Why Your Website Needs an SSL Certificate: A Beginner’s Guide

When it comes to securing your website, understanding the importance of an SSL certificate is crucial. Discover how SSL can protect your site and its visitors.

SSL Explained in a Video Tutorial

Learn what SSL is and secure your site and its visitors.

What Is SSL and How Does It Work?

The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a security protocol that creates an encrypted connection between a web server and a browser. It ensures that data transferred between the server and the browser remains private and integral. To obtain an SSL certificate, website owners must purchase it from a Certificate Authority (CA), which uses the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) to create the certificate. The CSR is an encrypted text generated on the server where the certificate will be installed, containing information like the website’s domain name and the public key to encrypt the data sent.

When a visitor’s browser attempts to access the website, the server sends a copy of the certificate for verification. If the verification process is successful, an SSL-secured connection is established. The website URL will start with HTTPS, and a padlock icon will be displayed in the browser’s address bar, indicating a secure connection.

Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate?

Having an SSL certificate goes beyond just protecting sensitive information. Let’s discuss other compelling reasons why you need this digital certificate.

Improve Security

There are numerous ways to make your site secure, and adding an SSL certificate is an essential step. Even if your site doesn’t accept transactions, it’s crucial to protect users’ login details, addresses, and other personal information. Websites without SSL certificates use HTTP, which is a text-based protocol, making it easier to intercept and read its traffic. HTTPS, on the other hand, uses cryptographic keys to encrypt data, providing enhanced security and making it difficult for potential attackers to intercept the data exchange.

Thus, the HTTPS protocol protects your website against digital threats such as man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, where attackers intercept traffic between the server and the client’s browser. Even if an attacker intercepts your connection, an SSL certificate ensures that they cannot decrypt the information exchanged.

Establish Trust

Building trust with your customers is crucial, especially for online businesses. Customers need assurance that it’s safe to provide their data. Research indicates that 17% of shoppers abandon their carts because they don’t trust the website enough to enter their credit card details. An SSL certificate communicates to visitors that they can safely exchange information with the website, encouraging them to use your service and keeping you ahead of competitors who don’t have one.

Strengthen SEO

Installing an SSL certificate also boosts your SEO strategy. Google and other search engines prioritize website security when determining page rankings. Since they aim to provide users with a safe web browsing experience, Google Chrome and other web browsers display a “Not Secure” warning message on all non-SSL websites to alert visitors. Having an SSL certificate gives you an advantage over competitors who do not have one, improving your site’s position on search engine results pages (SERPs).

When Does My Website Need an SSL Certificate?

Installing an SSL certificate should be a top priority for all website owners. Whether it collects data or not, it is essential to provide a worry-free browsing experience for all website visitors. Let’s look at several common website types that require SSL certificates:

eCommerce Websites

Online stores handle payments from customers, so ensuring secure data transfer is essential. SSL protects unauthorized parties from easily intercepting information collected from your website and customers, such as usernames, passwords, or payment details. Popular internet browsers like Chrome and Safari warn visitors not to submit any personal information on an HTTP website. This leads customers to worry that they’re at risk of having their credit card information stolen, making them leave your online store.

Furthermore, since PCI requirements include encrypting the transmission of cardholder data across open networks, having an SSL certificate is necessary for all websites that collect money online. Alternatively, use a third-party SSL-certified payment processor such as PayPal to receive online payments.

Personal Websites

A portfolio website, for example, is just as vulnerable as an eCommerce website. When a prospective client fills a contact form, SSL encrypts the submitted information, preventing hackers from accessing it.

Governmental Websites

It is critical for any public service agency to protect users’ privacy. Data entry forms must be safeguarded to prevent cybercriminals from snooping or modifying information.

Static Websites

While a static website doesn’t collect data or accept payments, the content must still be protected as hackers can target anyone who visits HTTP sites.

What If My Website Doesn’t Have an SSL Certificate?

As technology has advanced, so have security attacks. According to research, the average cost of a data breach in 2021 reached $4.24 million. Having an SSL certificate can help prevent and minimize cyberattack risks. In addition to financial losses, cyberattacks may jeopardize the privacy of millions of users and affect a business’s reputation. The Equifax data breach is one example.

