Posted inSSL

How to Get a Free SSL Certificate for Your Website (HTTPS)

ssl

If you own a website, it’s your responsibility to protect the data of your site visitors, especially if they share sensitive information like credit card numbers, medical details, and addresses. And a big part of doing that successfully is implementing an SSL certificate. SSL certificates are also an indication of site quality, which can impact visitor perceptions and where search engine’s place you in the rankings. 

What is an SSL certificate? 

An SSL certificate, which stands for Secure Socket Layer certificate, is a digital certificate that provides a secure and encrypted connection between a user’s web browser and a web server. SSL certificates are a fundamental part of ensuring the security of data transmission over the internet.

When a website has an SSL certificate installed, it enables the use of the HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) protocol instead of the regular HTTP. This secure protocol encrypts the data exchanged between the user’s browser and the server, preventing unauthorized access or interception of sensitive information such as login credentials, personal details, and financial transactions.

SSL certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs), which are trusted entities that verify the legitimacy of the website and its owner. The certificate contains information about the owner, the public key, the digital signature, and the expiration date. Users can verify the authenticity of an SSL certificate by checking for the padlock icon in the address bar of their browser and making sure the website URL starts with “https://”.

Why get an SSL certificate?

Getting an SSL certificate for your website offers several important benefits, primarily focused on enhancing security and building trust with users. Here are some key reasons to get an SSL certificate:

  1. Data Encryption:
    • SSL certificates encrypt the data transmitted between the user’s browser and the web server. This encryption helps protect sensitive information such as login credentials, personal details, and financial transactions from being intercepted by malicious actors.
  2. Secure Data Transmission:
    • With an SSL certificate, your website can use the HTTPS protocol, ensuring a secure and encrypted connection. This is particularly crucial when handling sensitive data, as it prevents unauthorized access during the transmission of information.
  3. User Trust and Confidence:
    • Websites with SSL certificates display visual indicators, such as a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar and the “https://” prefix. These indicators reassure users that the website takes their security seriously, fostering trust and confidence in your site.
  4. Search Engine Ranking:
    • Search engines like Google consider HTTPS as a ranking factor. Having an SSL certificate may positively impact your website’s search engine ranking, potentially leading to improved visibility and traffic.
  5. Compliance with Regulations:
    • Many regulations and industry standards require the use of SSL certificates to protect user data. For example, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) mandates the use of secure connections for online transactions.
  6. Prevention of Man-in-the-Middle Attacks:
    • SSL certificates help prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, where an attacker intercepts and alters the communication between a user and a web server. The encryption provided by SSL ensures the integrity and confidentiality of the transmitted data.
  7. Authentication and Identity Verification:
    • SSL certificates include information about the website owner, helping to establish the legitimacy of the site. This authentication process, conducted by Certificate Authorities (CAs), adds an extra layer of trust for users.
  8. Browser Compatibility:
    • Major web browsers encourage secure connections and may display warnings for non-secure sites. Having an SSL certificate ensures compatibility with modern browsers and avoids potential security alerts that could deter users.

The difference between HTTP and HTTPS

The main difference between HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) lies in the level of security provided for data transmission over the internet:

  1. Security:
    • HTTP (Unsecured): Data transmitted over HTTP is not encrypted, making it vulnerable to interception and manipulation by malicious entities. This lack of encryption means that sensitive information, such as login credentials and personal details, can be intercepted and accessed relatively easily.
    • HTTPS (Secured): HTTPS, on the other hand, uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure the data transmitted between the user’s browser and the web server. This encryption ensures that even if the data is intercepted, it cannot be easily deciphered, adding a layer of security to the communication.
  2. Protocol:
    • HTTP: This is the standard protocol for transmitting data over the internet. It operates on port 80 by default.
    • HTTPS: It is the secure version of HTTP and operates over a secure, encrypted connection. HTTPS uses port 443 by default.
  3. URL Prefix:
    • HTTP: URLs for websites using HTTP start with “http://”.
    • HTTPS: URLs for websites using HTTPS start with “https://”.
  4. Browser Indicators:
    • HTTP: Browsers typically do not display any special indicators for websites using plain HTTP. Users should be cautious when entering sensitive information on such sites.
    • HTTPS: Browsers display visual indicators such as a padlock icon in the address bar to indicate that the connection is secure. The URL also begins with “https://”.
  5. Use Cases:
    • HTTP: Often used for general website browsing where security is not a primary concern. However, it is not suitable for handling sensitive information.
    • HTTPS: Essential for secure transactions, logins, and any situation where the confidentiality and integrity of data are crucial. It is the recommended protocol for all websites, especially those dealing with sensitive information.
  6. Search Engine Ranking:
    • HTTP: Search engines may now prioritize HTTPS sites over HTTP sites in their rankings.
    • HTTPS: Having an SSL certificate and using HTTPS may positively impact a website’s search engine ranking.

