Essential Things to Know Before Installing an SSL Certificate

Implementing an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is one of the most critical procedures for securing your website and safeguarding your users' data. But before advancing to the actual installation process, here are some things to consider. This knowledge base will teach you what you must know before installing an SSL certificate.

1. Choose the Right SSL Certificate Type

The first thing one must understand when adopting an SSL certificate is which type of certificate he requires for business. Available SSL certificates come in different categories, and each of them offers distinct positive aspects:

- Domain Validation (DV) SSL: This is the simplest form of SSL certificate, which checks and confirms that you are the domain's legal owner. It is more rapid and cost-effective than the other three methods.

- Organization Validation (OV) SSL: This certificate also assures your organization's identification and domain ownership. RFC:1628 It offers a higher level of trust than DV SSL.

- Extended Validation (EV) SSL: Thus, EV SSL is the most significant type of SSL certificate. It requires your organization's identity to be validated and offers the highest level of assurance to users; the address bar of the browser will turn green when a user is on your site.

- Wildcard SSL: This type of SSL certificate allows you to protect the primary domain as well as an unlimited number of subdomains with the same certificate.

Select an SSL certificate that is most appropriate for your website and that meets visitors' expectations.

2. Obtain a Valid SSL Certificate

After deciding on the type of SSL you want your site to have, you need to acquire a correct SSL certificate from a legitimized Certificate Authority. There are two ways to implement an SSL certificate: buy it from a reliable CA or use free SSL, for instance, from Let's Encrypt.

First and foremost, if you decide to go for an SSL certificate, ensure you get it from a trusted CA. Several Certification Authorities (CAs) can be used, including DigiCert, C Comodo, and GeoTrust.

3. Prepare Your Server for SSL Installation

Enabling and using an SSL certificate requires a specific setup on your server. This may involve:

1. Generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR): A CSR is an encoded block of text that is passed to a CA to obtain an SSL certificate. During the certificate ordering process, you will need to furnish the CA with your CSR.

2. Configuring your web server: Apache, Nginx, and Microsoft IIS are some web server software; the server on which your site resides may require configuration to support SSL.

3. Obtaining a dedicated IP address: Some web servers need one unique IP address for one or several SSL sites. Please consult the requirements of the particular cloud hosting provider you use.

4. Ensure Compatibility with Your Website and Applications

To take necessary measures before the SSL certificate installation, one should check the website and corresponding applications for compatibility with SSL. This may involve:

- Testing your website with HTTPS: Make sure all the linked URL images or other site resources are correctly labeled using HTTPS.

- Updating any hard-coded links: Another rule is to replace HTTP with HTTPS if your website includes any links that include HTTP.

- Checking for third-party applications: Make certain that any third-party applications or plugins you use on your website support SSL.

4. Understand the Implications of SSL Installation

Installing an SSL certificate can have several implications for your website and users:

- Potential downtime: The installation of the SSL may temporarily make the website unavailable. Make a point of ensuring that this is done during an occasion that will not cause a significant disruption.

- Changes to your website's URL: This requires you to add an SSL certificate; as soon as you do so, your site's URL will be http:// instead of https://. This may pose a problem for other links or bookmarks that link to the site.

- Potential SEO impact: The switch to HTTPS may also cause a shake in keyword rankings on your website for a while. However, as a rule, search engines prefer websites that connect via the HTTPS protocol.

- Increased server load: Regarding the disadvantages of using SSL, SSL encryption may add more load to your Web server. To do this, your server must be able to handle the traffic that comes with this increase in activity.

5. Implement Proper SSL Configuration

Ensure to configure your web server correctly after installing the SSL certificate. This may involve:

- Establish HTTPS: Ensure that your web server can handle HTTPS requests and automatically redirect HTTP requests to HTTPS.

- Establish SSL protocols and ciphers: Ensure your web server is configured to use the latest secure SSL protocols and ciphers.

- Think about implementing HSTS to enforce HTTPS connections and prevent SSL stripping attacks.

- Setting up SSL session management: Ensure your web server is configured correctly to handle SSL sessions efficiently for improved performance and security.

6. Test Your SSL Installation

After setting up and adjusting the SSL certificate, it is essential to thoroughly check your website to confirm that the SSL installation is functioning correctly. This may involve:

- Verify SSL errors: Utilize web-based SSL testing tools to inspect for any SSL errors or misconfigurations. 

- Confirming SSL certificate information: Ensure the SSL certificate details, including the domain name and expiration date, are accurate.

- SSL functionality is verified by experimenting with various scenarios, such as form submissions and user logins, to ensure it works properly.

- Monitor the expiration date of your SSL certificate and ensure renewal ahead of time to avoid any disruptions in your website's SSL functionality.

Considering these important factors before installing an SSL certificate ensures a smooth and successful deployment, providing a secure and trustworthy experience for your website's visitors.