The Increasing Need For Security – How SSL is Critical for Your Business
“Over the 2020–21 financial year, the ACSC received over 67,500 cybercrime reports, an increase of nearly 13 per cent from the previous financial year. The increase in volume of cybercrime reporting equates to one report of a cyber attack every 8 minutes……..”
Australian Cyber Security Centre – Annual Cyber Threat Report 2020-21
What are SSL Certificates all about?
- Protecting your data
- Building user confidence and trust
- Boosting your search engine ranking
- Helping qualify your site to accept payments
- Boosting site speeds
What is an SSL certificate?
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates a website’s identity and keeps the connection between the user and the website secure and private through encryption. If the connection is not encrypted, others may see the information sent between the user and the website, including sensitive data such as login details and credit card information. A padlock icon next to the URL in a web browser means the domain visited is SSL protected.
Why do you need an SSL certificate?
It’s simple. If you own a website or a blog, you should buy an SSL certificate. Today an SSL certificate is no longer a luxury; it’s necessary. A few different SSL plans are available, and your website will determine your needs.
What SSL you need depends upon your website activity. A website that uses customer credit card details may require more robust encryption and more extensive warranties than a blog-only site. A different SSL certificate price would apply to both these scenarios.
In the offline world, employing secure payment systems can foster customer trust. In the online world, however, payment security is vital to the survival of an online business. Understandably, customers will not provide their credit card details to a retailer without demonstrating their security credibility. Companies that do what they can to earn that trust and demonstrate their willingness to provide secure environments will be selected first.
SSL certificates are essential tools for businesses intent on consolidating their online security and ensuring customers’ peace of mind. Here are five reasons to get on board.
1. SSL protects your data
Upon installing an SSL certificate, all data is encrypted. That data is locked and can only be unlocked by the intended recipient (browser or server) as no one else can have the key to open it. When dealing with sensitive data such as IDs, passwords, and credit card numbers, the security certificate helps protect against the work of hackers and skimmers. With SSL security that data is undecipherable.
2. SSL builds user confidence and trust
Online customers are looking for trusted websites that highlight their security credentials and make it as easy as possible to pay. Displaying an SSL certificate and coupling this with logos from payment providers such as Visa and PayPal can eradicate doubt and boost user confidence in the site. An SSL certificate works hard to provide authentication of a website.
3. SSL certificates can boost your search engine ranking
Although Google algorithms are known to change over time, Google does give preference to those sites that demonstrate their use of SSL security.
4. SSL security can help qualify your site to accept payments
If your website accepts online payments, your website may need to demonstrate its compliance with the Payment Card Industry rules.
5. SSL can boost site speeds
When you install an SSL certificate, you can make use of the HTTP/2 transfer protocol, that can boost the performance of your site. HTTP/2 reduces latency, enables server push, and compresses headers to help your site load faster.
Every site must seriously consider SSL certificates
Even just one of these reasons is adequate justification to get SSL certification for your site. To understand how SSL certificates affect your online sales, read here.
Investing in an SSL certificate is an online security best practice that’s sure to equal instant gains for your business. Find out more about website security here.