Secure E-commerce Transactions With Comodo SSL Certificates

The present era is the era of technology. We are depended upon technology for almost every single thing. From paying our electricity bills, booking tickets, banking, to online shopping, everything can be done by just a few clicks. When we make use of the Internet for such things, where financial transitions take place, it becomes of utmost importance to carry out it in a secure environment, an environment where a customer can feel safe to make such transactions. If in case, your information is hacked by the third party, it can be easily misused without any trace, or even worse.

So it has become necessary to get technology, with the use of which our information remains safe and secure. Comodo SSL Certificate, the most trusted CA (Certification Authority) provides such a secure environment to carry out the online activities.

Comodo SSL Certificate

Comodo SSL Certificate provides a trusted and secure environment, within which you can carry out E-commerce transactions, without fearing of information falling into wrong hands. Comodo SSL Certificate is only issued to those entities whose verification and authentication is been checked via an intense verification process, and whose physical existence is also thoroughly checked.

E-commerce transaction

In this electronic era, plastic/electronic money has become a very common thing. When we perform any financial transaction online, instead of using original money, we use electronic money. Any Purchase done online is referred to as an E-commerce transaction as only electronic money can be used.

Securing E-commerce Transaction

Most people often visit various sites to make a purchase, despite a heavy discount and good price; they restrain from making any kind of purchase online. This happens because they do not feel comfortable about sharing their credit card details or bank details online. To gain this trust and feeling of security, it becomes important to secure your site with SSL certificate and when we talk about trust and security, Comodo is the name that strikes our mind.

Once you install Comodo SSL certificate on your website, your website address will be prefixed with https:// instead of HTTP:// as well as a lock will appear on the address bar. By clicking on this lock icon customer can know the details about the company and SSL certificate used by it. This makes the customer certain about the security measures are taken by the company and in return, will help in gaining the trust of the customer. By looking at the address, your customer can easily identify that your website is secure and that it is safe to conduct E-commerce transaction.

When you make any financial transaction on websites that are secured by Comodo SSL certificate, the information shared while performing such transaction is encrypted so that it cannot be misused or hacked or modified. The link between your Internet browser and the server is in encrypted form so as to create a secure environment. Such measures are important to follow because information such as credit card details, password, login ID, etc, can be misused which will put the customer as well as the company into trouble. So if you are an owner of a website that conducts e-commerce transaction, it is advisable to install Comodo SSL certificate (if not already installed) before it’s too late.

A Quick Guide To Choose Right SSL Certificate Provider For Your Website

If you run a website or are related to E-commerce industry, you know the importance of SSL certificate, website security and authorized SSL provider. Searching for the correct SSL provider is quite a tedious task, there is no doubt about it. There are ways to find out whether the SSL provider you have genuine or not. To find out the authenticity and legality of SSL provider you need to know about certain things, which we have listed below.

This list of questions will help you in finding whether the SSL provider you have chosen is genuine and is actually what he is claiming to be.

1. Does certificate providers have valid EV certificates?

EV SSL certificate is an Extended Validation Certificate, which is a type of SSL certificate. It offers the highest level of online protection as compared to other categories of SSL certificates. EV certificate maintains a list, which contains the following credentials of a business:

Physical address
Phone number
Official E-mail ID

Other important details about the business

2. Is SSL certificate their prime product?

Sometimes we neglect such minor things but it does matter when it comes to Internet security. If your certificate provider mainly focuses on SSL certificates, this ensures that better services will be provided. Some of the SSL providers may offer you the combo of certain products along with the SSL certificate and will ensure you that this will be more beneficial. But what they promise is way beyond reality. So make sure that your certificate provider’s prime product is SSL certificate. This ensures quality online protection.

3. Do they offer a variety of SSL certificates?
SSL certificate is categorized into three main categories depending upon the level of encryption. It totally depends upon your business type and requirement, which certificate to choose from. It is SSL provider’s responsibility to understand your requirement and issue appropriate SSL certificate, which is right to provide the security level you require and fulfill your business’s requirement.

4. Do they provide after sale support whenever required?

The Installation process of SSL certificate is not as easy as you may think. It is a complicated process, which at times requires some kind of technical assistance or support. It is difficult to complete the process of installation without the support of the certificate provider. Even help from certificate provider is required for renewal of these certificates when existing certificates are about to expire. So it is important that the live support system is always working for providing instant support to its customers.

5. What about customer testimonials?

In the virtual world, most of the businesses and services do not have the face. So it becomes important to check testimonials, which act as witnesses for proving the genuineness of the online products and services. To check the credibility of the SSL certificate provider, testimonial plays an important role. So even before going for a renowned SSL provider, checking other customers experience is the smart option rather than regretting later. Look for answers to various questions before finalizing the certificate provider, such as

What existing customers have to say about the certificate provider?
Can you count on these people and on testimonials provided by them?
Are they satisfied with after sales support?
Were issues resolved in a minimum time duration?


Before finalizing SSL certificate provider for your business, consider the above-mentioned points and then take the decision. Spend a good amount of time in reviewing and making a list of all the providers. This will help you in choosing the right Comodo SSL provider to solve your purpose. But if you still have questions or concerns, give us a call @ +1 (888) 606-7330.

Important Steps Were Taken By Authorities To Protect User’s Information

Believe it or not, but according to Google’s security team, NIC (India’s National Informatics Center) have been issuing unprincipled and dodgy SSL certificates. It has come to notice their that NIC has issued several unauthorized SSL certificates to various Google domains. These unauthorized certificates can be used to bluff and pretend as a legit Google website on different servers and can put user’s information at risk. With the use of such dodgy SSL certificate, it is easy to spy on or fiddle with user’s encrypted communication.

• Fake Certificate Security Issues

SSL/TLS (Security Socket Layer/ Transport Layer Security) encryption systems are badly hit by this dodgy SSL certificate, which was used to secure https:// connection. Various issues that have been raised so far are listed below:

• A warning was issued by Microsoft over ‘improper issued’ SSL certificate which could have resulted in a phishing attack.

