Website security is a serious issue that needs to be addressed by all online companies. Even small websites that accept any sort of financial transaction should have at least the basics in place. A popular security feature that users trust is the SSL certificate. SSL is the acronym for Secure Socket Layer.

The main concept behind SSL is encryption. All data that is transferred from the web browser to the server remains secure through this process. Ecommerce websites that integrated SSL capability into their system will usually display the padlock icon to assure customers that their financial information will remain private.

What You Need to Know about SSL Certificate

If you're interested in establishing a serious business online, apply for a SSL certificate. Your company name, address, and domain name should be disclosed. The Certification Authority will approve or reject your application. There are other information that should be disclosed including the scope and field that your company is engaged in. Once the application is approved, two cryptographic keys will be created on the web server: the Public Key and Private Key.

The Public Key will be placed to the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) by the Certification Authority. You will need to validate the data to receive the SSL certificate. By matching the SSL information with the Private Key, transactions can be processed using an encrypted link.

The process behind site security remains a mystery for most web customers. But URLS that display https:// instead of http:// give them a sense of privacy. The SSL lock icon also provides assurance that they are entering into a safe and encrypted payment.

Extended Validation Certificate

The SSL certificate remains the most widely used security feature today. There are a lot of programmes that seeks to expand its features and coverage though. The Extended Validation (EV) certification is among them. It has a high set of validation standards and its goal is to reduce the number of phishing victims. Basically, its main differentiation from the SSL certificate is that it lets the customer know who they're dealing with.

The high sets of standards required in getting EV certification also ensure that the businesses that receive it are really legitimate. As of now, it still has a long way to go to attain mass acceptable like the SSL certificate. But its strict guidelines are already making it more attractive to some companies and less attractive to others.