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For certificates defined by the domain number, the types are single, multidomain, and wildcard. Certificates are processed by a Certificate Authority (CA), which is software designed specifically for running and granting these certificates.įor encryption and validation certificates, there are domain, organization, and extended validation. They each have three classifications, and can be applied for on the SSL website. The umbrellas that SSL certificates fall under are encryption and validation, and domain number. There are three types of certificates you can earn depending on the SSL you obtain. SSL certificates are categorized by the level of validation and encryption provided OR the number of domains or subdomains under the certificate. Having one means that the details you are collecting are private and ensures the customer that when they see that padlock and their privacy is safe. This is done using an encrypted link that connects the server and browser.Ĭompanies that request personal information from a user, such as an email address or payment information, should have SSL certificates on their website. It's a protocol for servers and web browsers that makes sure that data passed between the two are private. You simply have to visit a website with SSL, and voila - your connection will automatically be secured.Īn SSL is security technology. This connection happens instantly, and in fact, some suggest it's faster than connecting to an unsecure website. This binding connection is secure to ensure no one besides you and the website can see or access what you type. That program waits in the background until a visitor starts typing information on the website, and it will activate to start capturing the information and then send it back to the hacker.īut when you visit a website that's encrypted with SSL, your browser will form a connection with the web server, look at the SSL certificate, then bind your browser and the server. Wondering how attacks happen? Here's one of the most common ways: A hacker places a small, undetected listening program on the server hosting a website. In hacker lingo, this "interception" is often referred to as a "man-in-the-middle attack." This information could be anything from details on a bank transaction to an email enter to register for an offer.
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When you land on a page with a form to fill in and submit, the information you enter can be intercepted by a hacker on an unsecure website. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browser remain private. SSL certificates are a small data files that cryptographically establish an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.
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