SSL Certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details. When installed on a web server, it activates the padlock and the https protocol and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser. Typically, SSL is used to secure credit card transactions, data transfer and logins, and more recently is becoming the norm when securing browsing of social media sites.

SSL also protects against phishing. Phishing emails usually contain a link to the criminals website, by impersonating your website. When your using SSL it’s practically impossible for them to impersonate your site perfectly.

SSL certificates give your webshop trust indicators, such as HTTPS and, if you have an EV certificate, a green address bar

All commercial certificate authorities have relationships with web browser vendors so that their root certificates are embedded in their browsers. The major browsers include Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Netscape, and AOL. You can usually verify a browser’s SSL compatibility by looking in the browser’s “certificate store” to find out if a particular root certificate is included in a web browser. Because web browsers are so easy to update, the root certificates are updated often so that SSL browser compatibility is rarely an issue unless your visitors like to use really old browsers.

An EV Certificate is a new type of certificate that is designed to prevent phishing attacks. It requires extended validation of your business and of the person ordering the certificate. It can take a few days to a few weeks to receive but it provides even greater assurance to customers than high assurance certificates by making the address bar turn green.

A wildcard certificate can secure an unlimited number of first level sub domains on a single domain name. For example, you could get a wildcard certificate with *.yourdomain.com as the common name. This certificate would secure www.yourdomain.com, mail.yourdomain.com, secure.yourdomain.com, anything.yourdomain.com, etc... In other words, it will work on any sub-domain that replaces the wildcard character (*).