What is an SSL certificate

An SSL certificate is a digital signature that enables a secure, encrypted connection between a web server (website) and a web client (browser) over the HTTPS protocol. HTTPS, in turn, uses the SSL or TLS cryptographic protocol to encrypt transmitted data. An SSL certificate is especially important for resources that handle users' personal data, payment systems and confidential information. Encrypting such data protects it from interception by third parties and shows that you care about your users.

Types of SSL certificates

Depending on the type of validation, there are the following types of certificates:


  • - Domain validation (DV);


  • - Organization validation (OV);


  • - Green address bar / extended validation (EV)

Domain-validated SSL certificates

To get this certificate, you only need to confirm that you own the domain. Validation can be completed by email, by following a link in a message sent to one of the domain mailboxes (admin@, administrator@, hostmaster@, postmaster@, webmaster@), or via HTTP validation, by placing a specific file in the domain's root directory. Since no information about the organization or its owner is required, the certificate is issued almost instantly after domain ownership is confirmed. Both individuals and legal entities can obtain this certificate. The certificate details in the browser show information about the Certificate Authority, the validity period and the encryption algorithm.

Organization-validated SSL certificates

In addition to confirming domain ownership, this certificate also proves that the company actually exists and that the website belongs to the very organization that requested the certificate. It is issued only to legal entities. The scope of the organization check varies depending on the Certificate Authority; the main points are:


  • - Your organization's name in the domain's whois information;


  • - A certificate of state registration;


  • - A listing of the organization in international yellow pages;


  • - A verification call to a phone number listed in public sources.


Since submitting and verifying the organization's data takes time, issuing this certificate usually takes at least 2 days. The certificate details in the browser also show information about the organization.

How an SSL certificate affects search engine rankings

To encourage websites to switch to HTTPS and ensure secure data transfer on the Internet, Google representatives officially stated that having an SSL certificate positively affects a site's position in Google search results. The weight of this ranking factor is small, but all other factors being equal, a site running on HTTPS will rank higher. Google representatives have also said that the importance of this factor may increase in the future to motivate developers and site owners to encrypt transmitted data.