What is SSL & its types

 What is SSL Certificate 

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide secure communication over the internet. It is now commonly referred to as TLS (Transport Layer Security) but is still commonly referred to as SSL. SSL provides authentication, encryption, and data integrity for internet communications. It is widely used to secure web traffic, email, and other internet-based communications.

What is SSL & its types

There are three types of SSL certificates: domain-validated SSL certificates, organization-validated SSL certificates, and extended validation SSL certificates.

Domain-Validated SSL Certificates:

Domain-validated SSL certificates are the most basic type of SSL certificates. They are issued after the certificate authority verifies that the domain owner has control over the domain. This verification is typically done by sending an email to the email address associated with the domain name.

Domain-validated SSL certificates are suitable for small websites and blogs that do not collect sensitive information from visitors. They provide encryption for data in transit, but they do not provide any assurance about the identity of the website owner.

Organization-Validated SSL Certificates:

Organization-validated SSL certificates provide a higher level of security than domain-validated SSL certificates. In addition to verifying the domain owner's control over the domain, the certificate authority also verifies the organization's identity that owns the domain. The certificate authority verifies the organization's legal, physical, and operational existence before issuing the certificate.

Organization-validated SSL certificates are suitable for websites that handle sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, login credentials, and personal information. They provide assurance that the website belongs to a legitimate organization, and the communication is encrypted.

Extended Validation SSL Certificates:

Extended Validation SSL certificates provide the highest level of security and assurance. In addition to the verification done for organization-validated SSL certificates, the certificate authority also verifies the legal and physical existence of the organization, and it confirms that the website owner has authorized the issuance of the certificate.

Extended Validation SSL certificates are suitable for websites that require the highest level of trust and security, such as online banking, e-commerce websites, and government websites. They provide the highest level of assurance that the website belongs to a legitimate organization, and the communication is encrypted.

In conclusion, SSL certificates are essential to secure online communication. Different types of SSL certificates offer different levels of security and assurance. It is essential to choose the appropriate SSL certificate based on the type of website, the level of sensitivity of data, and the level of trust required.