Self-Signed Certificates: Beware, Free Can Very Costly.

A6H8PY7Y496C All things being equal, free is my favorite price range!

The caveat I would add is that things are almost never equal when we talk about free.

It might be tempting to use free “self-signed” certificates to implement SSL on your web site, unless you fully understand what you are not getting with it. We all know about what happens when we are penny wise!

When a user connects to an SSL site a message is sent with the certificate information required to setup a secured connection. It must include the name of the certificate "signer" which is either:
the creator of the certificate (self-signed) or
a third party called a Certificate Authority.

There are scams where hackers trick users into thinking they are connected to one site and they are actually communicating with another. This is a so called “man in the middle” scam where a hacker gets in between the communication between a browser and a web site.

Self-signed certificates leave your users vulnerable to these predators. It adds about as much value as “co-signing” a loan to yourself! It does nothing to avoid users providing personal and financial information to criminals engaged in fraud.

A Certificate Authority (CA) provides assurances to the browser that the site it intends to connect to is in fact that site. Only with a CA-signed certificate does the browser know that the key it receives to encrypt messages is from the actual owner of the site.

Because of this, most browsers will display a warning message that a site with an unsigned certificate may be a danger. The user can bypass the message, but it does not leave the user with a warm and fuzzy feeling about the site.
And the warning message is correct. If your web site has been hacked by a scammer your users are in peril if they proceed.

Let’s be crystal clear about this.
You NEVER want to use a self-signed certificate on a public internet site.

If you need secured communication for a “customer facing” web site, such as an e-Commerce site. You would be exposing your customers and your business reputation to unwarranted risk. Every time your customers visit your site their browser will remind them that you are not a trustworthy operation.

Free could turn out to be very costly, indeed!

So what about internal intranet sites? Do self-signed certificates ever make sense?
Yes, but you also need to be cautious before using them on intranet sites.

More and more employees are accessing intranet sites remotely though the internet, from outside the company firewall. That may create opportunities for the hackers if you do not use a signed certificate.

Furthermore, users will also be disturbed by the browser warnings. The risks aside, it does not create a professional appearance.

It is probably best to limit the use of self-signed certificates to test labs where the data entered is not real and the testers can be warned to ignore the browser messages.

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How SSL Certificates Power Can Make or Break your Online Business

SSL Certificates provide a sense of trust in the business

In the fast-paced, need it now world we live in today it is sometimes imperative to slow down, smell the roses and make an informed decision which will dramatically impact the success or failure of your online business. And one of the most important decisions you can make as an online business owner is to install a highly trusted SSL Certificate software program that will show your customers that you actively care about their online shopping safety and security.

In the business world of today, finding important ways to connect to your customers is becoming an important step in achieving total online business success. And according to 75% of the online shopping community, the first thing they look towards when making any online purchase is that the website they are using is protected by a verified SSL Certificate of protection. Whether this is provided by Comodo or one of the Symantec brands, it has become apparent that without one of these reliable brands powering your website, your customers will simply click away and find somebody who has one installed.

There are other reasons why having a reliable SSL Certificate is critical to increasing consumer confidence in your online market place including;

SSL Certificates provide a sense of trust in the business

Besides providing your customers with trust in shopping online on your website, having a recognized and powerful SSL Certificate also shows consumers that your company has integrity and cares about the future of their business. Here is why;

• When a company takes time to consider safety and security of any part of their business, most consumers take this as an active of proactive leadership. For example; if two companies manufacture identical products - but one offers their customers a money-back guarantee if they are ever dissatisfied and the other one does not; which one will consumers choose? The answer is simple; they will pick the company that provides them with the guarantee and assurance that if they are not satisfied, they will make things better.


• When a company takes the lead in making sure to install a high quality SSL Certificate, they are also showing consumers that everything they do is built on quality. This means, every ingredient they put into their product is top-shelf, the manufacturing process in of high-quality and the customer service is also above expectations. Believe it or not, many consumers are very smart and can figure out how to separate the winners from losers in business simply due to how they protect their customer's online shopping habits.


• Finally, when a business uses a powerful SSL Certificate for their website, it develops brand affection. This is the most powerful tool in marketing as it makes your customers loyal to your brand and will actively seek out your products and services above the competitors. Don't believe me; just take a look at what Ford Motor Company has done in business since the automotive bailout. They didn't take a penny from Uncle Sam and consumers recognized this and bought more Ford's than any other US-manufactured brand name.

When you simplify the choice of buying an SSL Certificate to power your website, make sure you pick one that is of high quality as it can significantly impact your customers view on how you conduct business.

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A Guide for Small Business to Understand How SSL Works for them

How Does SSL Work for a Business website?

If you are a small business owner and have the computer knowledge of a fifth grade student doesn't worry - you're not alone. In today's world many people who start small businesses have just enough computer knowledge to be successful with business, but just don't have the knowledge base to draw from to comprehend how the programs they use daily actually work.

This doesn't mean you're stupid or even computer illiterate; it simply means you just don't get it. Well, in a world that is built on learning more every day, one thing that every business owner 'gets' is how trends and concepts effect their customers buying habits - especially if they own an online business of some sort. And one of the most important things they need to understand is how an Digital SSL Certificate installed on your website can protect your business from security threats, but also provide your customers with a highly important safety measure to protect their vital records and personal information.

Here are the basics about SSL and what it does to protect you the business owner and your company website.

WHAT IS SSL? 

SSL stand for Secure Sockets Layer. It is an online protocol that is used to communicate over an internet connection in a secured way. SSL security technology uses cryptography in order to make sure all communication between the host (that's you) and your User (that's your customers) is 100% secure and inaccessible from third party users (that's the bad guys who are looking to steal your private information that sit in 1970's vans and most likely live in their parents basements - ok, we're probably exaggerating that last part, but you get the point).

The SSL Technology allows the host and user to share a common password or 'SECURITY KEY' which allows the secured Website (yours) to share its encrypted computer code with the user (Customer) through a secured displayed network.

How Does SSL Work for a Business website?

So, now that you understand the basics on what SSL is (and just to clarify, SSL is spelled out and is an acronym, not a single word that sounds like ESEL - yes, I've heard business owners of multi-million dollar companies actually pronounce the word), it's important to understand how it will impact your business.

First, you have to buy an SSL Certificate India's 1st Industrial and Business Supplies Store" from a reliable vendor. Software security development companies such as Comodo are great people to work with - especially if you are a small business owner. They have SSL Digital Certificates that deliver tons of different perks and benefits to protect you and your customers. There are other companies on the market, so do some research and find one that interests you best.

Now, this is how the program actually works:

• Your company needs to provide a secured shopping platform for your customers.


• You buy an SSL Digital Security Certificate program that will ensure this becomes reality.


• The SSL Digital Security Certificate is installed by your website expert on the server where the website is actually hosted.


• When you customers visit the website, they will know it's an SSL protected site by looking in the top left part of the URL bar (that's where you type in the website you want to visit address by doing the www.grabthelightning.com or whatever method you use to access a website). When they look on the left side of this address bar, they will see the letters https, and a highlighted box that will allow them to click and verify that the server they are using is safe and secure.


• This provides your customers with confidence, increases your sales and allows you to buy that cool yacht you've always wanted.

Nuff said.

It really is simple to understand how important an SSL Digital Certificate can be when you simplify the process and realize it's all about customer service in the end.

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