Adopting an SSL certificate to secure a website is the smartest way to fight cybersecurity issues
AI Technology has generated sweeping transformation across industries in the previous couple of decades. Today we are living in a technology-driven world where more and more things surrounding us are automated. We play with datasets and in this play, cybersecurity has become a priority for big techs.
The requirement for cybersecurity has risen exponentially as more and more people and businesses are also becoming aware of cyber threats. At the same time, data breach cases are also expected to increase in the coming years. And such cyber threats cost businesses billions of dollars, and the need for data security has increased. Businesses these days have a massive amount of data and hackers are trying their best to get their hands on such sensitive information. Therefore, it becomes very necessary for businesses to take these attacks seriously and understand that attackers are using more smart techniques and will not spare anyone.
The best way to prevent cybersecurity attacks is by securing websites with SSL certificates. A Secure Socket Layer certificate, generally known as an SSL certificate, helps establish secure and encrypted interactions between web browsers and servers. It grants security that no third party can intervene in your online communications. An SSL certificate will provide a secure network for online communication and no one can access the information which is being transferred between the web server and the user’s browser. SSL certificates are compulsory for eCommerce websites and other websites which accept online payments. SSL certificates also assist websites to rank better on Google search results. For example, Google mentions that it is important for websites to have an SSL certificate to rank on their search engine results page. This indicates how important SSL certificates are in terms of security and for higher rankings. Likewise, Secure Socket Layer certificates play a crucial role in preventing cyber threats.
One can easily distinguish between SSL-encrypted websites from those that are not encrypted. If you see a secure padlock on the left side of the URL, it means the website is SSL encrypted and the site’s URL will start with HTTPS:// and not http. Anytime you visit a website, you must check the URL to know whether the website you are about to visit is encrypted or not. If a website is not encrypted with a Secure Socket Layer certificate, it may be unable to accept online payments and search engines like Google will also display a “Not Secure” warning whenever someone tried to access that non-encrypted website. Non-SSL encrypted websites could put their visitor’s data at high risk as the communications done on those sites will not be encrypted, and provides a good opportunity for hackers to intercept and gain access to sensitive information very easily like a user’s password, bank details, etc.
How to Prevent Cybersecurity Threats with SSL Certificates
The safe version of HTTP, HTTPS is a communication protocol that keeps all the sensitive data like your bank details, passwords, username, etc. secure, safe, and private while in transit between your web browser and the website’s server to which you are transferring that data. HTTPS which utilizes the Transport Layer Security protocol securely protects sensitive information. SSL certificates keep cybersecurity threats at bay by using three different layers of security, encryption, data integrity, and authentication.
Encryption – SSL certificates make sure all data you transfer from your device’s browser to the website’s server are encrypted. If in any way hackers manage to hack the data you sent, it will be difficult for them to decrypt it.
Data Integrity – As hackers cannot decrypt and read the data that is transferred, it becomes nearly impossible for them to modify or corrupt the data in transit. If they happen to do so, it can be detected.
Authentication – This particular step guarantee that you communicate with the website you intended to communicate with. You can check for the padlock symbol in the URL bar to be sure whether the website is secured or not.
Here are the advantages of installing an SSL certificate. Let’s understand how SSL certificates protect a website user’s data from cyber-attacks.
Secure Ecommerce Payment Systems
Ecommerce websites guarantee their website users that their sensitive data will be safe by installing trustworthy SSL certificates on their websites. As online shopping becomes more popular, people do not hesitate to share sensitive information like their banking details online. SSL certificates give them the warranty that the website on which they are making transactions is secure and these certificates will also protect them from becoming victims of cyberattacks.
Secure Online Communications
As SSL certificates’ main work is to encrypt online communications, it ensures no third party can access confidential information that users share online. Most SSL certificates offer 256-bit encryption, which is unbreakable and is sure to offer secure communications. Users’ personal information like contact details, banking details, etc. will be kept safely.
Rank Better on Search Engines
Search engines flag websites without SSL certificates as “not secure” and show a warning message whenever a user tries to access such a website. Likewise, insecure websites will rank lower than secure websites on Google.
Final Thoughts
SSL certificate secures a website and its users, so it becomes the most necessary thing to secure the website with an SSL certificate. Install an SSL certificate and make sure all web pages are served over HTTPS. However, an SSL certificate may not be just sufficient for overall security, and you will need to consider other security measures like enforcing strong password policies, keeping your software up-to-date, etc.
The post How SSL Certificates can save you from site cybersecurity issues? appeared first on Analytics Insight.
