What is the purpose of an SSL certificate and why it is important?

While surfing on the internet, we see two types of locks on the address bar of the browser, green lock and black or grey lock. Have you ever think why a lock appears on the address bar of a website? These locks represent that the connection to a particular website is secure or not. To have a secure connection, websites should have an SSL certification. In this article, we will discuss the SSL certificate in detail.

What is an SSL certificate?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a type of security technology which establishes an encrypted link between a web browser and a web server. What does the word encrypt mean? If a document is encrypted, it means that the data of that document is converted into a code to prevent unauthorized access. When there is an exchange or transfer of data on a website, it can be stolen by hackers. SSL security layer activates a lock during the data transfer which makes it difficult for hackers to steal.

Who Issues SSL Certificate?

Certificate Authority (CA) issues an SSL certificate. A Certificate Authority is a trusted third party which issues digital certificates to the websites and manages end to end data encryption. Some of the popular third party entities that issue SSL certificate to the website include Comodo, Symantec, GoDaddy, etc.

What are HTTP and HTTPS?

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It is a protocol used to transfer the data over the internet. It is a part of the internet protocol suite. HTTP defines commands used to transfer data on a web page. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP. the full form of HTTPS if Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. The websites with SSL certificate have an HTTPS version while the websites without SSL certificate or outdated SSL certificate have an HTTP version.

What is the Importance of SSL Certificate

Protection of Confidential Information

Let’s understand the importance of SSL certificates with the help of an example. Consider a website having an address http://www.example.com. The HTTP protocol of this website indicates that the connection is not secure as the website either has not SSL certificate or its SSL certificate has expired. Hence, there is no end to end encryption on this website, therefore, your passwords can easily be read by the hackers which may lead to a potential security threat. Let us consider another website https://www.webpulseindia.com. The HTTPS protocol on this website indicates that the data is secured with an end to end encryption. Therefore, hackers will not be able to see passwords or any other sensitive information.

Let’s take another example to understand it better. You may come to hear about money theft while making online payments. Websites accept payments through a payment gateway. If you make a payment on a website with HTTP protocol, hackers may steal your information sensitive information. On the other hand, making payment on a website with HTTPS protocol is safe. This is because the passwords you enter while making a payment are encrypted in another code. If a hacker tries to steal your password, he sees the encrypted password and not the original one. Hence, your sensitive information will be saved on the HTTPS protocol.

Offers Better Search Rankings

Google promotes the websites with SSL certification as compared to that with HTTP protocol. Therefore, the websites with HTTPS protocol have a better ranking possibility on Google as compared to that of the HTTP one.

Customers’ Trust

Today, customers are aware of the secure connection of the website. They identify that the connection is secure or not with the help of lock appears on the address bar of the website. Therefore, you may find trouble regarding payment from your clients if your website has an HTTP protocol.

The Verdict

If you want success in your online business, SSL certification is the foremost step that you should take. If you want to take digital marketing services for your business, you may contact Webpulse Solution Pvt. Ltd., an award-winning digital marketing company in Delhi.