Guidance on Customized Recommendations for Extended Validation Secure Socket Layer Certificates
In today's digital age, the security of your website is paramount, especially if it handles sensitive data such as passwords and credit card information. One essential tool for securing connections on your site is the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate.
The Importance of SSL Certificates
SSL certificates are unique digital signatures required for organizing secure, encrypted connections between clients and servers. They are crucial for protecting confidential information on File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites and have become increasingly important since major browsers started marking sites lacking SSL certificates as "unsafe" for passwords and credit card transactions.
The Vulnerability of FTP Sites
FTP, implemented in the 1970s, is an unencrypted protocol, making it vulnerable to hackers, malware, and phishing sites. In response, Google has announced that it will mark FTP sites as "Not Secure" due to their unencrypted and vulnerable nature, starting from Chrome 63.
Obtaining an Extended Validation SSL Certificate (EV SSL)
To obtain an Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate, an organization must complete a rigorous multi-step verification process. This process provides the highest trust level, often visually indicated by a green address bar or company name in browsers, reassuring users about the site’s authenticity and security.
The core steps to obtain an EV SSL certificate are:
- Domain Control Verification (DCV): Prove control over the domain(s) either via email validation, DNS CNAME record, or HTTP/HTTPS challenge to confirm the organization controls the domain.
- Organization Authentication: Provide legal documents verifying the organization's exact legal name, trade name (DBA if applicable), physical address, operational status, and telephone number. The Certificate Authority (CA) confirms that the organization is legitimate, in good standing, and has the right to conduct business.
- Verification of Business Operation: Confirm who is currently operating the business and who controls the domain(s) listed on the certificate.
- CA Human Vetting: Unlike lesser SSL certificates, the EV SSL requires a manual vetting process performed by a CA specialist to rigorously authenticate the organization’s legitimacy.
- Approval and Issuance: After successful verification and approval, the CA issues the EV SSL certificate. The organization receives an email notification when the certificate is ready to be downloaded and installed.
The Process of Obtaining an Opinion Letter
If a Certificate Authority cannot easily verify the business themselves, they may request a Professional Opinion Letter from a licensed attorney or a certified accountant. This letter confirms that the company is a properly registered business, the applicant has the necessary authority to act on its behalf, the DBA's (if any) are valid, the business address and phone number are legitimate, the applicant has the rights to their domain name, the applicant has a valid bank account, and the attorney or CPA who signed the Opinion Letter has the required credentials.
The Opinion Letter can usually be completed within three business days from receiving all the necessary documents and information from the applicant. Certificate Authorities offering EV SSL Certificates include GoDaddy, GeoTrust, VeriSign, and others.
The Benefits of EV SSL Certificates
When customers see the padlock icon, "https" prefix, and the green address bar in their browsers, it indicates the highest level of security and verification available on the Internet. This not only builds trust with your customers but also helps protect your website from potential security threats.
In summary, obtaining an Extended Validation SSL certificate is a crucial step in securing your website, particularly if it handles sensitive data. By following the outlined process, you can ensure the highest level of trust and security for your users.
- In the context of sensitive business transactions like data-and-cloud-computing or finance, dispute resolution often necessitates the use of secure, encrypted connections, making the acquisition of an Extended Validation SSL certificate essential for fostering trust and security.
- To fortify the security of their business in the digital age, particularly in areas like technology or business, it is prudent for organizations to employ data-and-cloud-computing solutions that incorporate secure connections, such as those provided by SSL certificates.
