A Domain Validated SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificate boosts your website’s security and credibility, assuring users and potential customers that their data is safe. This guide will explain how these certificates encrypt data transfers and why they are essential for your website.
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What is a Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificate?
A Domain Validated SSL is a digital certificate that provides secure, encrypted communication between a user’s browser and your web server. This encryption protects sensitive data, such as personal information, login credentials, and payment details, from unauthorized access or interception.
When a user visits a website with an SSL Certificate, their browser will perform a digital “handshake” with the website’s server to establish that the site is authentic and open a secure, encrypted connection.
Key Benefits of Domain Validated SSL Certificates
- Simplicity: Obtaining a DV SSL Certificate is straightforward. It requires the website owner to verify domain ownership. Hosting providers often handle the process of obtaining and installing a DV SSL certificate, making it easy to secure your website.
- Speed: Once verified, the DV SSL can be issued in as little as a few minutes to a day.
- Affordability: DV SSL Certificates are the most cost-effective option and are sometimes included free with web hosting plans.
- User Trust: The padlock symbol or “HTTPS” in the browser’s address bar indicates that your website is secure, fostering trust among visitors and reassuring them that their interactions with your site are safe.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Search engines like Google prioritise secure websites, potentially ranking them higher in search results. Having a DV SSL Certificate can enhance your website’s SEO, leading to increased visibility and traffic.
- Mitigate Phishing Attacks: A DV SSL Certificate helps prevent phishing attacks by validating your domain’s authenticity, making it more difficult for attackers to impersonate your website.
- Compliance Requirements: Implementing a DV SSL certificate demonstrates your commitment to data security and compliance with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
- Browser Warnings: Modern browsers display warnings for non-secure websites, discouraging users from proceeding. A Domain Validated SSL certificate ensures your site displays correctly across multiple browsers, enhancing the user experience.
Domains.co.za’s Web Hosting and WordPress Hosting packages include a FREE DV SSL Certificate. Our systems will automatically configure and install the SSL Certificate on your website’s server, saving you the hassle of doing it yourself.
How to Install a Free SSL Certificate
VIDEO:How to Install a Free SSL Certificate
Additional Information
Identifying an SSL-Secured Website
You can easily identify a website with an SSL certificate by checking your browser’s search bar for the padlock icon on the left side and/or the “https://” prefix in the URL. If the padlock icon doesn’t appear or is open, or if the URL reads “http://,” it means the site is not secure.
You can view a site’s SSL Certificate by clicking the padlock icon. The SSL Certificate details help you verify the website’s identity and, depending on the type of SSL Certificate, the owner’s details. This ensures that your connection and interaction with the website are encrypted.