• Apple also got alerted about the critical SSL flaw in Mac OS and iOS

• Google has warned CNNIC, an intermediate certificate authority, about the issuing of unauthorized digital certificates.

• Certificate Transparency

Google accepts that it is a serious breach of the CA system and such incidents indicate that Google’s Certificate Transparency efforts are critical for protecting the security of certificates in the future. Certificate transparency will help in:

Eliminating security flaws as it will provide an open framework to monitor and audit SSL certificate in near real time.

• Detect Fake SSLs.

Identifying CAs attempt to issue unauthorized SSL certificates
Pinning public key can specify authorized SSL certificates.
Issuing authorities as well as can reject fake dodge SSL certificates.

• Google Logging System

Google engineers have come up with a logging system that brings together CAs (ones that are trusted) and CAs working hard to build its goodwill. They have managed to issue a list of these CA’s on a public platform and specified those that are no longer trusted by browsers. The main mission of this system is to:

• Protect its user from fake and illegally issued SSL certificates
• Provide public record information of the certificates issued for specific domains

Important Steps Were Taken By Authorities To Protect User’s Information

Believe it or not, but according to Google’s security team, NIC (India’s National Informatics Center) have been issuing unprincipled and dodgy SSL certificates. It has come to notice their that NIC has issued several unauthorized SSL certificates to various Google domains. These unauthorized certificates can be used to bluff and pretend as a legit Google website on different servers and can put user’s information at risk. With the use of such dodgy SSL certificate, it is easy to spy on or fiddle with user’s encrypted communication.

• Fake Certificate Security Issues

SSL/TLS (Security Socket Layer/ Transport Layer Security) encryption systems are badly hit by this dodgy SSL certificate, which was used to secure https:// connection. Various issues that have been raised so far are listed below:

• A warning was issued by Microsoft over ‘improper issued’ SSL certificate which could have resulted in a phishing attack.

• Apple also got alerted about the critical SSL flaw in Mac OS and iOS

• Google has warned CNNIC, an intermediate certificate authority, about the issuing of unauthorized digital certificates.

• Certificate Transparency

Google accepts that it is a serious breach of the CA system and such incidents indicate that Google’s Certificate Transparency efforts are critical for protecting the security of certificates in the future. Certificate transparency will help in:

Eliminating security flaws as it will provide an open framework to monitor and audit SSL certificate in near real time.

• Detect Fake SSLs.

Identifying CAs attempt to issue unauthorized SSL certificates
Pinning public key can specify authorized SSL certificates.
Issuing authorities as well as can reject fake dodge SSL certificates.

• Google Logging System

Google engineers have come up with a logging system that brings together CAs (ones that are trusted) and CAs working hard to build its goodwill. They have managed to issue a list of these CA’s on a public platform and specified those that are no longer trusted by browsers. The main mission of this system is to:

• Protect its user from fake and illegally issued SSL certificates
• Provide public record information of the certificates issued for specific domains

Use HTTPS to Secure Your E-Commerce Website

HTTPS: 

HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is the online protocol for secure communications over the internet and one of the most effortless approaches to help secure your e-commerce site from fraud. Assigned by a closed green lock icon on the browser address bar, HTTPS sites are considered valid and secure on them because they're certified. This implies the site really is what it's claiming to be and not a fake site placed online to trick clients with the goal that trouble makers can get to credentials, credit card data, and more.

To empower HTTPS, SMBs need to get a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate. Accepting an SSL certificate is the initial step, this now should be implemented carefully in your e-commerce solution. This SSL Certificate Buyer's Guide covers this procedure in detail. While most e-commerce site hosts will have an SSL certificate available to be purchased, it pays to search around with outsiders as some vendors offer a superior cost and extra security capacities.

WHY   HTTPS

The advantages of utilizing HTTPS go beyond security and reliability. Google gives secure HTTPS sites a higher search ranking, leading to more visitors. Alternately, Google also names unencrypted sites as "not secure,"  which makes them appear sketchy and unsafe. Nowadays, there are not many quicker approaches to get a potential client to pass your site by.

Many online customers will timid away from a site that is deemed insecure or that doesn't have the "HTTPS" designation. As indicated by the 2018 Global Fraud and Identity Report by customer credit reporting company Experian, 27 percent of online customers surrendered a transaction because of due to lack of visible security.

HTTPS is presently authorized on US government sites, which could mean it's simply a matter of time before it is a standard requirement for online business sites, as well. It is challenging for existing web-based business sites that aren't HTTPS-certified to include the feature if it hasn't worked in initially. SMBs planning their e-commerce websites from scratch have the benefit of planning their answers in view of HTTPS security.

Important Website Security Tips To Keep Your Company And Customers Safe Online

In the rush to get new e-commerce business organization online, you might be tempted to sidestep some security best practices. In any case, doing as such puts your whole business in risk. If you don't organize cybersecurity inside your association and site, there is a decent chance hacker will make you sorry you didn't take the time.

1. Pick A Safe Host 

As an online business retail organization, you are in charge of the majority of the client information stored on the site and servers, including the historical backdrop of credit card transactions. Yet, it's difficult to keep this sort of private data secure If you can't believe the server and platform where it lives.

To contend in the online world of retail, you should put resources into a security-disapproved, powerful cloud have that enables you to scale up or down dependent on client traffic and sales levels.

2. Add SSL Protection

For significant serenity for both you and your client, it's essential to empower secure socket layer (SSL) protection on your site. When you obtain an SSL certificate and install it on your servers, it encodes all information streaming between the server and a client's browser. As an online business organization, you are responsible of keeping your SSL certificate refreshed all the time.

