SSL Certificates Guarantee Site Security and Trust

August 19, 2009 by Forrest Yingling

Websites buy SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificates in order to encrypt data and to reassure the site’s visitors that it is safe to submit confidential information to the site. Sites that handle sensitive and/or private data such as the online banking and e-commerce industries are the most common users of SSL Certificates.

SSL Certificates help to remove untrustworthy sites from the web. Customers know that a site is secure when they see a closed padlock in the address bar of their web browser. A closed padlock guarantees site security and give customers the confidence to trust the site with their personal data.

It is the responsibility of the owners of online stores to make sure they have a proper SSL Certificate setup on their site and nowadays, it is imperative to have one. Storeowners have the choice to have either a shared or dedicated SSL certificate through their Miva Hosting server. A dedicated certificate is used by only one store on one server. A shared certificate is used by all stores on that server. Dedicated certificates are generally more expensive because they offer more security.

Currently, most e-commerce sites offer 128-bit encryption. This ensures them that their customers will be protected no matter what browser they are using. If a store handles payments or collects private information like addresses, social security numbers, or dates of birth then it needs to use 128-bit or better encryption. Sites using 128-bit or better encryption are virtually immune to hackers and their customers can feel safe.