In July 2018, Google announced that Chrome would eventually mark all websites that are not encrypted with HTTPS as “not secure.” When someone loads a website over plain HTTP, their connection to the website they are visiting is not encrypted. Since this announcement, people have been avoiding using HTTP websites or staying on them for long periods. This trend continues today.
If you don’t want to lose traffic and want to encourage people to spend more time on your website while ensuring their information is secure, it’s highly recommended to ensure SSL is set up on your website, enabling people to visit it through the HTTPS protocol.
The HTTPS protocol is a security technology used to establish an encrypted link between a web client and a web server. It identifies and authenticates the server and ensures the integrity and privacy of all transmitted data, facilitating secure network communication.
HTTPS prevents tampering with or eavesdropping on information shared over a network, regardless of the authentication mechanism or network where the communication contains confidential information.
When you use HTTPS, you connect to resources and web pages using the HTTPS protocol instead of HTTP. Using HTTPS ensures that passwords, names, and other sensitive information cannot be decrypted during transmission.
To use HTTPS, you need to obtain an SSL certificate and install it on your website. Each web server may follow a different process for the same.
What is an SSL Certificate?
An SSL Certificate authenticates the identity of a website and enables an encrypted connection. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a security protocol that creates an encrypted link between a web browser and a web server.
Organizations need to install an SSL Certificate on their website to secure online transactions and keep customer information private, ensuring overall website security.
An SSL Certificate secures the internet connection and prevents cybercriminals from modifying or reading information being transferred between two systems. A padlock icon in the address bar (next to the URL) indicates that SSL protects the website you’re visiting.
Bigrock offers three types of SSL certificates at different price points: Positive SSL, Comodo SSL, and Positive SSL Wildcard. Depending on your website’s needs and budget, you can choose any of them.
Read on to learn how to apply and install an SSL Certificate when your website is hosted with Bigrock and how to configure your website to enable HTTPS.
READ: What is SSL Certificate and What are its Benefits
How to apply for an SSL Certificate?
After purchasing an SSL certificate, you’ll need to complete a verification process with the CA (Certificate Authority) to obtain your final certificate. Follow the steps below to apply for your certificate.
Step 1: Go to the Order Information view in the control panel.
(Type your order’s domain name in the search field on the homepage, select Order from the drop-down, and click on Search.)
Step 2: Submit your certificate application.
In the Order Information view, go to the SSL Certificate section and click on Issue Certificate. Enter your CSR and click on Next. (If you want to read about CSR in detail, click here.)
Step 3: Choose a verification method on the next page and complete the verification process.
(Make sure that Privacy Protection is disabled for the Domain Name.)
How to Initiate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR):
Generating a CSR is the first step to apply for an SSL Certificate. This can be done from the web server control panel, and requires you to enter the following details:
- Organization Name
- Organizational Unit (your organization type)
- Country Code
- State or Province
- Locality
- Common Name (the domain name)
Once you’ve entered these details, you’ll receive an encoded file – your CSR. This CSR can be used to submit your SSL certificate application to the CA (Certificate Authority).
Read: Secure Multiple Domains with a Single SSL Certificate
How to Install an SSL Certificate?
Once your SSL Certificate is issued, you can easily locate and install it through your control panel by following these steps:
Locate your SSL Certificate
Step 1: Go to the “Order Information” view in your control panel.
(Type your order’s domain in the search field on the homepage, select “Order” from the drop-down menu, and click on the “Search” button.)
Step 2: Retrieve your SSL Certificate
In the “Order Information” view, click on “View Certificate Details.” A pop-up will display your certificate.
Install your SSL Certificate
Depending on the web server you’re using, you can follow the appropriate instructions below to install your SSL Certificate:
Cpanel
Plesk
Microsoft IIS 5.x & 6.x
Microsoft IIS 7.x
Apache
NGINX
OS X Lion (10.7) Server
Others
READ: How to Install an SSL Certificate in Just a Few Clicks
How to configure your site to enable HTTPS
Once you have installed the SSL certificate, allow some time for your website to update. Then, make sure to visit your website using its HTTPS:// version. If the website loads properly, everything is in order, and you have successfully installed your SSL certificate. You can now enable HTTPS.
To ensure the security of your website, you need to redirect users from HTTP to HTTPS on pages where their sensitive information is saved. You may also need to update links to those pages to ensure that they are HTTPS and not HTTP.
If you want to redirect visitors to HTTPS automatically on specific pages, it is recommended to do this on the server side. You can use the following code at the top of your page:
// Require https
if ($_SERVER[‘HTTPS’] != “on”) {
$url = “https://”. $_SERVER[‘SERVER_NAME’] . $_SERVER[‘REQUEST_URI’];
header(“Location: $url”);
exit;
}
Alternatively, you can force redirection through the .htaccess file. The code below can redirect users who are viewing their checkout page or cart to the HTTPS version if they are not already on it.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(cart/|checkout/) https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}
And you are done.
If you encounter any issues with installing an SSL Certificate in your Bigrock account, you can get in touch with Bigrock’s support team. We will be happy to assist you.
We hope this article was insightful for you.
