A brief introduction of Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate

Understand why EV SSL certificates are called the ‘Gold-Standard’ of Website Security

An Extended Validated (EV) SSL certificate is one of the visible indicators of security of any SSL certificate on the market. By enabling the ‘Green Address Bar” feature in all major browsers, visitors will know they’re working with the right site. Not only will your visitors visually see the security, but they’re also going to be safe while browsing the website. As with all certificates, the EV SSL will protect your visitors by enabling encryption for the duration of their visit, which will prevent any third parties from snooping on your visitors.

In order for a website to actually have an EV SSL certificate they’ll have to first go through the Extended Validation process. This process will verify the legal identity of the organization who operates the website, as well as the physical operation existence of the organization. The validation process might seem tedious and troublesome at times, but is well worth the investment as case studies have shown quite the return on investment (ROI). As with all certificates, the EV SSL certificate is equipped with all the bells and whistles you could ever want to ensure trust amongst your visitors.

Touching on the features of the EV SSL certificate, many Certificate Authorities (CA’s) bundle in additional features that help ensure your customers that your website is secure and free from any vulnerabilities. Such features include but are not limited to: dynamic site seals, vulnerability reports, malware scanning, and much, much more. All of which help showcase the amount of time, effort, and seriousness the organization takes to secure their website for their visitors.

How would I know if a Website is using an EV SSL Certificate?

We’re aware that everyone might not know what an EV SSL Certificate is, or what it does, but we’ve built a list of features to look for so you can determine if they’re using an EV SSL Certificate.

1. Green Address Bar: The biggest identifier of an EV SSL Certificate is the green bar that will reside in the browser’s navigation bar.
2. Organization Details: Within the “Green Address Bar” you’ll find the organization’s legal operating name, which when reviewed will provide all the details and include the name of the Certificate Authority who issued the certificate.

Why is an EV SSL Certificate Needed?

The true question should be why it isn’t needed, as having an EV SSL Certificate has managed to have quite a positive impact on our clients. With all the latest security breaches happening from Target to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), all businesses are beginning to see a negative impact from improper security practices. By establishing an EV SSL certificate for your organization, you’re providing the assurance for your visitors that your organization cares for the security of your visitors.

Due to the requirements of getting an EV SSL certificate, the market share for having an EV SSL certificate isn’t as high as a typical SSL certificate. This helps set your organization apart from the other hundred million websites out there, and also puts your organization in the same pool as Amazon, Ebay, PayPal, and American Express.

The True Value of an EV SSL Certificate for an Online Business:

Having an Extended Validated SSL certificate not only provides assurance for your customers that you are who you say you are, but they also benefit the business as well. With the Internet growing each and every day, customers are beginning to really evaluate the safety of both their personal information and payment information. By having an EV SSL Certificate on your website you’re likely to see the following:

• A decrease in abandoned shopping carts.
• An increase in your customer retention rate.
• High conversion rate for your products/services.

All of which combine together to provide quite the return on your purchase of the EV SSL Certificate. If you’re still uncertain about the EV SSL Certificate or have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with one of our SSL Specialists.