Why You Need an SSL Certificate

If you are a business with a website, there is a good chance that you have heard about 128-bit encryption. In fact, you have probably seen those EV SSL certificates that everyone keeps talking about. Now, that would have led you to question your own need for such a certificate.

You are probably going, “what are these certificates and why do I need them”?

Well, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates indicate that your site is secure. Today’s customers are very particular about their online security and they are definitely going to expect your site to have SSL encryption. SSL certification indicates that the data passing through your site is encrypted and safe.  This is a big deal considering the fact that customers often share their credit card details and what not when carrying out transactions on your site.

Here are a few reasons why it is time you got your site SSL-certified.

Data encryption

Most business websites have sensitive data flowing in and out, which is a problem. It is a problem because all this data is being exposed to the cyber world, which is largely unsecured. However, SSL encryption prevents this data from being exposed.

When computers send data to each to each other, they send it via a network. So, it is possible for any third party computer connected to the network to get a look at this data. Now, these third party computers could be controlled by hackers and cyber criminals.

So, if you are passing information such as bank account details or passwords, these hackers/cyber criminals can steal that data and use it for their own criminal goals.

SSL protects this data with high-level encryption and almost makes it invisible.

Authentication

SSL certificates also provide authentication. What that means is you get to know that the right computer has accessed your data. There are plenty of impostors on the Internet that are looking to steal your data by pretending to be legitimate servers or websites.

SSL encryption makes use of something called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to prevent this from happening. In essence, only the authorized computer/server can access the data that you just transmitted.

Trust

Most web browsers make use of visual cues such as lock icons or green bars to indicate that a certain website is SSL-certified. When customers visiting your site see these visual cues, they know they are accessing a reliable site.

Now, this has tremendous benefits for you because customers start to develop trust in you. They know that you are providing security for them and for yourself. This, in turn, boosts your sales figures because customers are likelier to buy from businesses they trust.

Compliance

You are also required by law to possess SSL certification. This is especially true in the case of sites that require credit card access. There are PCI (Payment Card Industry) standards in place that actually insist on SSL certification. So, if you want to accept credit cards, SSL certification is a must.

The Good News

Ehost offers free SSL Certificates by Let’s Encrypt with all our hosting plans. Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated and open certificate authority (CA), run for the public’s benefit to make encrypted connections the default standard throughout the internet. Previously, installing SSL certificates was costly and cumbersome, but not anymore.