3. Encode Client Information 

With an SSL certificate, you secure client information from the browser point of view. But doesn't secure a hacker from trying to penetrate your back-end systems and take data directly from the source. Therefore, it is basic to have encryption instruments ensuring your databases and servers. Clearly, the objective is to prevent cybercriminals from consistently accessing your corporate network. Yet, you should be set up for the opportunity it occurs. If your database tables are stored in a plain-content configuration, at that point there will be nothing to stop hackers from extricating information and taking email addresses, telephone numbers, and passwords.

4. Back-up Your Information 

Each e-commerce retailer needs to build up a disaster recovery plan if there should arise an occurrence of a major cybersecurity attack or blackout. The objective is to restore service to your core site and servers as quickly as possible

To totally defend against hackers, your organization must have a severe backup policy on every single key database. Best practices dictate that storage systems should be replicated across multiple global instances so that regardless of whether your essential database crashes in a region, you can exchange all traffic to another rapidly.

5. Stay Compliant

With internet security becoming a major topic worldwide, organizations that store client information online must be diligent about their strategies and practices. Europe, specifically, has conveyed center to this area. The legislation called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was passed in 2018.

Under the guidelines of GDPR, any site that is accessible to European clients must control information in an appropriate way to remain agreeable. Clients must be informed about how their information is shared and be alerted if a break happens. Inability to satisfy this guideline could result in critical fines and penalties.

What Is SSL Certificate And Web Encryption

On SSL secured websites, it is impossible to replace its contents without authorization. It makes it difficult for hackers to download malware through SSL protected websites. Due to this reason, most of the big players in the virtual world have switched to HTTPS:// from HTTP://. Even Google search engine gives preference to websites that are HTTPS:// prefixed over HTTP:// prefix. The necessity of SSL certificate and web encryption is increasing day-by-day with the increasing use of the web for financial services and important communication. According to experts, soon will come the day when the entire web will be secured by an SSL certificate.

It has become very common to share private and sensitive information over the internet due to various reasons like online shopping, membership forms for availing various services over the net or paying home rent; the list can go on and on. This sensitive information may include your bank login ID, credit card details, home address, and even E-mail password. This type of information, if fallen into wrong hands, can lead to some serious consequences. Due to which it has become essential to prioritize internet security. And the best way to provide security over the net is through encryption.

Importance of SSL Certificate And Web Encryption:

Middle-man-attack is very common if the data is not transferred through a secured link/connection. While using a public Wi-Fi network or open-network, chances of middle-man-attack (hacker) multiple as these types of connections are usually not well guarded and are way easier to crack. There are cases where hackers managed to crack a legitimate non-secure Wi-Fi network using special software or bugs inside a router. This may worry you but there is a solution to everything and in this case, using HTTPS protocol is the best solution to avoid such incidence to occur.

HTTPS certificate ensures a secure and encrypted connection as it offers point-to-point encryption. You may wonder what it means and how it protects your data. Well, point-to-point encryption means that all the data being transferred is encrypted using a strong encryption algorithm before sending to the destination server. By using a special key, which is shared only with the destination server, the encrypted data can be decrypted. No other machine can decrypt the data.

Conclusion:

Malware and data breach has become very common and it has affected many entrepreneurs and individuals around the world. Due to which, the necessity of Internet security has become the prime concern. The volume of encrypted traffics has increased rapidly in the past decade and has surpassed the average volume of unencrypted traffic. The Green lock next to address has become more common. This shows that people have become more concerned about web security and take it very seriously than ever before and are using SSL certificate-based encryption for data protection.

If you need more information regarding this or you need help in getting Comodo SSL certificate for your website, we are just a call away. Give us a call on our toll-free number +1 (888) 606-7330or write us on info@thesslstreet.com, our team of experts will be happy to help you.

Importance Of Intermediate Certificates For Internet Security

In this article, we are going to discuss intermediate certificates installation and its importance for Internet security. Every time you install an intermediate SSL certificate, make sure it is installed properly because one missing link can trigger warning and visitors may abandon your website.  also, mobile browsing is very commonly used nowadays. Without properly installing intermediate SSL certificate, you are putting your site credentials as well as browser’s information at risk. Now before going further, let us first understand ‘what is intermediate SSL certificate?’

Intermediate SSL Certificate

It is a subordinate certificate, which is issued and signed by the trusted root certificate. It is signed specifically to issue end-entity server certificate. This results in a certificate chain, which begins at the trusted root Certificate Authority (issuer), through the intermediate. This certificate chain ends with the SSL certificate issued by the end-user. In simple words, proper SSL chain links certificate of an end-user to a root certificate.

 It is important to understand that root certificate do not sign every certificate. In such a situation, intermediate certificates come into play. Intermediate certificate falls in between the root certificate and the end-user SSL certificate. It is basically used to sign SSL certificate of end-user, which is used on a website and completes the digital SSL security chain.

Importance of Intermediate SSL Certificates

In case of missing intermediate SSL certificate, various browsers act differently. Whether you are accessing for mobile devices or desktops, every browser is designed to act differently in such cases. For example:

• Google Chrome will immediately go out and fetch a missing intermediate certificate.
• Firefox will look for any saved intermediate certificate from another website or previous session.
• Sometimes Firefox triggers security warnings, in case of missing intermediate certificates.
• While browsing over mobile devices, missing intermediate certificate generates a security warning. There can be cases where browsers have issues with improper installation of intermediate certificates.

For a secure and uninterrupted session, it is best to install an Intermediate SSL Certificate.

Testing Intermediate SSL Certificate after Installation

After successfully installing the SSL certificate, it is important to check whether it has been installed properly and is working as required. ‘WHY NO PADLOCK’ service can check it for you. It:

• Verifies validations of intermediate SSL certificate
• Verifies START and END DATES (checks whether the date is current and not expired)
• Verifies whether the certificate is signed by a valid CA
• Verifies the SSL chain (all the certificates including intermediate certificate are installed properly)
• Checks for allowed SSL Protocols

If you need more information regarding SSL Certificate. Give us a call on our toll-free number +1 (888) 606-7330 or write us on info@thesslstreet.com, our team of experts will be happy to assist you.