Equifax is a giant credit reporting agency in the United States. In September 2017, they announced that their systems had been breached, compromising the personal information of 148 million Americans. Later, it was revealed their SSL certificates had passed their expiration date. The company agreed to a $425 million global settlement to compensate customers affected by the data breach. However, it’s difficult to measure the total impact of data breaches regarding customers’ trust and business reputation.

Additionally, a website that receives visitors from the European Union must comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Essentially, it is a law established to protect EU citizens’ personal information and privacy online. Those who fail to do so are at risk of fines of up to €20 million.

Does SSL Have Any Disadvantages?

By now, you have learned the many benefits of using SSL certificates. However, several misconceptions involving HTTPS sites have led many people to doubt their security and efficiency. In this section, we will address some of the most common misconceptions concerning SSL certificates and HTTPS websites.

Changing From HTTP to HTTPS Affects Website Speed

Speed is one of the main concerns when it comes to site performance. Many people mistakenly think that HTTP sites load faster than HTTPS since the latter has to encrypt data before transferring or receiving it. However, SSL encryption does not have a significant impact on your site speed. In fact, the latest HTTP/2 protocol used in SSL can boost load times. Free website speed test tools like Dareboost let you compare page load times when using HTTP/1 and HTTP/2.

SSL Certificates Keep Your Site Completely Secure

Installing an SSL certificate does not mean your site is hackproof. It simply enhances the security of the data exchanged. Thus, it’s still necessary to observe basic account and password precautions. Also, make sure that your website is updated and free from malware. Using an SSL certificate and implementing these measures will significantly increase the security of your website and its visitors.

SSL Only Protects Websites That Process Payments

Whether you run a personal blog or a business site, your internet security can be compromised instantly if a piece of information falls into the wrong hands. Credit cards and bank details are not the only information that cybercriminals are after. As it turns out, hackers can use seemingly harmless email addresses provided in web forms to guess login credentials and try to log in to other websites. Thus, all websites where visitors provide their personal information, such as membership sites, need an SSL certificate to strengthen their security.

Only Login Pages Need SSL

Going past the login page without HTTPS increases the likelihood of other page sessions being hijacked. Users are at even greater risk if they access your website using public WiFi networks in coffee shops or airports. Thus, SSL protection provides a more secure browsing experience in every single page session.

SSL Certificates Cost a Lot

Several hosting companies offer free SSL certificates with their hosting plans. Depending on the SSL certificate type that your website needs, many providers also sell SSL certificates at affordable prices. Regardless of the type you choose, make sure to purchase it from a credible certificate issuing authority.

How Can I Get an SSL Certificate For My Site?

Before getting one, determine which SSL certificate type suits your website’s security needs and budget best. Installing an SSL certificate depends on how and where your website is hosted. Typically, your hosting company offers to install an SSL certificate for you. Here at Hostinger, all of our hosting plans come with free SSL certificates. To install them, users only need to access their hPanel – the process will take only a few minutes. If you purchased your certificate separately or use a different provider, configure WordPress to use HTTPS by setting a redirect through the dashboard.

For those looking to host their websites, consider choosing Hostinger for affordable hosting plans that include free SSL certificates, ensuring your website is secure from the start.

Conclusion

Users always expect a secure browsing experience, no matter the website’s size. An SSL certificate ensures that sensitive data exchanged between the web server and the browser is safe, improving the website’s trustworthiness. In addition to providing an extra layer of protection against malicious intent, SSL is also important to strengthen the site’s SEO performance. Secure websites have a greater opportunity to rank better on search engine results. However, an SSL certificate is only the first line of defense in preventing attackers from intercepting sensitive data. Additional security measures are still necessary to protect your website and its visitors. We hope this article has cleared up any doubts regarding why you need an SSL certificate. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to leave a comment.

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Domantas G.

Domantas leads the content and SEO teams forward with fresh ideas and out of the box approaches. Armed with extensive SEO and marketing knowledge, he aims to spread the word of <a href=”https://hostinger.com?REFERRALCODE=1CRYPTO99″ rel=”sponsored noopener” target=”_blank”>Hostinger</a> to every corner of the world. During his free time, Domantas likes to hone his web development skills and travel to exotic places.

Rizma B.

Rizma uses writing as a way to share what she has discovered with others. As an expert in web hosting, she enjoys using her knowledge to help others. In her free time, she loves watching her favorite films or curating playlists for her loved ones.

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