How does an SSL certificate work? 

To enable HTTPS on your website, you need to install an SSL certificate. This contains a public key required to begin a user’s session securely. When a website visitor requests an HTTPS connection to your website, the website sends the SSL certificate to the browser. This initiates the SSL connection and allows your browser and the website to share sensitive information privately. 

For the average user, SSL certificates may seem complicated to understand. Let’s break it down with an example. Let’s say you want to visit your favorite website. Behind the scenes, this is what happens:

  1. Verification: When you type the website into your browser, the site begins to load. Your computer receives the website’s SSL certificate through a public key and verifies it with the certificate authority. 
  2. Connection: Your computer and the website’s server come to an agreement based on the verification. If everything looks legitimate, the two computers create a secure connection called a handshake. 
  3. Encryption: Once the secure connection begins, your computer and the website server choose an encryption type they’ll use to exchange data securely. This process codes and decodes information as it moves between the computer and the server. Any data exchanged is protected from outside viewers by scrambling the information in an encrypted language. 
  4. Authentication: Finally, your computer decrypts the data. A lock icon appears in the web address bar next to the website’s URL. This means you are free to browse the website with peace of mind knowing that your data is safe. 

Different types of SSL certificates

Here are different types of SSL certificates based on the level of security required:

  • Domain Validated Certificates: DV certificates are the least secure and reserved for small business websites or blog sites that don’t exchange customer information. 
  • Organization Validated Certificates: OV certificates provide an extra layer of security. Websites that don’t exchange sensitive customer information, such as credit card information or login credentials, use these certificates. Websites that capture prospects’ contact information are common uses. 
  • Extended Validated Certificates: EV certificates offer the highest level of security for websites that exchange sensitive information. Sites that allow financial transactions require these certificates. 

Free SSL certificate providers

The following authorities provide free SSL certificates:

  1. Let’s Encrypt: Let’s Encrypt offers free DV SSL certificates. Their focus is on creating a more private and secure open web, and they support this goal by making SSL certificates available to everyone. However, it’s important to remember that Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates are only valid for three months at a time, so you’ll need to keep up with renewal dates and ensure your certificate is always valid. If you use Let’s Encrypt through your hosting provider, they’ll typically take care of this process for you. 
  2. Cloudflare: Cloudflare offers free standard SSL certificates, alongside additional security and performance features. Their certificates can be installed with just one click and auto-renew, so you don’t have to manually update things. They also take care of redirecting your site from HTTP to HTTPS to avoid any issues. While SSL certificates are included in all plans, pricing for those plans range from free to $200 per month based on the performance and security features you need.
  3. SSL For Free: Similar to Let’s Encrypt, SSL For Free supports the open web by offering SSL certificates at no cost. Their certificates are trusted by 99.9% of browsers globally and last for 90 days at a time. Keep in mind that you will need to renew it every three months.

How to install your free SSL certificate

Now that you understand the significance of an SSL certificate and where to get one, let’s discuss how to install it. There are two installation methods for SSL certificates: plugins and cPanel. 

How to install an SSL certificate in cPanel 

Under Security in your cPanel, you’ll click SSL/TLS. From here, click Manage SSL sites. You’ll see an option to upload a new certificate to your domain. Keep in mind that if you have a current hosting package or purchased your SSL certificate through your hosting provider, they may have automatically installed the certificate on your site already. Ask your hosting provider before proceeding. 

Once you install your SSL certificate, you’ll need to set up HTTPS. This process involves editing your WordPress files, so if you don’t have experience with this, you may want to ask your host:

  • In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings. Update your WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) by replacing HTTP with HTTPS. 
  • Click Save Changes. 
  • Once saved, log out of WordPress and log back in. This process may automatically log you out anyway.
  • Next, set up redirects from HTTP to HTTPS by adding this code to your .htaccess file. You can do this through the cpanel file manager or by using SFTP. 

This completes your SSL/HTTPS setup. Check all URLs to ensure they now display HTTPS instead of HTTP. You may notice mixed content errors from images, scripts, or stylesheets that still use the insecure HTTP URL. 

To fix this, find all mentions of your old URL in the database and replace them with your new URL that includes HTTPS. An easy way to do this is to install and activate the Better Search Replace plugin.

And depending on how your SSL certificate was set up, you may also need to update the URL in your WordPress settings. To do this, log into your dashboard and go to Settings → General. Then, change “http://” to “https://” in both the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) sections. Finally, save your changes.

Secure your website for free with an SSL certificate

Even if you don’t send or receive sensitive data, it’s vital to equip your website with an SSL certificate. SSL certificates increase website performance, improve your SEO efforts, and protect your customers and visitors from data breaches. Use the steps listed above to secure your website and establish trust and authority online.