Reasons To Switch Your SSL Provider Or Certificate Authority

On searching for new CA or SSL provider, there should be certain things kept in your mind. These are cost & value, features & benefits, support & service, CLM, and compatibility. If your current SSL provider is not fulfilling all your business needs and you do not see the longevity of this partnership, then it’s the right time to switch. Another reason for switching can be trusted CA.  Not only pricing but we should also consider other factors before coming to a decision. Let us discuss few of them one by one in detail:

1. Value of the Product: One of the main factors that help in decision making is costing, which we can’t neglect. But it is not an adequate reason for choosing an SSL provider. Value of the product is also as important as its costing. For example, if you choose cost over value, you might end up compromising with the security needs. This will not be considered a wise decision. It is important to understand the business requirements and needs. You should also keep in mind your near future requirements as well as the long-term goals of your company.

2. Features & Benefits: Every SSL provider will lure you with various benefits and features in order to sell their product. Be smart, choose wisely and evaluate offers given by different providers. Keeping value in mind, go through all the offers and choose the one that fulfills the needs of your business. These offers could be:

• Additional value-added service (free of cost)
• Automatic renewal of SSL certificate
• Unlimited Service licenses

3. Comprehensive Lifecycle Management (CLM): CLM includes basically three things. These are:

• Discovering
• Taking inventories
• Managing all SSL certificate across your network including cloud service

A reputed CA will always provide you with a user-friendly and time effective tool. Now the question arises ‘can your team put this tool to work instantly?’

Also, do not forget to check whether your CA offers the following two important things:

• Dedicated account management
• Continued support for any kind of issue related to SSL    

4. Compatibility: 

While switching, it is important to look for a trusted SSL provider or CA. Major Browsers (Chrome, Mozilla Firefox) have joined their hands and made a list of trusted CA. Certificates issued by these CAs are compatible with almost all the browsers and devices. On choosing a new CA, a few things you should ask them before finalizing are:

How long they have been running as a CA or SSL provider?
About browsers and devices, and what are their certificates are compatible with

5. Support & Service:

Service and support is a very important aspect of building strong relationships and is what you should consider while switching your SSL provider. Check various support services like:

• Support for different languages
• Support irrespective of time zone difference
• Support over phone
• Response time
• Accuracy and time took to respond or resolve a query

While switching SSL provider, make sure you do not fall victim to some marketing strategy. Lower cost can mean that they may not facilitate you with all the features they have mentioned.

If you need more information regarding SSL Certificate Give us a call on +1 (888) 606-7330. We will also help you to provide Comodo SSL Certificate for domain and sub-domain to secure your online business website.

Why Digital Certificate Is Important For Your Company Website

A digital certificate is, more or less, an identification card or you can say an electronic card that confirms or certifies the online transaction as well as another authentication on the internet. When we install a certificate, two keys are generated; one is a public key and another one is a private key. The public key is issued by Certification Authority (CA) on e-commerce sites, email, finance related sites or emails whereas Private Key is required to decrypt the data transferred or shared.

We can also refer to a digital certificate as an electronic passport, as it allows an organization or an individual to exchange information over the internet in a secured form using the public key infrastructure (PKI). This digital certificate is commonly referred to as a public key certificate. These certificates authenticate legality of communication and transaction between server and browser or sender and receiver. These certificates also validate surfing sites or portal.

Purpose of Digital Certificates

Security is the main purpose of these digital certificates. When we work online and log in our details, make a financial transaction, security is the first thing that comes into our mind. Before we share data, we check for the reliability of that website. But how can we be sure that our data is transferred securely? To build trust website owner opt for SSL certificate. To make sure data is transferred securely when the SSL certificate is issued, two keys (Public and private) are issued along with it. The public key is attached along with the electronic message for security purposes. A digital certificate verifies the user, whom she or he is claiming to be and granting the message sent to the receiver along with the public key securely and with a way to encode a reply. The message sent is in encrypted form and once it reaches its destination, the private key is required to decrypt data in a readable form. This encryption and decryption of data ensure internet security.

Importance of Digital Certificate

Digital certificates are quite important; let us discuss them in details one by one:

• Communication Security: Digital certificate is attached along with e-mail or electronic message in order to provide security and authentication. When we communicate via electronic media, it becomes important that the information is shared between the parties it is meant for and cannot be accessed by any other third party. For such a secure communication we need a digital certificate, which ensures reliable communication.

• Online Banking: The internet has indeed made our life easier; instead of going to the bank for every single work, we can simply log in to the bank’s site and check our banking, make transactions, transfer money, etc. Customers prefer the digital certificate issued by reputed CAs when we are dealing with the financial transition. These certificates ensure the user or customer a higher level of trust concerning the integrity of data, an additional level of protection and a higher level of security for data being shared or any financial transaction made.

•  E-commerce: Most of the people in today’s world shop online due to their hectic lifestyle, but they always look for secure and reliable websites to shop as information provided by the customer is sensitive and can be misused. To create a safe and secure environment for customers to shop, a website owner needs an SSL certificate.

• Prevent Online Threats: To safeguard your data, which you provide at the time of login or when you sign-in, Certification Authority (CA) issues a public key, which monitors the receiver and sender in such a way that your information cannot be stolen by any other third party. The information shared can contain your address, birth date, locality, license, etc.

If you need more information regarding Digital Certificate. Give us a call on +1 (888) 606-7330. We will also help you to provide Comodo SSL Certificate for domain and sub-domain to secure your online business website.

