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What kind of SSL certificate meets your needs?
SSL certificates have long been critical tools for organizations interested in effectively securing in-transit data, allowing them to encrypt sensitive traffic and other information on the move. Now that Google has updated its algorithms to factor in the use of SSL certificates when determining search engine results page rankings, even business leaders who have overlooked this crucial need are looking into the technology. Not all SSL assets are created equal, however, with some being more appropriate for given circumstances than others. One of the most common obstacles that potential SSL adopters run into is figuring out what type of certificate will best meet their needs.
According to the CA Security Council, there are three primary forms of SSL certificates for businesses to mull over: single- and multi-domain options along with wildcard certificates. Decision-makers should weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each before investing in a solution.
Single-domain
For businesses that only operate one website, single-domain may be the most sensible option to deploy. Unlike other types of certificates, their use is limited to a single webpage. Large enterprises with multiple websites and a rabbit hole of sub-domains will likely not find much value in this tool. Organizations with smaller footprints and limited operating expenses, meanwhile, may find single-domain certificates to be a perfect fit.
Multi-domain
As its name suggests, a multi-domain certificate can be deployed across numerous websites, sometimes even those belonging to different companies. Multi-domain solutions offer an effective way to protect in-transit data across a wide network of channels. As such, they are very popular with larger organizations that hold considerable digital assets. One factor to keep in mind when deploying multi-domain certificates is that whenever any changes are made to their scope, new certificates must be issued. This means that if an organization wants to drop a website from its SSL coverage, it must have its certificate authority reissue fresh ones with those updates accounted for.
Wildcard
Like single-domain options, wildcard SSL certificates cover data sent over one website. However, wildcard solutions can also be applied to an unlimited number of sub-domains. An organization that runs a single, complex webpage filled with numerous sub-domains like blogs or digital shops can conveniently cover everything with one certificate. That presents a very cost-effective option for businesses that are shopping for SSL solutions on a budget. There are some security issues that may arise when using this type of certificate, however. Anyone with access to that certificate's private key could set up an unauthorized sub-domain that appears entirely legitimate to visitors. Furthermore, it would be very difficult for a company to detect the presence of that rogue page.
Making the best choice for the right deployment
Business leaders must consider the many strengths and weaknesses of each option before implementing an SSL solution. Cost, scope and flexibility will all be important factors to mull over. As explained in a Symantec white paper, enterprise users may want to avoid leaning on a wildcard certificate as their primary form of SSL protection as it will be difficult to ensure that vulnerabilities are not exploited by rogue employees or network intruders. Ultimately, Symantec recommends that businesses with greater security needs consider multi-domain certificates since they can help balance security with accessibility.
"Multi-use certificates make it much easier to deploy multiple secure services both internally and externally and have distinct advantages in lowering costs and reducing resources," the report stated. "This ease of deployment is particularly useful in environments that include several services such as mail, instant messaging, web, mobile device management and File Transfer Protocol."
Protect sensitive, in-transit data with a high-quality SSL certificate today.
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