an upper hand was given to many HTTPS-enabled websites. This was quite evident when SEO experts conducted many studies on a global level. Strong associations have been found between high rankings in the search engines and HTTPS. Which website owner and blogger do not want their page to list on the first page?
Nobody wants to miss this chance and who helps you with this? Yes SSL certificates are what come into play here. It further helps in satisfying all your PCI/DSS requirements. When you accept any online payment, you must know a couple of things regarding PCI/DSS requirements. While you receive a payment, your blog or website needs to be PCI, Payment Card Industry, compliant and installing an SSL certificate is one major prerequisite of PCI. If you own software or web application or work with a software development company, then they know that an SSL is mandatory to have.
Read More: How Do Security Certificates Actually Work?
SSL Certificates Are Essential
Whether you want an SSL certificate or not, it is an imperative step to protecting both your business and your customers. It also helps in improving customer’s trust in your business or website. The process that involves authentication and encryption of the data helps users understand the security of the websites. When they get to know that they are venturing into a safe site they may keep visiting your website for their work. However, when they see that a website is not secure they do not visit the page, leave aside re-visit. Now you must have understood how important a verified and validated website is and what kind of results you will get.
Google has made SSL compulsory since 2018 to give users maximum benefit and safe browsing experience of the internet. In addition to this, Google has also decided to blacklist all those websites that do not have an SSL certificate installed. Any website or blog which fails to comply with this condition will be flagged by Google. They have also thought of warning the users with a message that will flash on the screen. The warning message will be ‘Not Secure’ and this will be on the URL bar itself. In the coming time, it may also happen that these websites get completely blocked and are unable to load on the internet.
It is not a good thing for your website when users see the message ‘Not Secure’ or when it gets flagged, worst-case scenario, it gets blocked. This is what Google has finally decided to do with all websites that do not have an SSL certificate and surely you, as a blog or website owner, will not like it. So what are you thinking about? Now that you know the importance and benefits of an SSL certificate, check the ones that are reasonably priced and provides great protection for your blog or website.