What Is Free SSL & Paid SSL Certificate

SSL Certificates are very important when we talk about Internet security. Nowadays, as the use of the Internet is increasing, we need a safer method by which we can share our data securely over the Internet. People all around the world are connected together online and a tremendous amount of data is being shared on a daily bases over the Internet, which increases the chances of data being hacked or misused. To ensure security, SSL certificate plays a major role and gives confidence to users to share data over the Internet without being worried about data being hacked or misused. There are certain points that should be kept in mind before going for an SSL certificate.

Whether you should opt for a free SSL certificate or proper SSL certificate, it is important to know the difference between the two.

• Free version is available for a time period less than one year or a maximum of one year, whereas proper Comodo SSL certificate is available for a time span of 1-3 years.

• When using a free SSL certificate for e-mail system, the main hassle you have to go through is to change it every single month, which is very inconvenient. Whereas, if you install a proper SSL certificate, once the setup is done, you can use it as long as you have opted for.

• Free SSL certificate only provides basic security, with no extra features; on the other hand, proper SSL certificate provides various levels of security, depending upon your requirements. In simple words, you cannot get a green bar with a free SSL certificate.

What’s good, what’s bad?

• The good thing about trial SSL Certificate is that it is absolutely free of cost. Along with being free, it works exactly like normal SSL certificates.

• Of course, it provides an encrypted link, which is essential for internet security, but an authentication form is very low. It means that your site is not 100% secure.

• Free SSL certificate is also not recommended for emails as the email may contain highly sensitive data, which can fall into wrong hands.

• Free SSL certificate has an advantage over proper SSL Certificate in terms of time taken in issuing the certificate. Free SSL Certificate takes few minutes whereas proper SSL Certificate might take a day.

• Proper SSL certificate comes with a warranty, but it is not the same case with Free SSL Certificate. Neither it has a green address bar i.e. no trust seal. So, before going for either of it, understand your requirements and choose accordingly.

How Do Enable HSTS For Website?

If you are running a website, which contains sensitive data or important information, it is advisable to implement HSTS. In case you are running a site that doesn’t contain any personal data, you may not be able to utilize the full benefits of HSTS.

Advantages of HSTS

HSTS features are designed to focus on preventing the ‘middle man attack’. These kinds of attacks are done to steal sensitive information and credentials of the website. Forcing every communication to be sent via HTTPS prevents these attacks. This is done by instructing the web browser to not to send any kind of traffic over the HTTP protocol.

Two main security advantages of HSTS are:

1)    Automatically redirects any assets that are referenced in HTML generated by your website to be called through https:// instead of http://. This will ensure that the source from which the content is coming is a valid SSL certificate.
2)    The browser will automatically eliminate the ability to override the certificate warning in case the website uses an invalid SSL certificate. It also prevents access to such websites.

How do I implement HSTS?

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates are widely used to enhance website security. There are different types of SSL certificates available in the market. It depends upon the requirement of the individual that which SSL certificate he should opt. For example:

•    If you contain sub-domains in your websites content structure, Wild card certificate is what you need to only cover https://.
•    In case only the main domain needs protection, the Domain validation SSL certificate will do the job.

To implement HSTS, follow the following steps:

1)    Check the validity of the SSL certificate of your website
2)    Redirect all the http:// links to https://
3)    Cover all the sub-domains with wildcard SSL certificate
4)    HSTS header should be served on the base domain for https:// request and set Max-age to at least 18 weeks
5)    Specify preload directives and ‘include subdomains’ directives

Failing to fulfill these requirements (1-5) will result in the removal of your listing.

Tips To Improve Website Speed & Security

SSL certificate provides an encrypted link through which data can be transferred to and fro between internet browser and server, without compromising security and integrity of personal or sensitive data. SSL provides internet security however, we should never forget that everything has its own pros and cons. Along with providing internet security, SSL certificate also slows down the performance of the website.

Effect on Performance

As we know, on one hand, SSL certificate provides internet security, which is important for improving web ranking but, on the other hand, it also affects the website performance by slowing it down. For a website owner, it is necessary to provide internet security to its client to gain trust and loyalty and there is no alternative other than SSL certificate because of benefits provided by SSL Certificate. If a user of the website looks for a secure site, he also looks for a site that does not take long to upload. A user wants fast results without compromising security. So technology is required, which enhances the performance of the website without bargaining security.

How to Speed It Up?

The solution to this problem is CDN (Content Delivery Network). What CDN does is, it places a network of Proxy cache server. This server stores the most searched content of your website so that it can be delivered to browsers effectively and efficiently. As the content of the website is stored it needs space for storing "particular" content. As most searched content is stored, the distance is reduced for that particular data to travel between server and browser. Now whenever anybody around the world pings for a quick response, CDN picks up the proxy cache server, which is located nearest to the browser geographically, increases the speed and performance of the website, significantly. Therefore, we can say that using CDN technology along with an SSL certificate can enhance the performance of your website and provide security at the same time.

How does SSL Certificate Work?

SSL certificate works as a backbone of internet security. It provides a link between the web browser and the server so that the data can be transferred between the two in an encrypted form, which cannot be read and modified easily. Websites with SSL certificate are HTTPS:// prefixed instead of HTTP://. Especially when needing to log in our personal details or do any financial transaction, we want to be sure that our information will not fall in wrong hands and will be received by the host without being modified. To ensure that, we normally prefer a website with SSL certificate, in other words, site with https:// prefix. But to fulfill other requirements of visitors of your website; you need a method by which you can boost up the performance of your site.

If you need more information regarding this or you need help in getting SSL certificates for your website, we are just a call away. Give us a call on our toll-free number +1 (888) 606-7330 or write us on info@thesslstreet.com, our team of experts will be happy to assist you.

Increase your Online Visibility and Customer Trust With Green Address Bar SSL Certificate (EV SSL)

When we are talking about security over the internet, we are basically talking about SSL (Secure Socket Layer), which acts as a backbone of internet security. As information travels across the world through computer network via the internet, it becomes essential to protect sensitive data. Data can be secured if the transfer is done in the encrypted form, which is a non-readable form that is exactly what SSL does.

