Beginner’s Q&A Guide to SSL Certificates in Website Hosting

Beginner’s Q&A Guide to SSL Certificates in Website Hosting

The Internet, as we all know, can often be a dangerous place. It’s home to many unscrupulous individuals who are looking to exploit every opportunity they can. In terms of your business, these people represent a threat to your online security and, by extension, to your customers’ faith in you.

We’ve all heard Internet horror stories before where businesses and their customers have their identities or money stolen. Unfortunately, there is no way to eliminate the possibility of these attacks. There are, however, security measures that can lessen your exposure from it.

SSL certificates are one of these measures. It’s pretty much the standard of security on the web today. If you’d like to learn more about what it can do and how you can apply it to your own business, we’ve provided answers to some of the most common questions regarding the subject.

Q: What are SSL certificates?

A: SSL certificates are basically a type of security system that protects websites from outside intrusion. Whenever a person visits a website, data is transmitted via the Internet to and from their computer. This data can include all sorts of information, such as the contents and media files on the website. In some cases, however, these data files can include sensitive information such as credit card details and account credentials.

With an SSL certificate installed, all of this data is encrypted. This makes it virtually impossible to decipher without the right key, and the only people who will be able to use the data are the ones who have been authorized to access it.

In other words, an SSL certificate is a way to protect website transmissions from the many prying eyes online. It works autonomously in the background without requiring input, and it keeps your business and customers safe from having their data and other important assets stolen.

Q: How do I know whether my website needs an SSL certificate?

A: Practically all business websites will benefit from having an SSL certificate. If you conduct any type of transaction over the Internet, SSL protection is an absolute must. Without it, you put your business and your customers at risk.

If your website is purely informative and doesn’t offer online transactions, then SSL protection is still a good idea. It adds to your credibility, which is something that your customers will appreciate. Additionally, search engines tend to rank websites with SSL certificates higher than those that don’t.

Q: How do I get an SSL certificate?

A: SSL certificates are widely available and are very easy to acquire. Many web hosting services offer SSL as an additional feature that you pay for, while others include it for free as part of your plan. You can even get one from a third-party provider if you prefer.

Depending on where you purchased it from, the SSL will activate in the background once your purchase is confirmed. You’ll know it’s working when you see a padlock icon next to your website’s URL in your web browser.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that most SSL certificates have to be renewed yearly or they will expire. Don’t forget to do this if you want to ensure continued protection.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, we’d like to remind you that SSL is only one part of your total web security solution. You’ll need to adopt other systems and policies to ensure that your website and your customers are safe and secure at all times.

Want a website with free, built-in SSL security? Create an account with us today. We offer cPanel hosting in Australia, and we’d be happy to ensure that your is business protected.

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