Imagine logging into your favorite website and knowing that everything you type is being read, manipulated, or even stolen by a cybercriminal. Someone could alter your payment amount or destination account, tamper with your communications in other ways, and cause general havoc. That’s what is at risk every time you connect to an insecure website.
So, what can you, as a server administrator, do to alleviate these security risks? You can use a server certificate to add layers of authentication and security to your website.
Let’s break down what a server certificate is, what it does, and why it’s central to internet security. Let’s start the clock.
An SSL Server Certificate: A 20-Second Definition
A server certificate, or what’s commonly referred to as an “SSL server certificate,” “server SSL certificate,” or an “SSL/TLS certificate” is a type of data file that secures websites and servers. It ties the digital identity of your website’s domain, organization, or server to a set of public and private keys that only you have access to.
Once uploaded to your website’s server, an SSL certificate is what makes the little security padlock icon appear in Firefox and Microsoft Edge, and the “connection is secure” message to display in Chrome.
What a Web Server SSL Certificate Does
- Proves your site’s authenticity. A basic server certificate (DV SSL) is issued to your domain and proves that a user is connected to a legitimate server. Higher validation certificates (OV SSL and EV SSL) go beyond that to provide assurance that the organizations that own the sites are legitimate and aren’t controlled by impostors.
- Secures your data in transit. An SSL certificate enables a server to establish an encrypted connection with a connecting client to protect data from man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks.
- Assures that the transmitted data is unaltered. Using a server certificate on your website allows you to use a cryptographic process called hashing to provide assurance that the digitally signed data hasn’t been altered since it was originally signed.
What Type(s) of Data Does an SSL Server Certificate Contain?
The answer to this question varies based on the validation level of your SSL/TLS certificate, as higher validation certificates provide additional verified information. In general, though, most SSL server certificates contain the following types of information:
- What entity, domain, or IP address the certificate was issued to
- Name and digital signatures of the certificate’s issuing certificate authority (CA)
- Certificate issuance and expiration dates (i.e., the validity period)
- Cryptographic algorithms
- Certificate extensions (SANs, EKUs, etc.)
What Happens If You Don’t Use an SSL Server Certificate
Imagine that the insecure website we used as an example earlier is yours. If your site lacks an SSL server certificate, then it’s bad news in every sense:
- Your site poses a threat to customers and other site visitors. Any data that users share through your site via sign-up forms, online purchases, and email subscriptions is now at risk of man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks and other related threats.
- The site will be marked as insecure. Since 2018, Chrome has marked non-HTTPS websites as “not secure” to protect users. So, your site visitors will see ugly messages warning that your site is not secure.
- Your site’s SEO rankings will suffer. Since 2014, Google has used HTTPS as a ranking factor for its search engine. As such, any insecure (non-HTTPS) websites are more likely to not be included on the search engine results page (SERP).
- Customer relationships will take a hit. Customers are likely to lose trust in your business because you’re not giving them a reason to trust you or think you prioritize their security.
- Your company won’t be compliant with industry regulations. Many payment processors, as well as industry and regional regulatory bodies, require organizations handling sensitive data to use HTTPS.
How to Fix It: Get a Server Certificate for Your Website
If you’re ready to do what’s necessary to secure your website and protect your users, then it’s time to get an SSL/TLS certificate. You can purchase one from a publicly trusted CA such as GeoTrust (powered by DigiCert).
Check out our other article, which will walk you through how to get an SSL certificate for your website.
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