An SSL certificate protects the website or application against cyber thieves by encrypting the data being transferred and sending it over a secure protocol to the receiver, keeping the transmission clear from cybercriminals’ eyes.
Given the ever-increasing number of technological advancements and cybercrimes, it is essential to have an SSL installed on your website or app in today’s world.
SSL is a feasible option for a small single website owner to a large organization because it is not a costly affair to buy one.
But, have you ever wondered why buying SSL is so essential for your site/app? Well, here is why:
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SSL certificates encounter validation errors regularly. To check how your SSL is performing, its availability, expiry, and functionality, you need Sematext synthetics monitoring solution.
Through Sematext browser monitor, the monitoring solution will run a check validating the following three main aspects of your SSL. They are:
In this check, the monitoring software uses Google chrome as an end-user and checks what errors are popping up. It reports those errors to you for rectification.
The monitoring software keeps a check of certificate expiry time daily. You will get an alert of renewal before 21,14,7 and 3 days of the expiration period.
Here the monitoring software checks whether or not we need to change anything in the certificate. It runs this check every 10 minutes and sends you the change report if it finds any.
SSL promotes web security by using two major cryptographic concepts, namely:
Let’s dive deeper and know more about both concepts.
In the Asymmetric concept, SSL uses a pair of keys to initiate encryption and decryption. Both the keys are called the public key and a private key.
The public key is shared with the communicating server to establish communication, while the private key is kept confidential from the communicating server.
In the Asymmetric cryptographic concept, the data gets signed by a private key but, it can only get decrypted by a relevant public key of the pair.
SSL initiates the communication by using both these keys; this process is referred to as an SSL handshake.
After both public and private keys initiate the communication, the process of actual encryption and decryption starts.
The key that is responsible for encryption and decryption of transferring data gets called session keys.
The work of the session key starts in symmetric cryptography after the initial SSL handshake gets done.
By using both asymmetric and symmetric concepts, the data gets transferred over a secure network. The transmission is done using two protocols, namely:
Let’s understand both the protocols in detail:
SSL cannot establish communication without exercising a handshake protocol. This asymmetric cryptographic concept is responsible for establishing a connection with the webserver by verifying it.
This protocol helps establish the public key for actual data transfer. In this initial stage, the certificate verifies the connection’s authenticity and ensures no loophole in it.
In this protocol, the actual data transfer happens. This symmetric cryptographic concept makes both the client and the server use the same session key to initiate the encryption and decryption process.
The session key expires after the connection gets terminated. Every time a new connection gets built, a new session key gets generated to transmit data.
Asymmetric and Symmetric cryptography happens so fast that we cannot identify the process timing as general users.
However, this process does not just happen by itself. There is a PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) infrastructure behind establishing the SSL communication.
Even if you buy the cheapest SSL certificate, the PKI infrastructure remains the same.
The work of PKI is to create, revoke, manage, distribute, store, and use digital certification’s policies, roles, and procedures.
It set guidelines for digital certificates and public-key encryption. There are four main elements of PKI, namely:
It manages the certificate authority that verifies computer and individual identities stating its authenticity.
An RA or Registration Authority acts as a subordinate to the Certificate Authority. It can issue special certificates on CA’s behalf. PKI ensures that it works appropriately.
PKI manages the SSL files that contain information related to public keys and company details.
The work of CMS or Certificate Management System is to revoke, store, or validates the certificate. The PKI manages it as well.
Web security in 2020 is not an easy task. Even SSL certificates have to go through strict processes to ensure that your website is in safe hands.
Thus, you must get an SSL installed on your website and monitor it through Sematext software.
It will keep you updated about the errors that might creep in due to one reason or the other by running regular checks and providing extensive solution reports.
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