What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL stands for Secure
Sockets Layer and, in short, it's the standard technology for keeping an
internet connection secure and safeguarding any sensitive data that is being
sent between two systems, preventing criminals from reading and modifying any
information transferred, including potential personal details. The two systems
can be a server and a client (for example, a shopping website and browser) or
server to server (for example, an application with personal identifiable
information or with payroll information). It does this by making sure that any
data transferred between users and sites, or between two systems remain
impossible to read. It uses encryption algorithms to scramble data in transit,
preventing hackers from reading it as it is sent over the connection. This
information could be anything sensitive or personal which can include credit
card numbers and other financial information, names and addresses.
What is TLS?
Transport Layer Security
is a protocol that establishes an encrypted session between two computers on
the Internet. It verifies the identity of the server and prevents hackers from
intercepting any data.
TLS (and its predecessor
SSL) allows users to securely transmit sensitive data when using the HTTPS
protocol. In other words, HTTPS is HTTP layered on top of TLS. This technology
is ideal for applications such as banking, information authentication, email
exchange, and any other procedure requiring a higher level of privacy and
security. TLS helps provide an enhanced layer of protection by encrypting the
otherwise readable data, making it difficult for hackers to obtain private
information.
TLS (Transport Layer
Security) is just an updated, more secure, version of SSL. We still refer to
our security certificates as SSL because it is a more commonly used term, but
when you are buying SSL from DigiCert you are actually buying the most up to
date TLS certificates with the option of ECC, RSA or DSA encryption.
TLS |
|
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. |
TLS stands for Transport Layer
Security. |
SSL
(Secure Socket Layer) supports the Fortezza algorithm. |
TLS (Transport Layer
Security) does not support the Fortezza algorithm. |
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is the 3.0
version. |
TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the
1.0 version. |
In
SSL( Secure Socket Layer), the Message digest is used to create a master
secret. |
In TLS(Transport Layer
Security), a Pseudo-random function is used to create a master secret. |
In SSL( Secure Socket Layer), the
Message Authentication Code protocol is used. |
In TLS(Transport Layer Security),
Hashed Message Authentication Code protocol is used. |
SSL
(Secure Socket Layer) is more complex than TLS(Transport Layer Security). |
TLS (Transport Layer
Security) is simple. |
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is less
secured as compared to TLS(Transport Layer Security). |
TLS (Transport Layer Security) provides
high security. |
SSL
is less reliable and slower. |
TLS is highly reliable
and upgraded. It provides less latency. |
SSL has been depreciated. |
TLS is still widely used. |
SSL
uses port to set up explicit connection. |
TLS uses protocol to
set up implicit connection. |
It was developed by Netscape |
It was developed internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF) |
SSL was first released
in 1995(SSL 2.0) |
The first version (TLS 1.0) was released
in 1999 |
|
The server that is configured with TLS protocols
uses TLS certificates of the respective version. For example, if the server
is configured with TLS v1.0, then it uses the respective TLS v1.0 certificate |
It is faster than TLS as authentications are not carried out
intensively. |
It is little slower
due to the two-step communication process i.e. handshaking and actual data
transfer. |
It is simpler than the TLS as it lacks few features
that are present in the TLS. |
It is complex as it requires certificate
validations and good authentications. |
It does not
support TLS. |
It is backward compatible and supports
SSL |
An overview of the SSL or
TLS handshake.
The SSL or TLS handshake
enables the SSL or TLS client and server to establish the secret keys with
which they communicate.
This section provides a
summary of the steps that enable the SSL or TLS client and server to
communicate with each other.
Agree on the version of
the protocol to use.
Select cryptographic
algorithms.
Authenticate each other
by exchanging and validating digital certificates.
Use asymmetric encryption
techniques to generate a shared secret key, which avoids the key distribution
problem. SSL or TLS then uses the shared key for the symmetric encryption of messages,
which is faster than asymmetric encryption.
For more information
about cryptographic algorithms and digital certificates, refer to the related
information.
In overview, the steps
involved in the SSL handshake are as follows:
1.
The
SSL or TLS client sends a “
client hello” message that lists
cryptographic information such as the SSL or TLS version and, in the client's
order of preference, the CipherSuites supported by the client. The message also
contains a random byte string that is used in subsequent computations. The
protocol allows for the “
client hello” to include the data
compression methods supported by the client.
2.
The
SSL or TLS server responds with a “
server hello” message that contains
the CipherSuite chosen by the server from the list provided by the client, the
session ID, and another random byte string. The server also sends its digital
certificate. If the server requires a digital certificate for client
authentication, the server sends a “
client certificate request” that includes a list
of the types of certificates supported and the Distinguished Names of
acceptable Certification Authorities (CAs).
3.
The
SSL or TLS client verifies the server's digital certificate.
4.
The
SSL or TLS client sends the random byte string that enables both the client and
the server to compute the secret key to be used for encrypting subsequent
message data. The random byte string itself is encrypted with the server's
public key.
5.
If
the SSL or TLS server sent a “
client certificate request”, the client sends a random
byte string encrypted with the client's private key, together with the client's
digital certificate, or a “
no digital certificate alert”. This alert is only a
warning, but with some implementations the handshake fails if client
authentication is mandatory.
6.
The
SSL or TLS server verifies the client's certificate.
7.
The
SSL or TLS client sends the server a “
finished” message, which is
encrypted with the secret key, indicating that the client part of the handshake
is complete.
8.
