The last years, the number of organizations and businesses that use SSL certificates has increased dramatically. Furthermore, applications of SSL have widened. For example, some companies use it just for confidentiality issues, such as encryption, while others use it to increase confidence in their brand and their commitment to safety.
As applications of SSL are continually expanding, 3 types of security certificates SSL have emerged:
- Simple SSL certificates, called Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificates: Issued easily and directly. The certificate issuer only checks if the entity applying for a certificate has the right to use the domain for which the certificate will be issued.
In a secure connection between a browser and a website via domain validated certificate, the address of the website in the address bar changes from "http" to "https" and your browser shows a padlock icon. -
Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificates: medium security level choice. In these certificates, the issuer checks the right of entity who submits the application to use this specific domain and also does some authentication for the organization who will use this certificate.
In a secure connection between a browser and a website that uses organization validated certificate also the address of the website in the address bar changes from "http" to "https" and your browser shows a padlock icon. When someone clicks on the padlock in the browser for a website like this, may view the confirmed by the issuer information and therefore can have an instant picture of who is behind the website visited. -
Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates: These certificates are available for any kind of organization, including non-business and government entities and non-profit organizations and is considered to provide the maximum level of security that can be gained by using a certificate SSL.
In these certificates, except checking for the domain, the issuer proceeds to a detailed examination of all data of the organization that will eventually use the certificate. For this audit there is an internationally defined set of specific criteria, controls and steps.
In a secure connection between a browser and a website that uses extended validation SSL certificate, the address of the website in the address bar changes from "http" to "https", the browser shows a padlock icon.
The visitor of the site, may click on the padlock to view all the information about the organization that owns this website.
