Do I Need an SSL Certificate? The Pros Weigh In

What SSL is and why websites need an SSL certificate

Do I need an SSL certificate? Yes, if you have a website, it needs an SSL certificate. Every website needs an SSL certificate. Back in Summer 2018, Google decided that HTTPS was the way to go and HTTP was no longer acceptable. That means that as of last July, every website that doesn’t have a valid SSL certificate installed gets an ugly little “Not Secure” indicator to the left of the address bar.

The other browsers soon followed suit. Nowadays, if your website is still using the non-secure HTTP protocol, the browsers are marking it “Not Secure.”

For What Other Reasons Do I Need an SSL Certificate?

While the above reason alone should be enough to convince you to obtain SSL/TLS, there are also security reasons for why your website needs SSL.

Internet connections were never designed to be secure. And they’re far more complicated than the average internet user even realizes. That’s because they’re not 1:1 connections. When you connect to a web server hosting a popular website, your connection is routed through dozens of points on its way to the server. Without SSL and HTTPS, you’d have to rely on every single one of those points to be completely secure — which is not realistic.

So, again, we reiterate our response to your initial question about whether your website needs an SSL certificate: Yes.

How HTTP and HTTPS Differ and Why It Matters

You may be wondering what the difference is between HTTP and HTTPS. HTTP transmits data in plaintext. If one of those points on the route was compromised, the attacker would be able to view and even manipulate all of the data passed between the client and the server. SSL/TLS and HTTPS prevent this. SSL/TLS provides a way to authenticate the identity of the server while also forming a secure connection via an insecure (HTTP) channel.

HTTPS is shorthand for “HTTP over SSL/TLS.” Following a successful handshake (which performs the functions we described in the last paragraph), the connection moves from port 80 to port 443 and all data is encrypted before being transmitted.

In the past, SSL/TLS was primarily used by financial and medical organizations, and eCommerce companies to secure sensitive data as it was transmitted. Obviously, last year, Google and the rest of the luminaries in the browser community felt that level of security should be standard for all communication on the internet.

Ergo, yes, you need an SSL certificate. And nobody offers them for lower prices than us. So, take a look and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.

Save Up 75% On Comodo SSL Certificates w/ Site Seals

Tip: You can typically save a significant amount by buying your SSL certificate direct instead of through your web hosting company. We sell all Comodo SSL certificates at up to 75% off.

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