We use the internet for everything, from sending important information across the globe to buying and selling products and services. With the increase in the World Wide Web’s popularity, cybersecurity has become a major focus. The reality is that there are dangerous cyber criminals lurking around every corner waiting to hack your information. Luckily, there are many ways to safeguard yourself on the internet. If you have a website, it’s important to secure it with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. By installing an SSL certificate on your website’s server, it allows you to create secure connections between your site and its visitors and ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private.
What happens if you don’t invest in an SSL?
If you don’t have an SSL certificate, your website may still function as always, but it will be vulnerable to hackers and Google will warn visitors that your website is not secure.
Google also gives priority to websites that have an SSL certificate. So, you will eventually lose your position on Google’s search results to competitors who have SSL certificates.
Without an SSL certificate, cybercriminals can steal your information
An SSL certificate is more than just an ‘add-on’ for your website. Nowadays, they have become a necessity. If you are going to run a successful website that is safe for you and your visitors, you most definitely need one.
Do I still need an SSL if I don’t sell anything online?
Website owners tend to think that if you don’t allow transactions on your website, you don’t need an SSL certificate. However, SSL encryption has a range of very important benefits for small business owners, including data protection, improved customer trust and better search engine rankings.
Build trust by adding an SSL
With an SSL certificate, your customers will see a green padlock icon or a green address bar that indicates well-trusted encryption. This gives visitors and potential customers peace of mind when they’re browsing your website.
Search Engine Optimisation and SSL
Google wants to create a safe environment for its users. That is why they will give preference on their search engine results pages to websites that have an SSL certificate installed.
SSL certificates can expire
If you allow your SSL certificate to expire, it becomes invalid. If your certificate is invalid, transactions on your website will no longer be secure and your website will no longer be completely safe for you or your visitors to use. Be sure to know the date of when your SSL certificate expires to ensure complete protection, 365 days a year.
How do you get an SSL certificate installed?
It is possible to install an SSL certificate yourself if you have access to your website control panel, however, it is usually easier and more affordable to get your hosting company to assist you with the process. Ask us to do it for you!
Will an SSL certificate take care of all your security needs?
An SSL certificate will protect your personal information online. However, if your web server is vulnerable to malware and viruses, attackers with access to the webserver will be able to read information from the server itself, side-stepping the SSL security features completely. This is why it is important to invest in both an SSL certificate, as well as effective Malware removal and protection.
Malware protection
If malware is already loaded onto a device, such as a tablet or a laptop, data like passwords can be grabbed directly from the computer’s keyboard input, leaving the SSL connection useless. This means that you will need to ensure your web server is updated and secure and free from any viruses or malware. It’s important to invest in enterprise-grade website security, along with an SSL certificate, for complete protection.
It may not be compulsory to use an SSL certificate or to get malware protection, but at the rate of which websites are being hacked, data being stolen, and computers and web servers becoming compromised, it is an investment you can no longer ignore.
Ready to get an SSL or Malware protection for your website? Talk to us.
