How much do you know about free SSL certificates? The difference between free SSL certificate and charged SSL certificate

SSL The certificate has the ability to protect website data , Prevent hackers from listening 、 Functions of stealing and tampering , Therefore, it has been paid more and more attention by enterprises and government departments .

2018 year 7 Month begins ,Google Will all HTTP Site marked as “ unsafe ”, Remind users of possible risks . At the same time, Firefox also has corresponding unsafe warnings . Besides , Google 、 Baidu and other search engines also clearly provide HTTPS Website （ install SSL certificate ） Higher weight and search ranking .

So in this context , Many government and enterprise websites and even personal blogs have been installed SSL certificate . However, some small and medium-sized enterprises and individuals may consider costs , Often choose to install a free certificate . Because free certificates can also make websites HTTPS agreement , It seems to have the same effect as other paid certificates . But is it true ？

What is free SSL certificate ？

free SSL certificate It can be divided into self signed certificates and DV Two kinds of certificates .

Self signed certificate is a kind of use openssl Tools such as , Create locally rather than from a public certificate authority （CA） The certificate applied for there . Such certificates have great security risks , On the one hand, because it is not CA Issued by institutions , Therefore, it is not trusted by the browser ; On the other hand, self signed certificates have a long validity , Cryptographic technology has not been updated for a long time , It is easy to be broken by hackers . Therefore, self signed certificates are rarely used in institutional websites now .

DV The certificate is made up of professional CA An entry-level certificate issued by an organization , In order to obtain users, some certificate service providers will issue free certificates DV certificate .DV The certificate is trusted by the browser , And have the ability to OV、EV The certificate has the same data transmission encryption function , however DV The certificate only verifies the domain name , Do not verify the identity of the applicant , Therefore, it cannot play the role of authentication , Can't avoid phishing sites .

The difference between free certificate and paid certificate

① Different types

Do not consider self signed certificates . formal CA Institutional approach SSL certificate , Only DV The certificate is free （ part SSL Certificate services ）,OV、EV All certificates are paid certificates

② Different expiry dates

Self signed certificates are often issued for a very long time , But the security is relatively low ,DV certificate And OV、EV Certificates don't make much difference , The validity period is basically about one year , It needs to be renewed in time after expiration .

③ Encryption strength is different

although DV The certificate also has the effect of data transmission encryption , but DV The encryption strength of the certificate is much weaker than OV and EV certificate , The corresponding security is also much lower .

④ Users have different degrees of trust

Free of charge DV SSL The certificate only has a lock mark , And paid OV and EV The certificate displays https And green safety lock , You can also check the details of the company ,EV SSL Certificates can also turn the address bar green , And directly display the company name in the address bar . These logos can increase customers' trust in the website , Greatly improve the website conversion rate .

therefore , Government and enterprise websites cannot only consider the cost , We should consider brand image and data security , Try to install paid OV and EV certificate , As for personal websites, if the budget is not enough, you can try to use free DV certificate .