Are you wondering if website needs an SSL certificate? The answer is yes, but you may still be wondering what an SSL certificate is.
What is SSL?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. Most people are probably not familiar with these words, but they are very important when it comes to website security
Every time you visit a website or change web pages, the browser and the server communicate with each other. The browser requests information, and if everything is working properly, the server will give the required information to the browser. However, without any kind of SSL protocol, the communication between the browser and the server can be intercepted or sensitive data can be leaked from it. This is because the information exchanged between the browser and the server is not encrypted, so a skilled hacker who discovers your connection can easily steal your data.
Therefore, an SSL certificate is what verifies the communication between the browser and the website's server, to declare that the browser's request is secure and cannot be intercepted (at least not easily).
Why do we need an SSL certificate?
In reality it is not necessary to have an SSL certificate. However, if you are concerned about the security of your website and its content, let alone your business, then you should consider obtaining one. Even if your site does not deal with any kind of sensitive data, hackers want to gain access to it and the fact that you do not have extremely important information on your site will not deter them.
Another reason is that after the Google Chrome in July 2018, websites that do not have an SSL certificate are marked as “Not Secure” instead of having the padlock icon to the left of the URL. Sure, this may not be particularly concerning if there are no sensitive data exchanges or payment options on your site, but users may start to question the legitimacy of the owner and the site itself.
Additionally, a site without an SSL certificate will be ranked lower by Google through search engine optimization (SEO) algorithms, so it is important to use one.
How can I get such a certificate?
Initially, you can purchase one. Its price ranges from $30 to several hundred dollars. However, it is preferable to follow some simple tutorials that will help you integrate it yourself into your website, which you can find very easily with a search on YouTube.