Extended validation certificate (EV)

Out of all SSL certificates, Extended Validation certificate (EV) is the highest of available SSL certificates. Although all SSLs use almost the same powerful encryption technique, to get EV you require accurate selection process. We can say that all the levels differ in the process of identity verification and how the particular certificate is displayed. Once you get EV SSL certificate, you get a green address bar, which gives the feeling of security to all the visitors of that particular website.

Green address bar

If a company has EV SSL Certificate, its address bar (padlock), https, company name and country will be green in color. If the connection is partially encrypted, then the browser will issue a warning message which will indicate that the domain is not fully secured and can be hacked by a third party or hacker. For a domain which is fully secure or has a higher level of SSL certificate, the green padlock is shown. If in case, content is loaded over HTTP rather than https, the green address bar will not be shown, which indicates that connection is not fully secure.

How Do You Make Your Website https?

Step 1: Host with a dedicated IP address. In order to provide the best security, SSL certificates require your website to have its own dedicated IP address.
Step 2: Buy a Certificate.
Step 3: Activate the certificate.
Step 4: Install the certificate.
Step 5: Update your site to use HTTPS.

How to get EV certificate and how it provides security?

To get EV SSL Certificate, you have to go through global standardized identification process, which is a verification process that gives exclusive rights to use a domain by confirming the legality, physical existence, and authenticity of the company. All the information along with the name of the company and location is included in the EV certificate. Once you get EV Certificate, HTTPS and padlock in the browser address bar are activated along with the name of the verified website owner. It gives a secure feeling to the visitor to perform financial transactions.

5 Reasons to Switch Your SSL Provider or Certificate Authority

Thinking of switching to another SSL Provider or Certificate Authority, here is the list of factors that you should consider. It is wise to choose carefully than to repent later. To make the task of switching easily follow the following step:

• Make a list of various factors you are looking for(priority wise)
• Compare with the competitors
• Understand the pros and cons

In this article, we will discuss a few factors that can ease the task of switching. This will help you in decision making. Not only pricing but we should also consider other factors before coming to a decision. Let us discuss few of them one by one in detail:

1. Value of the Product: One of the main factors that help in decision making is costing, which we can’t neglect. But it is not an adequate reason for choosing SSL provider. Value of the product is also as important as its costing. For example, if you choose cost over value, you might end up compromising with the security needs. This will not be considered a wise decision. It is important to understand the business requirements and needs. You should also keep in mind your near future requirements as well as the long-term goals of your company. I am sure you would like a hassle-free solution, which will not only cover your company’s current needs but also future requirements. The Value that you should consider while searching for a new SSL provider are:

• The Certificate features
• Benefits provided
• Service level
• Customer support?

2. Features & Benefits: Every SSL provider will lure you with various benefits and features in order to sell their product. Be smart, choose wisely and evaluate offers given by different providers. Keeping value in mind, go through all the offers and choose the one that fulfills the needs of your business. These offers could be:

• Additional value-added service (free of cost)
• Automatic renewal of SSL certificate
• Unlimited Service licenses

Before considering any CA or SSL provider, take your own sweet time to think.The Good marketer will always try to fill his pocket in the name of additional features and benefits. Do not fall into their trap. Think wisely and answer a few questions before finalizing the deal:

• Do you really need these offers?
• Are these benefits (promised by SSL provider) useful (as per your business requirements)?
• If you are offered extra features with some additional charge, check whether those features are essential for the long run of your business.

3. Support & Service: If you are looking for the long-lasting relationship with SSL provider or Certificate Authority (CA), you should look for more than just cost. SSL Certificate provisioning requires the following things:

• Order placed
• Support and service in need (when required)
• Renewal (when required)
• Installation

Service and support is a very important aspect of building strong relationships and is what you should consider while switching your SSL provider. Check various support services like:

• Support for different languages
• Support irrespective of time zone difference
• Support over phone
• Response time
• Accuracy and time took to respond or resolve a query

While switching SSL provider, make sure you do not fall victim to some marketing strategy. Lower cost can mean that they may not facilitate you with all the features they have mentioned. Low cost also means that minimum support service provided. They may cut a few of the benefits (which are beneficial and can fulfill your business need) to lower the cost.

4. Comprehensive Lifecycle Management (CLM): CLM includes basically three things. These are:

• Discovering
• Taking inventories
• Managing all SSL certificate across your network including cloud service

Next thing to be considered is easy and a seamless process of deployment and management of various SSL certificates. It will not only save your money but also time. Get a demo before finalizing. Check the tool or platform and look for answers to the following questions:

Whether it is exactly what has been promised.

• Is it user-friendly?
• Is it a time-efficient tool?
• Are you the right person to understand and use this platform, or being trained?

A reputed CA will always provide you with a user-friendly and time effective tool. Now the question arises ‘can your team put this tool to work instantly?’

Also, do not forget to check whether your CA offers the following two important things:

• Dedicated account management
• Continued support for any kind of issue related to SSL    

5.Compatibility: While switching, it is important to look for a trusted SSL provider or CA. Major Browsers (Chrome, Mozilla Firefox) have joined their hands and made a list of trusted CA. Certificates issued by these CAs are compatible with almost all the browsers and devices. On choosing a new CA, few things you should ask them before finalizing are:

• How long they have been running as a CA or SSL provider?
• About browsers and devices, and what are their certificates are compatible with

Conclusion:

If your current SSL provider is not fulfilling all your business needs and you do not see the longevity of this partnership, then it’s the right time to switch. Another reason for switching can be trusted CA. Money does matter but there are other factors too, which you should consider for the smooth and long functioning of your business. On searching for new CA or SSL provider, there should be certain things kept in your mind. These are cost & value, features & benefits, support & service, CLM, and compatibility. If you get satisfactory answers to your questions, then you need to switch your SSL provider or Certificate Authority.

