SSL, TLS, a certificate, or the green lock makes your website more secure. But what does it do? And which form of SSL suits your website?
SSL is the popular name for the TLS protocol used to secure internet traffic. There are a total of 3.5 million unique .nl websites in the Netherlands. Of these, more than 1.5 million have an SSL certificate (42.8%). In principle, every webshop or business website should have SSL. The current results, therefore, still offer plenty of room for improvement. Different SSL certificate variants are available, but which is the best option for your website?
Different variants of SSL
There are three different SSL certificates. The difference between these variants lies in the check for the correctness of data or the validation method upon the issue. The stricter the validation at issuance, the more attributes the SSL certificate contains.
1. SSL makes the internet more secure
An SSL certificate is an encryption protocol that encrypts the data, making it virtually impossible for cybercriminals to retrieve data from your visitors. That is, without a doubt, the most crucial reason to take an SSL certificate. It shows that you care about your site’s security and visitors’ privacy.
2. SSL is mandatory for many websites
SSL may be required for your website if you’re using your website to request some personal data from your visitors. A simple form with which visitors can request information is sufficient. Even if you only do business with companies, such a case may involve personal data (e.g., if you ask for the name of a contact person). As a website owner, you are obliged to secure that personal data’s transmission. Webshops and websites with an SSL certificate contribute to the privacy of their visitors. And that has become even more important with the arrival of the new General Data Protection Regulation. Therefore, the fines for website owners for non-compliance with legal rules are high.
3. SSL is essential to be found
A (good) SSL certificate is required to rank high in Google’s SEO ranking. The type of SSL certificate is irrelevant. But to get higher in Google, you must use SSL on your entire website. Only SSL on the payment page, therefore, does not count. Higher in Google means more website traffic and potential sales—a win-win situation. Chrome, Google’s browser, will also mark websites that do not have SSL as ‘not secure’ from July 2018. Currently, the Google Chrome browser keeps unsafe websites with the i-sign in a circle. From July 2018, this will probably become the red ‘not safe’ mark.
4. There is a variant for every site
There are three different SSL certificates. The difference between these variants lies in the check for the correctness of data or the validation method upon the issue. The stricter the validation at issuance, the more attributes the SSL certificate contains.
Domain Validation (DV): This certificate verifies only the domain name holder. This type of certificate is especially suitable for situations where the user’s data must be sent securely but where the website’s identity is less important.
Organization Validation (OV): Besides the domain name holder, this certificate also checks the company data and checks with the Chamber of Commerce. Website visitors can view this information via the certificate.
Extended Validation (EV): Also known as extended validation. This certificate includes all company data after a thorough check at the Chamber of Commerce. In addition, you, as a webshop owner, will be validated as an applicant for the certificate. Only this more extensive SSL certificate provides the company name and the well-known green lock in your address bar. It is precisely that lock, combined with the company name, that gives consumers confidence.