Australia’s SSL Digital Certificate Information Centre
Web IP’s SSL Digital Certificate Information Centre has been developed to provide consumers and business with information on SSL Digital Certificates, SSL Digital Certificate providers, technical information about SSL Digital Certificate and competitive prices.
What is an SSL Digital Certificate?
Secure Sockets Layer uses a cryptographic system that encrypts data with two keys. When a SSL Digital Certificate is installed on a web site, users can see a padlock icon at the bottom area of the navigator.
When an Extended Validation Certificate is installed on a web site, users with the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera will see the green address bar at the URL area of the navigator.
An SSL Digital Certificate indicates that an encryption algorithm is being used to ensure that only intended parties are the recipient of a data transmission. For this reason, SSL Digital Certificates are one of the hallmarks of a solid e-commerce foundation and the de facto industry standard for protecting information from unauthorized access. In short, SSL Digital Certificates help build customer trust and website reputation by safeguarding Internet transactions.
Why SSL Digital Certificate?
Trust of your online customers is critical to success in any e-commerce strategy. If you don’t have customer confidence at transaction time, you risk the loss of significant business.
Online shoppers are very careful about whom they are buying from online, and how their personal details are being managed. A survey conducted by TNS research in 2006 showed that:
- 87% of online shoppers are concerned about credit card fraud
- 85% of online shoppers are concerned about identity theft
- 83% of online shoppers are concerned about sharing personal information
- 77% of online shoppers are concerned about spyware
Fraud and identity theft are the biggest barriers to people shopping online. The same TNS research showed that of online consumers, 65% shop only at sites they know and trust, and 65% of online shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart because they did not “trust” the transaction. If you don’t have a prominent SSL Digital Certificate at checkout time, in most cases, you don’t have your clients business.
The SSL Basics for Business
Does my business need an SSL Digital certificate?
We get asked this question a fair bit and in most cases if you are planning on having customers transact on your website, then the answer is almost always yes!
Imagine being told by MasterCard or Visa’s Fraud Control Division that your unsecure ecommerce site was the source of your clients’ credit cards being fraudulently used causing Thousands of dollars of fraud. Bye-Bye Consumer confidence. Bye-Bye Business.
The Extended Validation Green Bar, SSL, 128bit encryption vs 256 bit encryption, SSL Wildcard, and then choosing from a provider can be confusing.
If you’re confused by it all, then we recommend installing a basic Domain Validated SSL Certificate. These are cost effective and quick to issue. See types of SSL Digital Certificates for more information.
What if I collect Credit Card Information?
If you accept credit card information and store it in a database so you can process it using an offline POS machine or charge it manually on your merchant account’s website, then you definitely need an SSL certificate to secure the credit card data as it is transferred.
You also need to be very careful with the data when it is stored on your servers.
Google PCI Compliance for more information.
Do I use a 3rd party payment processor?
If your e-commerce site forwards your visitors to a 3rd party payment processor (like PayPal) to enter the credit card information then you don’t need an SSL certificate because your website won’t touch the credit card information.
Where to purchase an SSL certificate
So you’re now sure that you need SSL for your e-commerce or other type of site. How do you know what type of certificate to purchase? Which SSL provider should you buy from?
Contact Web IP and we will guide you through the issuing process and conduct all off the boring administration and liaison.
Types of SSL Digital Certificates
Web IP provide free advice on the best type of SSL Digital Certificate for your business. For a comprehensive overview of typles of SSL Certificates, see types of SSL Digital Certificates.
Thawte SSL Digital Certificates
Verisign SSL Digital Certificates