If you having similar questions then feel free to contact our team at The SSL Street. Contact us at the toll-free number +1 (888) 606-7330 or try the 24/7 email support at info@thesslstreet.com

How Wildcard SSL Certificates Works?

A Wildcard SSL Certificate spares you cash and time by verifying your domain and unlimited sub-domains on a single certificate. Wildcard certificates work a similar way as a standard SSL Certificate, enabling you to verify the connection between your site and your client's Internet browser.

In this article, we will talk about the Wildcard SSL Certificate. SSL certificate safeguards data from a third party by ensuring secure link/connection between a server and a browser. But, when it comes to securing all sub-domains along with main domain, the Wildcard SSL certificate is needed.

Difference between SSL Certificate and Wildcard SSL Certificate

Wildcard SSL Certificate secures the URL of your website as well as its sub-domain, which can be numerous. Let us assume that you own a site www.mybusiness.com. If you get a Wildcard SSL Certificate, for this particular site, then it will not only secure this particular URL but also, all other sub-domains like blog.mybusiness.com, shop.mybusiness.com, onlinestore.mybusiness.com, etc., provided these sub-domains are linked with the main domain. Whereas, a regular SSL Certificate normally secures single fully qualified domain name. In short, if you own or manage multiple sites/pages that exist on the same domain/ main domain, Wildcard SSL Certificate is what you need for complete internet security and at a better price.

Working of Wildcard SSL Certificate

• When an organization applies for Wildcard SSL Certificate, it means that it owns multiple website or subdomains.

• When CA (Certification Authority) issues a certificate, the organization must ensure that all subdomains are associated with the main domain else it will affect the level of security.

• Once the validation of the domain and the subdomain is checked, Wildcard SSL Certificate will provide the same level of security to the main domain and all other subdomains associated with it.

• Wildcard SSL Certificate will look for all the possible subdomain names and will provide security to them. For example, a Wildcard SSL Certificate is issued to *.mybusiness.com, where ‘*’ represents all the subdomains associated with the main domain and in return Wildcard SSL Certificate will provide security to all the possible subdomains suffixed ‘.mybusiness.com’

How To Fixed Mixed Content Warnings?

Mixed Content Warning: Prefix https:// indicates secure and protected connection and data. It is assumed by the visitor that the site is completely protected by a positive SSL certificate. But in case, the site does not contain completely protected contents, the user’s browser will trigger a mixed content warning. This warning simply means that the site contains a combination of both secure (https://) and non-secure (http://) data.

There are some sites, where the home page is served over https:// but the rest of the content or linked web pages are non-secure. In such a scenario, it is easier for the hacker to read as well as modify the content of that page, which makes it highly insecure. On seeing a mixed content warning triggered by the web browser, the visitor can choose from either of the two options given below:

1.    Neglect the warning and continue (compromise internet/data security)
2.    Leave that page immediately presuming internet security threat.

It is better to configure a site without compromising internet security and serve secure content over the internet. With the use of https://, data is secured in an encrypted form. This does not allow the hacker to modify content. If links present on secured page redirect to http:// resource, you must keep it in mind that by clicking on such link, you will be redirected to a non-secure web page. By visiting such a page, your browser will issue a warning about security risk; it is called Mixed Content Warning.

How to Fix Mixed Content Warning?

Once you succeed in finding mixed content your half of the task is complete. Fixing this issue is as simple as adding ‘s’ to http:// and convert it to https://. Simply follow a few simple steps to resolve mixed content warnings:

•    Ensure that all the contents are served through https:// connection.
•    If a warning occurs, search for that page and switch to https:// instead of http://.
•    To do this, first check the availability of resource over https:// connection.
•    Copy and paste http:// URL into a new web browser and add “s” to http, i.e. https://.
•    If it is available, then make changes in your source code.

Conclusion

It is better to avoid a problem than looking for solutions it has caused. Whenever you load any kind of data or image on your website, make sure to serve it in a secure manner. Link all the pages of your site with SSL certificate. Make sure to use https:// prefix URL. If in case, you accidentally upload insecure content or image, search for it and make necessary changes. This will affect customers’ confidence and will help in building trust.

If you need more information regarding this or you need help in getting a positive SSL certificate for your website, we are just a call away. Give us a call on our toll-free number+1 (888) 606-7330 or write us on info@thesslstreet.com, our team of experts will be happy to assist you.

Importance of Intermediate SSL Certificates

SSL Certificates: 

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.  SSL allows confidential information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, or login credentials to be transmitted securely. Without SSL, data sent between clients and servers is sent in plain text–which makes it really easy to be intercepted.

Intermediate SSL Certificates:

It is a subordinate certificate, which is issued and signed by the trusted root certificate. It is signed specifically to issue end-entity server certificate. Major web browsers have a list of trusted root certificates, which is the foundation of SSL certificate. This list ensures that the SSL certificate being issued is valid and trustworthy. It is important to understand that root certificate do not sign every certificate. In such a situation, intermediate certificates come into play. Intermediate certificate falls in between the root certificate and the end-user SSL certificate. It is basically used to sign SSL certificate of end-user, which is used on a website and completes the digital SSL security chain.

Importance of Intermediate SSL Certificates:

In case of missing intermediate SSL certificate, various browsers act differently. Whether you are accessing for mobile devices or desktops, every browser is designed to act differently in such cases. For example:

• Google Chrome will immediately go out and fetch a missing intermediate certificate.
•  Firefox will look for any saved intermediate certificate from another website or previous session.
•  Sometimes Firefox triggers security warnings, in case of missing intermediate certificates.
•  While browsing over mobile devices, missing intermediate certificate generates a security warning. There can be cases where browsers have issues with improper installation of intermediate certificates.

For a secure and uninterrupted session, it is best to install an Intermediate SSL Certificate.

