The internet is a dog-eat-dog world, which means all kinds of predators constantly threaten your website. You will have to deal with hackers trying to steal data and probing your website for vulnerabilities. Fortunately, you can solve this problem with the following three magical letters: SSL. Investing in SSL website security ensures your site remains protected against hackers and cyber threats.
As a website owner, you do not want sensitive information like payment details and passwords to be accessible to everyone. To secure sensitive information, you must take advantage of SSL certificates. If you do not know about SSL certificates and how they are important for securing your website, this blog will be right up your alley.
What are SSL Certificates? The TLDR
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, but what does this term mean? Don’t let the fancy term intimidate you, as it simply acts as a bodyguard for your website.
When users visit your website, an SSL certificate will create an encrypted connection between the web server and your website. This is a fundamental part of SSL website security, ensuring private and sensitive data remains safe from cybercriminals.
For the nerds out there, SSL encrypts data using private and public keys.
Here is some interesting and relevant data regarding SSL certificates to consider regarding its importance:
- Over 317 million SSL certificates are being used around the globe at this time, highlighting its increased adoption rate over the years.
- An estimated 82.9% of websites now use valid SSL certificates, an increase of 18.5% from five years ago, showcasing the growing importance of secure web connections.
- Interestingly, out of all browsers, 93.2% of Chrome users spend their browsing time on HTTPS-secure websites, indicating widespread reliance on SSL for secure browsing.
- The global SSL certificate market was valued at $187 million in 2023 and is projected to grow by 12% every year until 2030, reaching a value of $413 million.
- The United States leads in SSL adoption, with an astounding 34 million certificates, followed by Germany with 14 million certificates.
Why are SSL Certificates Necessary for your Website?
Understanding SSL certificate importance is crucial if you want to build a secure and trustworthy website. If your website is your castle, SSL website security acts as your military, defending against cyber threats and unauthorized access. SSL certificates are a must-have feature if you are serious about website security.
SSL certificates play a crucial role in things like eCommerce site optimization, directly impacting user trust and conversion rates. Online shoppers are more likely to complete purchases on secure websites, and the following stats highlight why SSL is essential:
- 84% of online shoppers abandon purchases if data is not sent over secured connections.
- 85% of online shoppers stay clear of unsecured websites.
- 79% of consumers would not go through with a purchase if they were met with a “Not Secure” warning.
If you are still unconvinced about the importance of SSL certificates, here are a couple of factors to consider:
- SSL certificates are an indication that your website is trustworthy and reliable with immediate visual cues, i.e., https:// instead of http:// in the URL. According to a GlobalSign survey, 28.9% of users look for the green address bar as a sign of security.
- Google loves secure websites and uses HTTPS as a ranking factor, meaning if you have better security, your SEO will benefit, too.
- If your website handles sensitive information, an SSL certificate is mandatory for meeting data protection laws like GDPR.
Fun Fact: Over 95% of web traffic is encrypted on Google since 2020, and if you are not a part of this percentage, you are practically living in the Stone Age.
Why Choose Hosting with SSL Certificates
Your SSL certificates are worthless if your hosting provider does not support them. For this reason, it is important to find hosting that supports SSL certificates out of the box.
When choosing the best managed WordPress hosting with SSL certificate, like Rapyd Cloud, you ensure your website is automatically secured with SSL without any manual setup. This means you do not have to worry about setting up SSL or renewing it every year manually. Your hosting provider will take care of all the technical stuff, allowing you to focus on things that matter.
How to Ensure SSL is Set Up on Your Website Properly?
Wondering how to make your website SSL secure?
- After buying hosting, you can check if the SSL certificate is installed using an SSL checker tool.
- Once your SSL certificate is live, your site should automatically redirect users from HTTP to HTTPS.
The Role of SSL in WordPress Malware Protection
It is no secret that WordPress websites are easy targets for hackers and cybercriminals, despite adopting a WordPress website security checklist. Third-party integrations, themes, and plugins are easy to exploit, but an SSL certificate can do wonders in protecting your website from the most common types of attacks.
