An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that encrypts data transmitted between your website and its users, ensuring secure communication. It protects sensitive information, such as login credentials, personal details, and payment information, from cyber criminals intercepting it.
Having an SSL certificate installed on your website also adds a padlock icon and “https://” prefix to your domain name in the address bar, signalling to users that your site is secure. SSL certificates are essential for eCommerce websites and any site that collects personal information.
In addition to security, SSL certificates can improve your website’s rankings, as search engines like Google consider SSL encryption a ranking factor.
| Industry Defaults | |
|---|---|
| SSL Certificate Types | Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), Extended Validation (EV) |
| Issuance Time | Minutes to days, depending on the certificate type |
| Renewal | Annually or biennially |