21/01/2025
The importance of website security cannot be overemphasized. I would love to write something about website security, specifically regarding SSL certificates and why it is crucial to have one on every website.
SSL certificate is a small security file placed on websites, this file encrypts website traffic and ensures safe browsing.
1. Your website must have an SSL certificate.
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. Having an SSL certificate on your website secures your site and makes the data transmitted to and from your website to be encrypted, this will make users of your website and the browser trust your connection, It is useful especially if you upload sensitive or private information or data on the website such as payment information or classified documents.
If your website address or the one you are browsing begins with http:/www..., then it means the website has no SSL certificate installed, However, if your web address or the website you are browsing begins with https://www..., then It means that such website is secured with an SSL certificate.
2. Why you need SSL
If your website doesn't have a valid SSL certificate, it is a bad omen 😄 just like a treasure house without a fenced wall and a single secure central door or entry point. I always set my browsers so that if a website doesn't have an SSL certificate, then I won't connect.
SSL is a must-have for all websites, it can protect a website from theft and data leakages. Although SSL is just one layer of security for a website, there can exist other possible loopholes on a website, eg: poorly written SQL statements, and poor program scripting, including zero or bad content security policies.
If you built your website with modern frameworks including Nextjs and Sveltekit and deployed it on advanced server infrastructures like Docker on Amazon AWS, etc, you may get automatic SSL out-of-the-box with tools like Caddy. However, if you use Cpanel on a shared or dedicated server to host your website, you must buy and install an SSL certificate to add an extra layer of security to your website.
There are three major classes of SSL certificates, DV SSL, OV SSL, and EV SSL, respectively for Domain Validation, Organization Validation, and the Extended Validation SSL certificates. Validation is the level of trust validation you get from the certifying authority telling everyone to trust your website. A Domain Validation certificate does the work, but it is the cheapest and most common.
You can verify an SSL validation class by placing your cursor on the SSL padlock icon on a website.
If you haven't done so, you should purchase or install an SSL certificate for your website and it will be helpful overall.
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Olofu Mc-adams