Trust and confidence are the two most vital factors that determine the quality of the relationship between consumers and businesses. If any one of them is broken, the relationship withers and dies. This harms the consumer as well as the business. This is especially true when your consumer does shopping online from the comfort of their home on your website.
It’s your responsibility to protect your consumer’s personal and financial information when they shop on your website. One way to do this is by installing SSL certificates that encrypt the exchange of crucial data and information like credit card or debit card information between the consumer’s web browser and your site.
More and more businesses are implementing SSL certificates on their websites and hence, it’s important to understand the 3 different types of SSL security validation certificates. When an SSL certificate is implemented, the ‘http’ in your browser changes to ‘https’ and a padlock symbol appears. Without further ado, here are the 3 types of SSL certificates.
1. Domain Validated (DV)
DV or domain validated SSL certificates are used by businesses and companies where there is no transmission of sensitive or vital data like credit card details or where the consumers aren’t really concerned with the identity of the organization. Even the process of validation is not complex or rigorous.
The certificate authority only checks the name and contact information of the applicant against the WHOIS database to ensure it matches the registration information contained in the database. This has to correspond with the domain name for which the SSL certificate is requested for. For DV certificates, the identity of the business is not verified by the authority.
2. Organizational Validation (OV)
This type of SSL certificate is important for businesses which carry out online transactions and provide an interface for their customers to buy online. It is a more effective security option for websites that accept vital information and data like credit card details.
Before an OV SSL certificate is issued, the certificate authority performs some research into the background of the business. Unlike with DV certificates, a more thorough validation is needed to confirm the credentials of the applicant’s business like the articles of incorporation and prove its web and physical addresses. Furthermore, company information is displayed to the consumer on their web browser.
3. Extended Validation (EV)
This is a newer type of certificate that was introduced in 2007. It offers the maximum amount of website security. It is the first type of SSL certificate that adheres to guidelines for industry certification; these guidelines were formulated by various certificate authorities and web browser vendors. The process of issuance is more complex and rigorous. It verifies the following criteria.
- The operational, physical, and legal existence of the business
- The identity of the business as contained in official records
- The business’s right to utilize the domain for the EV SSL certificate
- Whether or not the business has authorized the certificate’s issuance
However, these SSL certificates are limited to particular types of government agencies and business entities such as unincorporated and incorporated businesses.
