SSL Certificate Management

An SSL certificate has two specific functions:

• Data Encryption: The primary role of an SSL certificate is to enable encryption between two sources. This means that any information communicated between the sources cannot be read by anyone other than the intended recipient.
• Authentication and Verification: SSL certificates have information about the authenticity of certain details regarding the identity of a person, business or website. This information is displayed in your browser when visitors click on a browser’s padlock symbol or trust mark (e.g., the Norton™ Secured Seal).

Most important to SSL certificates are their digital signatures, which are provided by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA), such as DigiCert, GeoTrust or Thawte. Anyone can create a certificate, but browsers only trust certificates that come from an organization on their list of trusted CAs. Browsers come with a pre-installed list of trusted CAs, known as the Trusted Root CA store. In order to get added to the Trusted Root CA store and thus become a Certificate Authority, a company must comply with and be audited against security and authentication standards established by browsers.

An SSL Certificate issued by a CA to an organization and its domain/website verifies that a trusted third party has authenticated that organization’s identity. When a browser trusts a CA, the browser trusts that organization’s identity too, and that browser lets a user know that the content is secure. The result is a safer browsing experience for your users, especially when it comes time for them to trust your business with confidential information.

Visible signs of trust can impact how willing your customers are to share information and buy from you — which ultimately affects your company’s overall growth potential.

You have many options when buying SSL Certificates, and choosing the right one can be difficult. Whether selecting based on available validation levels or certificate types, the right option will depend on your current task and how critical this level of security is to your online presence.

Trust makes all the difference in the world when it comes to online business. Investment in technology to protect customers is a critical component for success in digital transactions and in hosting an ecommerce website. The effective implementation of SSL certificates and correct placement and use of trust marks are proven tools in the establishment of consumer protection.

MarkMonitor makes it easy for you to cost-effectively maintain precise authentication levels for each of your websites. By enabling companies to choose from a wide range of SSL certificates from leading CAs, including both Standard and Extended Validation, MarkMonitor provides flexibility and convenience for optimizing costs.

As with all MarkMonitor solutions, customers can depend on superior service and unparalleled expert guidance.