SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer, is a cyber-security protocol that digitally encrypts information sent from a browser to a server. SSL certificates are used to protect sensitive information like credit card numbers, usernames, passwords, email addresses, and more. A website with an SSL certificate is identified using a number of trust indicators, like “https” and the padlock icon in the browser bar, a site seal from a reputable Certificate Authority (CA), and a green bar that wraps around the URL on more premium certificates.

An Organization Validated (OV) SSL certificate requires that a business complete a light vetting process by the Certificate Authority before being issued. These certificates are a nice middle-ground between DV and EV certificates, as they aren’t as expensive as EV options but still offer more SSL and trust indications than basic between DV and EV certificates. These certificates typically take between 2-3 days to be issued.

A Domain Validated (DV) SSL certificate is a quick and easy way to secure a domain, as the Certificate Authority (CA) issuing the certificate only requires verification that the recipient actually owns the domain they wish to cover. This verification process can typically be completed in a matter of minutes. However, these certificates offer little in the way of SSL recognition, so they are recommended for websites where visitor trust is not of high importance and information like usernames, passwords, or credit card information is not required.

EV stands for Extended Validation and is the most premium type of SSL certificate available. These certificates are identified on websites mainly by the green address bar, the most universally recognized symbol of trust on the web. EV certificates are becoming more and more commonplace in the industry, especially amongst ecommerce sites, as they are used by some of the most trusted sites in the world like Bank of America, Twitter, Paypal, and more. These certificates require that a company complete a thorough vetting process before being issued.

Wildcard SSL certificates can cover one main domain name (www.domain.com) and an unlimited amount of subdomains (mail.domain.com, login.domain.com, test.domain.com, etc.).

An SSL certificate warranty covers any damages that you may incur as a result of a data breach or hack that was caused due to a flaw in the certificate. The warranties range in value, which means that the higher value certificates come with more extensive warranties.