The
SSL or TLS server sends the client a “
finished” message, which is
encrypted with the secret key, indicating that the server part of the handshake
is complete.
9.
For
the duration of the SSL or TLS session, the server and client can now exchange
messages that are symmetrically encrypted with the shared secret key.
How
Do SSL/TLS Certificates Work?
SSL/TLS
certificates work by digitally tying a cryptographic key to a company’s
identifying information. This allows them to encrypt data transfers in such a
way that they can’t be unscrambled by third parties.
SSL/TLS
works by having both a private and a public key, as well as session keys for
every unique secure session. When a visitor enters an SSL-secured address into
their web browser or navigates through to a secure page, the browser and the
web server make a connection.
During
the initial connection, the public and private keys will be used to create a
session key, which will then be used to encrypt and decrypt the data that’s
being transferred. This session key will remain valid for a limited time and
only be used for that particular session.
You
can tell whether a website is using SSL by looking for a padlock icon or a
green bar at the top of your browser. You should be able to click on this icon
to view the information on who holds the certificate and to manage your SSL
settings.
When
and Why is SSL/TLS is a MUST?
SSL/TLS
is a must whenever sensitive information such as usernames and passwords or
payment processing information is being transferred.
The
goal of SSL/TLS is to make sure that only one person — the person or
organization that the uploader intends — can access the data that’s being
transferred. This is particularly important when you think of how many devices
and servers the information is transferred between before it reaches its
destination.
There
are three main use cases that make SSL/TLS a must-have for your website:
When
you need authentication: Any server can pretend to be your server, hijacking
the information that people transmit along the way. SSL/TLS allows you to prove
the identity of your server so that people know that you are who you say you
are.
To
instill trust: If you’re running an e-commerce site or asking users for the
kind of data that’s important to them, you need to engender a sense of trust.
Using an SSL/TLS certificate is a visible way of showing visitors that they can
trust you and it’s much more effective than anything you could say about
yourself.
When
you need to comply with industry standards: In some industries such as the
finance industry, you’ll be required to maintain certain base levels of
security. There are also Payment Card Industry (PCI) guidelines that you need
to adhere to if you want to accept credit card information on your website. And
one of those requirements is the use of an SSL/TLS certificate.
Remember
that SSL can be used across almost any device, which also makes it a versatile
security choice in today’s multi-device age. The advantages of using SSL
certificates outweigh the time and monetary investment it requires to set them
up, so what have you got to lose?
Does
SSL/TLS Make an Impact on SEO?
The
short answer is: yes it does.
Google
made changes to its algorithm as far back as 2014 to prioritize websites that
used an SSL certificate, and they’ve continued to place emphasis on SSL
certificates ever since. They’ve officially stated that sites with SSL
statistics will outrank those without if all other factors are equal, and while
secure sites make up only 1% of results, 40% of searches return at least one
SSL-secured site on the first page. In practical terms, SSL
makes a small difference when it comes to SEO and simply installing an SSL
certificate to your site will make much less of a difference than creating
regular fresh content and building a strong inbound link profile. That doesn’t
mean that you should forget all about them. It’s also important to
remember that search engines use a whole variety of different metrics to
determine where websites rank. One of those metrics is how often people bounce
back from your site to the results page, and having an SSL certificate could
make the difference between someone buying from you or clicking away. Lots of
other metrics that are used to rank sites can be affected when you choose
whether or not to use an SSL certificate.
Setting
up an SSL certificate will have an effect on your website’s search engine
performance, but that’s not why you should use one. Instead, set up an SSL
certificate to engender trust amongst your visitors and take the SEO boost as a
bonus.
How
Does SSL/TLS Relate to HTTPS?
When
you set up an SSL certificate, you configure it to transmit data using HTTPS.
The two technologies go hand in hand and you can’t use one without the other.
URLs
are preceded with either HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) or HTTPS (Hypertext
Transfer Protocol Secure). This is effectively what determines how any data
that you send and receive is transmitted. This means that another
way to identify whether a site uses an SSL certificate is to look at the URL
and to see whether it contains HTTP or HTTPS. That’s because HTTPS connections
require an SSL certificate to work.
Chrome
Indicates if a Website Uses SSL/TLS
Most
of the major browsers including Google Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft’s Edge
will prominently display when users are accessing a site through a secure connection.
In Chrome, for example, you’ll see a green padlock icon in the address bar
alongside a message saying “secure”. Users can view more details about the SSL
certificate by clicking on it.
Furthermore,
since the introduction of Chrome 68 in July 2018, websites without an SSL/TLS
certificate display a “not secure” warning
Because
browsers are going out of their way to actively display whether sites are
secure, it’s in your best interests as a website owner to take the hint and to
secure your site. That way, visitors can instantly see that your site is
reliable as soon as they visit it.
How
to Add SSL/TLS to Your Website?
Adding
an SSL/TLS certificate to your website can get confusing and should only be
attempted by a web professional. You’ll know whether you fit the bill or not.
The
first step is to enable SSH access before installing ACME client. At this
point, you can generate your SSL/TLS certificate and install it via your web
host’s admin area. We’ve written a full tutorial on how to do install SSL
certificate on hPanel that should help out if you’re ready to get started.
If
you’re looking for a SSL/TLS certificate provider then look no further than
Hostinger. We offer a lifetime of SSL/TLS security for free with our hosting
plans.
Once
your certificate is ready, you can force HTTPS by pasting a code snippet to
your .htaccess file
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