There are a few reasons why you might need an SSL certificate for your website. For example, if you have ever wondered how to secure information passing through your site, or are unsure of how to secure it, a SSL certificate will be able to help.
What is a SSL certificate?
An SSL certificate (“secure sockets layer”) is a form of security and protection for websites that handle sensitive and confidential information. You will recognise a site that has an SSL certificate by seeing an image of a padlock in the URL bar followed by ‘https://’ rather than ‘http://’ (the ‘s’ stands for secure). An SSL certificate allows a secure connection from the server to your browser when transmitting your sensitive data. If a site runs over ‘https’, steps have been put in place to protect your information, and it is a site that you can trust. An SSL certificate can be purchased and applied to a domain, this ensures that your entire site is protected, including any future pages that you may add to your website.
Top tip: In some browsers, if you hover over the padlock, you will see the official certificate verification
Why is a SSL certificate important?
An SSL certificate is important for websites that take payments as it secures transactions. The certificate encrypts the information, meaning that it becomes indecipherable to everyone and everything, with the exception of the server that is receiving it. SSL also establishes a safe connection between your browser and the server, allowing data to pass securely.
SSL certificates don’t only apply to websites that process payments, they also apply to sites that receive a large amount of user’s information such as addresses and telephone numbers. It is essential that users’ personal data, such as bank account details, are being kept private and protected from any potential threat.
As well as protecting user’s information, an SSL certificate also authenticates the identity of a website, meaning that users can guarantee that they are on your actual website rather than an unauthorised replica. As a result, this will instill trust as it confirms that your website is the real deal and personal information is safe to upload.
Do I need an SSL certificate?
Websites that really need SSL certificates are sites that receive, hold or process any sensitive information; this could be payment information such as bank account details, credit card information, passwords, names, addresses, national insurance numbers, medical records or legal documents. If your site processes any of the confidential information above you should be giving users the reassurance that their information is safe.
If your site’s main purpose is handling private information, which nobody wants to fall into the wrong hands, you should definitely install an SSL certificate for your users’ peace of mind.
If you would like more information or if you think your website site would benefit from an SSL certificate, please don’t hesitate to contact the Support Team. We are always happy to help!