Buzz
With the increasing use of encryption on the Web, users have begun to trust and utilize encryption. Naturally, this has created a snowball effect, with many websites feeling compelled to implement SSL/TLS encryption to avoid falling behind. Especially in e-commerce websites, customers have become wary of conducting unencrypted online transactions.
Are free SSL certificates better than paid ones?
In addition, SSL errors are not uncommon. If you're using Firefox or Coc Coc, refer to:
- How to fix SSL errors in Firefox here
- How to fix SSL errors in Coc Coc here
When it comes to websites owned by entities, encryption is more than just an algorithm used to secure online processes. Encryption poses more complexities with digital certificate providers - CA (Certificate Authority) and different levels of authorization.
Understanding SSL certificates and their importance
To enable HTTPS and declare your website as 'secure' (meaning the URL bar turns green when users access your website) requires certain forms of authorization. You need an SSL Certificate issued by a certification authority. The certificate will 'validate' your online presence as 'authentic'. There are various types of validation:
- Domain validation (DV): proves that it's you and you want to secure your domain name.
- Organizational validation (OV): proves that you own the domain and verifies some details about the organization behind your website.
- Extended validation (EV): conducts a thorough and stringent analysis of the domain name, your organization, and the legal status of that domain.
The certification process for DV is much easier than having to submit evidence to prove ownership of your domain.
In a previous technical article, Mytour has compared http https and SSL to see the differences between these protocols. If you're interested, you can check out the article comparison of http https and SSL here
Free Digital Authentication
Digital certificate providers (CAs) like Let’s Encrypt offer free DV certificates. They manage to automate the domain ownership verification process to such an extent that their costs are virtually negligible for you.
Everything is 'fine' if you own a website at a 'normal' level, simple, not requiring users to share sensitive data (such as credit card numbers, bank account information, passport numbers, etc.).
Are free SSL certificates better than paid ones?
If you're running an e-commerce website, it's best to find a commercial electronic certificate provider. The long-term credibility of validating a legitimate website will 'legitimize' your organization more than any other form of authentication, at least getting an OV certificate.
If you own a large web presence hosting websites across multiple subdomains, you might be disappointed to learn that there are no free Wildcard certificates (even from Let’s Encrypt). These certificates allow you to authenticate all subdomains you create under your main domain.
For running a simple website that doesn't require the exchange of 'sensitive' data, domain validation certificates like those provided by Let's Encrypt would be the best choice. You don't need anything else 'attached'.
If not, you should turn to commercial electronic certificate providers. In some countries, you may encounter legal troubles for not using valid authentication certificates for 'legal' agreements.
Do you think we can 'automate' all valid authentications? Or is that just a 'far-fetched' dream for humanity? What's your opinion?
