If you want to earn customers’ trust, rank high on search engines, and boost your revenue, your website must look trustworthy. This is where getting an SSL certificate comes in handy.
If your website is not equipped with SSL, search engines like Google alert potential visitors that your website is not secure.
What is an SSL Certificate?
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is an online security protocol that enables an encrypted connection between your website’s server and the user’s browser, ensuring a secure transaction.
You might have noticed how there are websites that start with HTTP and HTTPS. That’s because HTTPS websites indicate that a website uses SSL.
So, how does SSL encryption work?
A visitor’s web browser encrypts the information with a public key that only the permitted server can read. The server then decrypts the data with a private key.
READ: What is an SSL Certificate and What are its Benefits
What happens if you don’t have an SSL certificate?
In contrast, hackers can easily spy on every communication of websites without an SSL certificate. Moreover, they can easily steal sensitive personal data like credit card information without being blocked by any security protocol.
If you own a membership site, ecommerce store or any website requiring people to pay or register, you cannot overlook the importance of installing an SSL certificate.
Though you may think that you don’t need one because you have a simple website that doesn’t deal with payments – every website needs one. Otherwise, Google warns your visitors with a “Not Secure” notification driving them away. In 2014, Google also announced it as a ranking signal, so you get a ranking boost if you have an SSL certificate installed.
How to Install an SSL Certificate?
Herein, we’ll describe the process of installing an SSL certificate on your Linux Hosting Package with easy steps:
Step 1 – Generate a Private Key
- Login to cPanel
- In the security section, click on SSL/TLS manager
- Under Private Keys (Key), click on Generate, view, upload, or delete your private keys
- Fix the Key Size to 2,048 bits
- Click on Generate
With this, you have generated the KEY for SSL.
Step 2: Generate a Public Key
- Navigate to Return to SSL Manager and click on Generate, view, or delete SSL certificate signing requests (under Certificate Signing Requests (CSR))
- Select the key that you have generated
- Enter the domain name for which you want to install SSL.
Note – If you want to install the certificate for www.yourdomain.com, enter www.yourdomain.com in this field and not yourdomain.com.
4.Fill in your company details (including the email address)
5.Set a random alphanumeric passphrase (Like, abc123)
6.Click on Generate
7.Copy and Paste the Encoded Certificate Signing Request into a notepad file
With this, you have generated the CSR for SSL.
Step 3: Enroll the Certificate
- If you got your Digital Certificate or SSL from BigRock, you can refer to this article to enroll on your certificate.
- If you got it from another provider, you can contact them to enrol the certificate using the CSR you have generated.
Step 4: Upload the Certificate
- Login to cPanel
- In the security section, go to SSL/TLS Manager
- Under Certificates, click on Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates
- Click on Save Certificate
Step 5: Install the Certificate
- Click on Return to SSL Manager
- Under Install and Manage SSL for your website, click on Manage SSL sites
- From the drop-down, select the domain for which you have uploaded the certificate
- Click on Autofill by Domain
- Now, based on your Digital Certificate, you need to copy the Certificate Authority Bundle (CABUNDLE) using the links given below –
- Positive SSL: Positive SSL CA bundle
- Comodo SSL: Comodo SSL CA bundle
- Positive SSL Wildcard: Positive SSL Wildcard
6.Replace it with the existing CABUNDLE that you see on your cPanel
7.Click on Install Certificate and then on OK
Congratulations! Your SSL certificate is installed. Give about an hour for the changes to reflect and you will see your website resolving on HTTPS.
READ: Different Types of SSL Certificates Explained
Protect Your Business with SSL
Hackers are always on the move and your website could be the next target. Secure your business and customers’ data with an SSL certificate.
Doing so does not only save your business from going down the drain. It also lets you establish credibility and boost traffic which would eventually lead to an increase in sales.