Conclusion:

For the above article, it is clear that intermediate certificates are important for Internet security purposes. Every time you install an intermediate SSL certificate, make sure it is installed properly because one missing link can trigger warning and visitors may abandon your website. After installing, renewing or updating an intermediate SSL certificate, it is important to test it. Better to check than to repent.

Give us a call on our toll-free number +1 (888) 606-7330 or write us on info@thesslstreet.com, our team of experts will be happy to assist you.

Reasons To Use Digital Certificate For Mobile Authentication

Mobile has become an integral part of our lives. It has replaced laptops and desktop to some extent.  No matter where you are, you have this ‘mini work station always with you’ in your pocket all the time. It gives you the freedom to move around the world while staying connected with your employees and officials. Although this connectivity works in the favor of enterprises, it has also opened doors for security threats. Now the question arises how to overcome such threats. The answer to this is simple; with the help of certain tools and software that protect our mobile devices.

There are many benefits to using digital certificates for mobile authentication. For better understanding, let us understand them in detail:

1. No more complex passwords issues:  Normally for different applications, we tend to use different complex passwords. It is difficult to keep all the complex passwords in mind. Few issues with such complex passwords are:

a.    You may forget one or the other character of the password
b.    You may forget the complete password of a particular application.
c.    There are chances that you may re-use the same password for different applications (security threat)
d.    Have it written down somewhere (security threat)

With certificate-based authentication, employees can access emails and cloud-based applications swiftly, without any hassle. By simply installing the certificate on corporate devices, an employee can safely access different applications without the need of one-time password token or any other biometrics.

2. BYOD friendly: Digital certificate supports BYOD, hence is beneficial for both, employees and employer. Along with preserving control over corporate networks and data, it also maintains user’s privacy. In case the employee resigns or device is stolen, the digital certificate can be revoked.

3. Public Key Infrastructure: PKI is a widely accepted technology, which is trusted by major organizations and is industry recognized. It is used for authentication of users, devices & machines and servers within the organization.

4. PKI for authentication of the mobile device: It has been used with a digital certificate by many organizations. For example:

a.    Server authentication
b.    User authentication
c.    Digital signature
d.    Email encryption

Instead of wasting time and money on integrating new technology and services, it is far easier to expand PKI to the mobile device. This not only about a lot of money but also time, which otherwise will be consumed for learning the following:

a)    New system
b)    Setting up new policies
c)    Training staff

5. Security:  Hackers are smart enough to hack the password database and misuse them. To guard the database from such attacks, digital certificates are used. It not only helps in increasing security standards but also reduces reliance on passwords for authentication.

6. Mobile OS: Digital certificates work well with various popular operating systems like Android, Blackberry, Windows, and iOS.

7. Easy to install and manage: Most of the organization uses invasive, expensive and all-inclusive solution. A digital certificate does the same with a much lesser cost. Easy setup, less end-user interaction and easy to use, is what makes it easy to install (regardless of the OS used). After installation, it can be managed by cloud-based ‘Managed PKI’ platform. This makes the work of IT staff much easier.

If you need more information regarding Digital Certificate. Give us a call on +1 (888) 606-7330. We will also help you to provide Comodo SSL Certificate for domain and sub-domain to secure your online business website.

How To Choose A Genuine SSL Certificate Provider For Your Business Website

If you run a website or are related to E-commerce industry, you know the importance of SSL certificate, website security and authorized SSL provider. Searching for the correct SSL provider is quite a tedious task, there is no doubt about it. There are ways to find out whether the SSL provider you have genuine or not. To find out the authenticity and legality of SSL provider you need to know about certain things, which we have listed below.

 This list of questions will help you in finding whether the SSL provider you have chosen is genuine and is actually what he is claiming to be.

1. Does certificate providers have valid EV certificates?

EV certificate is an Extended Validation Certificate, which is a type of SSL certificate. It offers the highest level of online protection as compared to other categories of SSL certificates. EV certificate maintains a list, which contains the following credentials of a business:

Physical address
Phone number
Official E-mail ID
Other important details about the business

2. Is SSL certificate their prime product?

Sometimes we neglect such minor things but it does matter when it comes to Internet security. If your certificate provider mainly focuses on SSL certificates, this ensures that better services will be provided. Some of the SSL providers may offer you the combo of certain products along with the SSL certificate and will ensure you that this will be more beneficial. But what they promise is way beyond reality. So make sure that your certificate provider’s prime product is SSL certificate. This ensures quality online protection.

3. Do they offer a variety of SSL certificates?

SSL certificate is categorized into three main categories depending upon the level of encryption. It totally depends upon your business type and requirement, which certificate to choose from. It is SSL provider’s responsibility to understand your requirement and issue appropriate SSL certificate, which is right to provide the security level you require and fulfill your business’s requirement.

4. Do they provide after sale support whenever required?

The Installation process of SSL certificate is not as easy as you may think. It is a complicated process, which at times requires some kind of technical assistance or support. It is difficult to complete the process of installation without the support of the certificate provider. Even help from certificate provider is required for renewal of these certificates when existing certificates are about to expire. So it is important that the live support system is always working for providing instant support to its customers.

5. What about customer testimonials?

In the virtual world, most of the businesses and services do not have the face. So it becomes important to check testimonials, which act like witnesses for proving the genuineness of the online products and services. To check the credibility of SSL certificate provider, testimonial plays an important role. So even before going for a renowned SSL provider, checking other customers experience is the smart option rather than regretting later. Look for answers to various questions before finalizing the certificate provider, such as:

1. What existing customers have to say about the certificate provider?
2. Can you count on these people and on testimonials provided by them?
3. Are they satisfied with after sales support?
4. Were issues resolved in minimum time duration?

Before finalizing SSL certificate provider for your business, consider the above-mentioned points and then take the decision. Spend a good amount of time in reviewing and making a list of all the providers. This will help you in choosing the right Comodo SSL provider to solve your purpose. But if you still have questions or concerns, give us a call at +1 (888) 606-7330.