Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States right now. Transferring personal information such your name, address, and credit card numbers over the internet can leave you vulnerable to hackers if the site is unprotected. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and provides protection for your customers. They can come with your web hosting or be purchased individually. Even though it is not required that you obtain an SSL certificate, it is strongly recommended for multiple reasons. If you're looking to sell something like digital cameras online - you'll want SSL.
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First of all, SSL protects personal information from being seen. It does this by encrypting the information during on-line business transactions. Basically, it turns the information into a code that can only be read with a key. This means that if anyone tries to steal credit cards or other personal information, they would only get meaningless letters and numbers. Look for GoDaddy SSL Certificates. They are a great value!
There are different levels of encryption protection. The most commonly used are the 128 bit and 256 bit encryptions. 128 bit encryptions have become the standard for internet security. The upgrade from that would be the 256 bit encryption which provides additional security in the form of coding, but generally costs more. The higher the bit, the better the SSL certificate. At any rate, some security protection is a lot better than none at all.
Another important reason to have a SSL certificate is that it can increase your sales by giving your customers peace of mind. Your customers want to know that you value their privacy. What a SSL certificate does it verify your identity and contains information about you. You are shown to be who you say you are and that your website is secure. Without a SSL certificate, a box may pop up informing your customer that they are entering an unsecured site. This may cause you to lose sales, as it may make your shopper apprehensive. A savvy on-line shopper will often look for an SSL certificate before making a purchase. So if you're selling glock handguns or something like fitness equipment - make sure you have the little lock displayed in the browser.
SSL certificates range in price from free, with your web hosting company, on up to $500. If they are purchased through your best web hosting company, the application is easy and the price is often included in your monthly hosting fee. However, the certificate will have the name of your hosting company instead of your name, so it may not look as authentic as if you had purchased it independently. An independently purchased SSL certificate can be better because you can be responsible for keeping it current, where as a free web hosting service may let it lapse, costing you money in lost sales.
There is no way to completely protect against identity theft. However, having an SSL certificate decreases the chances dramatically and gives you and your customers peace of mind. A good SSL certificate is any certificate with 128 bits or more. You should also read about benefits of dedicated vs. shared SSL. The best SSL certificates can be purchased individually and contain added identity verification and security coding.