Phishing Protection
SSL makes it difficult for phishers to copy and replicate your website. The padlock icon on the browser will be a clear indicator for your users that they are in the right place.
Protection against Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
SSL encrypts all data between the server and the user, preventing anyone from listening in. Even if an attacker is stalking your website, they can’t read any of the information that is being exchanged.
Stronger Security against Malware
SSL certificates prevent hackers from gaining access to your website, and when used with other malware protection plugins, your website will be impenetrable. This ensures you do not have to go through the hassle of adopting and implementing a website security checklist, after which you would need to update regularly, too.
Brute Force Attack Prevention
Combine SSL with two-factor authentication or plugins like Sucuri or Wordfence to benefit from multi-layered protection, bolstering brute force attack prevention and preventing hackers from using automated tools to guess your passwords.
Tips and Tricks to Make the Most of SSL Certificates
Now that your SSL certificate is up and running, you may wonder what comes next. The good news is you can take a few additional steps to make the most of this handy feature. If you do not know where to begin, check out the following tips and tricks:
Check SSL Certificate Regularly
If you want to check website SSL security, don’t assume your SSL certificate is always active. Just because your SSL certificate is installed does not mean you can kick back and relax. SSL certificates have expiration dates, and if you do not want to risk your website flashing “Not Secure” to visitors, you must use tools like SSL Test to check the health of your SSL certificate.
Redirect All Traffic to HTTPS
Installing SSL is not going to be enough; you must ensure every page is encrypted. For this reason, you will need to set up a 301 redirect to send visitors to HTTPS versions of pages automatically.
This little trick will ensure every bit of your traffic is secure, and reliable managed hosting providers, like Rapyd Cloud, make this job easier with built-in tools that handle redirects for you.
Optimize SSL Performance
SSL encryption can take a toll on your website’s performance, but you can solve this by enabling HTTP/2. This newer version of the HTTP protocol speeds up SSL connections, and since most modern servers and browsers support it, there is no reason why you should not enable it.
SSL is a powerful tool, yes, but it is not the only solution for all your security needs. You will need to use it in collaboration with other practices for website protection like:
- Regularly update WordPress, WordPress themes, and plugins.
- Use stronger passwords and advise your users to do the same.
- Enable two-factor authentication for your admin login page.
Why Choose Rapyd Cloud for your Website’s Security?
By now, you have a better understanding of SSL website security and how it plays a vital role in WordPress malware protection. But let’s talk about something more exciting – your cloud hosting platform. Many website owners fail to realize the importance of choosing a reliable and dependable managed hosting solution provider, thus doing more harm than good in the long run.
If you opt for a top-tier cloud hosting provider like Rapyd Cloud, here is how you will benefit:
- You will not have to install SSL certificates on your own, as it will be taken care of for you.
- Slow websites are intolerable; visitors hate them, Google hates them, and they will affect your conversion rates. Rapyd Cloud offers blazing-fast speeds, allowing you to keep your visitors and Google happy.
- Features like built-in malware scanning, automated backups, etc., ensure your website is secure from all kinds of threats.
- Rapyd Cloud offers continuous secure monitoring, meaning their team will keep their eyes peeled for vulnerabilities. If a threat is detected, you will get the latest patches sooner rather than later.
- As your website grows, your security needs will evolve as well. Whether you are expanding your business or adding new features, Rapyd Cloud will keep up with your pace. Rapyd Cloud has a robust infrastructure that can handle high traffic, offers extra security measures, and much more.
If you are serious about your website and its security, you should opt for Rapyd Cloud, the secure WordPress hosting. Rapyd Cloud offers features like automated features, built-in SSL certificates, etc., essentially taking care of the nitty gritty so that you can pay attention to things like growing sales, improving customer support, and working on your digital marketing efforts. So what are you waiting for, Christmas?
