SSL Certificate Information

What is SSL?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a standard security technology that establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.

An SSL connection ensures that the data transmitted remains confidential. SSL is also known as TLS (Transport Layer Security).

An SSL certificate enables a website to transition from HTTP to HTTPS. It is a data file installed on the originating server that makes SSL/TLS encryption possible. It contains a pair of keys—a public key and a private key—that work together to create an encrypted connection. The certificate also contains the "subject," which identifies the owner of the certificate/website.

Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate?

The increasing threat of cyberattacks has emphasized the need for user security. A study by pewresearch.org shows that 68% of internet users believe that existing laws are insufficient to protect their rights.

Therefore, in 2014, Google announced that HTTPS would be used as a ranking signal. Today, if you want your website to appear legitimate and trustworthy, increase sales, revenue, and customer loyalty, and rank higher in search results, your site must have an SSL certificate.

If you sell products online or allow users/customers to create accounts on your website, an SSL certificate helps protect customer information.

Here are several reasons why every website owner should serve their site over HTTPS:

• Authentication: An SSL certificate verifies the authenticity of a website. This authentication is crucial for online security. Verifying a website is akin to confirming social media accounts. An SSL certificate prevents any other site from creating a fake version of your site, helping users distinguish genuine websites from fraudulent ones.
• Performance: Modern SSL can speed up page load times. SSL includes HTTPS/2, which can make your website twice as fast without any changes to the codebase. According to Google, page speed is a critical factor for users and directly affects conversion rates. Studies show that pages loading in 2.4 seconds have a conversion rate of 1.9%.
• Improved Search Ranking: Google prioritizes websites served over HTTPS, as user privacy is paramount.
• Security: Many internet users feel that current laws do not adequately protect their online privacy. SSL establishes an encrypted connection between the server and client (usually between the web server and browser), ensuring that no one can intercept user data.
• Trust: The padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, indicating encrypted traffic, increases visitor trust. It also ensures that third parties, including hackers, cannot access your data.
• Regulatory Compliance: SSL is a critical component of PCI compliance. SSL certificates typically provide full 256-bit encryption, which is unbreakable by hackers, eliminating the risk of sensitive data leaks.

Note: PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

How Do I Obtain an SSL Certificate?

To obtain an SSL certificate:

• Create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) on your server. This process generates a pair of keys—the public and private keys.
• Send the CSR file containing the public key to the SSL certificate issuer (Certificate Authority or CA).
• The CA uses the CSR data to create a data structure corresponding to your private key (the CA never sees your private key).
• Once you receive the SSL certificate, install it on your server. Installation instructions will vary depending on your server.

Browsers come with a pre-installed list of trusted CAs, known as the Trusted Root CA store. Although anyone can create a certificate, browsers rely on certificates issued by organizations in their trusted list.

To be a Certificate Authority and be included in the Trusted Root CA store, a company must comply with stringent authentication and security standards and undergo regular audits.

How Does an SSL Certificate Create a Secure Connection?

An SSL connection always starts with an SSL handshake—a process using asymmetric cryptography that allows the browser to verify the server by obtaining its public key, thus establishing a secure connection before any data is transmitted.

• The browser sends the SSL version, cipher parameters, session-related data, and other necessary information to the server.
• The server responds with its SSL certificate, including its public key and session-related data.
• The browser verifies the certificate against its list of trusted CAs, checks for expiration or revocation, and ensures the common name matches the website.
• If trusted, the browser uses the server’s public key to generate and send an encrypted symmetric session key.
• The server decrypts the session key using its private key and responds with a message encrypted with the session key, establishing an encrypted session.
• From then on, all data transmitted between the server and browser is encrypted using the session key.

What is an SSL Check?

The SSL Check tool verifies the correct installation of the SSL certificate on a web server. It confirms that the certificate is valid, trusted, and functioning properly.

To perform an SSL check:

• Open the SSL Check tool.
• Enter the URL in the designated field and click "Check SSL Certificate."
• The tool processes your request and displays results, including the common name, server type, issuer, validity, certificate chain, and other certificate details.

Is My Certificate SSL or TLS?

SSL certificates have been used for secure, encrypted data transmission for years. When the version was updated from SSLv3.0 to SSLv4.0, it was renamed TLSv1.0. TLS is the successor to SSL.