How To Get SSL Certificate

Protecting your website with an SSL certificate is critical for preserving user data and establishing trust. With the rise in cyber threats and the push by search engines for secure sites, having SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is no longer optional. This is a detailed article that will show you how to get an SSL certificate for your website.

1. Understand the Importance of SSL Certificates

Before diving into the process, it’s crucial to know why SSL certificates matter:

Encrypt Data: SSL encrypts the communication between the server and users, protecting sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details.
Improve SEO Rankings: Search engines prioritize HTTPS-enabled websites, giving them a ranking boost.
Build Trust: Users are more likely to interact with a site displaying the padlock icon in the address bar.

2. Choose the Right SSL Certificate for Your Needs

SSL certificates are classified into several categories, each of which serves a particular function. It’s essential to select the right one based on your website’s requirements:

Domain Validation (DV): Suitable for small businesses and blogs, as it validates the domain ownership.
Organization Validation (OV): Ideal for businesses, as it verifies both domain ownership and organization details.
Extended Validation (EV): Offers the highest level of trust with a green address bar, suitable for e-commerce and large enterprises.
Wildcard SSL: Covers your main domain and unlimited subdomains.
Multi-Domain SSL: Several domains are protected by a single certificate.

3. Choose a Reliable Certificate Authority (CA)

A Certificate Authority (CA) is an organization that issues SSL certificates. Selecting a trusted CA is essential for the credibility of your certificate. Some popular CAs include:

Let’s Encrypt: Free, automated SSL certificates suitable for small websites.
Comodo/Sectigo: Affordable and widely trusted, with various certificate options.
DigiCert: Offers premium SSL solutions with excellent support.
GoDaddy: A well-known provider with user-friendly tools for SSL management.

4. Purchase or Obtain a Free SSL Certificate

Depending on your budget and requirements, you can either purchase an SSL certificate or obtain one for free:

Paid SSL Certificates: Available from most hosting providers or directly from CAs. These offer robust support and warranties.
Free SSL Certificates: Let’s Encrypt provides free SSL certificates, but they might require manual renewal every 90 days.

5. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

A CSR is a block of encoded text that contains information about your website and organization. To generate a CSR:

Log in to your hosting control panel or server.
Navigate to the SSL/TLS section and select “Generate CSR.”
Provide details such as your domain name, organization name, and location.
Save the CSR file or code for later use.

6. Submit the CSR to the Certificate Authority

Once you’ve generated the CSR, submit it to the CA from which you’re acquiring the SSL certificate. The CA will validate your information, which may include:

Domain ownership verification via email or DNS record.
Organizational verification for OV and EV certificates.

The verification process may take minutes for DV certificates and up to a few days for OV or EV certificates.

7. Install the SSL Certificate

After the CA issues your SSL certificate, you need to install it on your server. Here’s how:

For Hosting Control Panels (e.g., cPanel, Plesk):

Log in to your hosting control panel.
Navigate to the SSL/TLS or Security section.
Upload the SSL certificate file provided by the CA.
Assign the certificate to your domain.

For Custom Servers:

Upload the SSL certificate and key files to your server.
Configure your server (e.g., Apache, Nginx) to use the SSL certificate.
Restart your server to apply the changes.

8. Test Your SSL Installation

Testing your SSL certificate ensures it’s installed correctly and functioning as expected. Use tools like:

SSL Labs’ SSL Test: Provides a detailed report on your SSL configuration.
Why is No Padlock?: Identifies mixed content issues on your site.

Ensure there are no errors and that your site displays the HTTPS padlock in the browser.

9. Force HTTPS on Your Website

Redirecting all traffic from HTTP to HTTPS ensures a seamless and secure browsing experience. You can do this by:

Editing Your .htaccess File: Add a redirect rule to force HTTPS.
Using Plugins: Tools like Really Simple SSL make the process hassle-free.

10. Renew and Maintain Your SSL Certificate

SSL certificates have an expiration date, typically one year or 90 days for free certificates. To maintain your website’s security:

Before the expiration of your certificate, set reminders to renew it.
Regularly check for updates or vulnerabilities in your SSL configuration.

By following these steps, you can secure your website with an SSL certificate, ensuring better performance, security, and trustworthiness. A secure website not only preserves your customers but also increases your brand's trust and search engine results.