SSL Certificates

Types of SSL Certificates

What is a Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificate?

Domain Validated (or DV) SSL certificates are the fast, convenient, reliable way to add industry-standard encryption to websites and internal systems.Domain Validation SSL certificates are the most basic of the three types of SSL/TLS certificates. While Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) require multiple steps in which the company or organization applying for the certificate is verified, Domain Validation takes just a single step to verify that the person or organization applying for the certificate owns the registered domain. Domain validation can typically be completed in a matter of minutes. However, these certificates do not offer visual indicators in the way of SSL recognition, so they are recommended primarily for websites where information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card information is not required.

What is an Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificate?

An Organization Validated (OV) SSL certificate is a nice middle-ground between Domain Validated (DV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. OV certificates require that a business complete a light vetting process by the Certificate Authority, Sectigo, before being issued. OV certificates offer more SSL and trust indications than basic certificates provide. These certificates typically take between 2-3 days to be issued.

What is an Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate?

Extended Validation (or EV) SSL Certificates are the highest business level validation for establishing encryption to websites and internal systems.The primary purpose of an EV Certificate is to identify the legal entity that controls a website and enable encrypted communications with a website. The secondary purpose is to help establish the legitimacy of a business claiming to operate a website or distribute executable code. By providing a more reliable third-party verified identity that addresses information regarding the business, EV Certificates may help prevent problems related to phishing, malware, and other forms of online identity fraud.

EV certificates are becoming more and more commonplace in the industry, especially amongst e-commerce sites, as they are used by some of the most trusted sites in the world like Bank of America, Twitter, Paypal, and more. These certificates are identified on websites mainly by the green address bar, the most universally recognized symbol of trust on the web. The only way to get the green address bar on your website is with an EV certificate. Domain Validated (DV) and Organization Validated (OV) certificates do not come with the green address bar.

The main requirement for an EV certificate is that your business must be an official company registered with a government authority.

What is a Wildcard SSL Certificate?

Wildcard SSL certificates can cover one main domain name (www.domain.com) and an unlimited amount of subdomains (mail.domain.com, login.domain.com, test.domain.com, etc.).

More About SSL

What is a Certificate Authority?

A Certificate Authority (CA) is the company that actually issues the SSL certificates. Our Certificate Authority is, Sectigo, one of the world's leading SSL providers and formerly known as Comodo CA. When you purchase an SSL from us you will be able to add a Sectigo site seal to your website to let customers know that security is a top priority for you. You will receive email communications from us and Sectigo with important information explaining how the validation and installation process will work. Sectigo will conduct the validation process for Domain Validated (DV), the 5-step process for Organization Validated (OV), and the 7-step process for Extended Validation (EV). 

What is an SSL warranty?

An SSL certificate warranty protects you in the case of a data breach or hacks caused by a flaw in the SSL certificate. The warranties range in value and cover any damages you may incur. As a result, higher value certificates come with more extensive warranties.

How long is an SSL Certificate valid for?

SSL certificates can be valid from anywhere to 1-2 years, depending on the certificate you choose to purchase. Each time an SSL certificate term ends, a new certificate has to be validated and installed.