There are certain aspects of a web page that must be taken care of and avoid problems that affect security. This can also be very important for the image of the page itself, as well as to improve the presence in search engines. In this article we are going to explain what an SSL certificate is , why it is important for a web page and how we can install it on our hosting.
What is an SSL certificate
An SSL certificate enables the transfer of data between a browser and a web server to occur in an encrypted and secure manner . It is a very important standard and one that is really present on web pages today.
The main purpose of an SSL certificate is to protect the website from intruders who could access it. It serves to encrypt user connections and ensure that information cannot be intercepted by third parties. Basically it is a security layer that allows two parties to communicate privately.
The SSL certificate is installed on the web server and will fulfill the function of authenticating the identity of the site and guaranteeing visitors that they are on the legitimate page. Very important to avoid accessing a website that may be false, that may actually be a Phishing attack.
Each of the SSL certificates has a name, a serial number, and an expiration date. They also have a copy of the public key, as well as the digital signature of the authority that issues that certificate.
How to install an SSL certificate on the server
Installing an SSL certificate on the server is a very important process that those responsible for a website have to carry out. An essential way to offer visitors a secure, encrypted site that has the appropriate guarantees. In addition, it will also serve to give a good image and be able to appear better in the main Internet search engines.
This may vary depending on the hosting we have hired, but the process is similar. The first thing we have to do is have an SSL certificate . We can buy it with the company where we have the server, for example. Also with another external provider. There are even free certificates or that are included with the contracted hosting.
When we have the certificate downloaded to our computer, we can access the control panel of our hosting. In our case we are going to do it with cPanel , although the process is similar in other different ones.
Once inside cPanel you have to go to the Security section. There we will see the SSL / TLS section. There we will see different options, such as Private Keys, Certificate Signing Requests, Certificates and Install and manage SSL for the site. The latter is the one that interests us.
When we are inside, all the domains that we have linked to that hosting will appear. In case we only have one, that one will appear. On the other hand, if we have several, all of them will appear and we will have to choose the one that interests us.
By selecting the option to install SSL certificate and mark the domain that interests us, we will simply have to fill in all the information they ask for. This includes the Certificate (CRT) and the Private Key (KEY). When we have everything filled we simply have to click on Install certificate, which is the button that appears below.
From that moment on, our site will have the certificate installed correctly. Browsers will recognize it and we will no longer have security problems related to this issue. This is important, since for some time many browsers have been informing visitors that the website is not secure if they enter one where there is no certificate installed.
In short, following these steps that we have mentioned we can install an SSL certificate on our website. It is a very important process that we must take into account. It is simple and fast, as we have seen. You simply have to have a correctly purchased certificate and then install it on the hosting.
