2 ways - to ensure the security of your site

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Site security (SSL / HTTPS) — cyber security tops the list of internet problems for both website owners and users. In recent years, massive data breaches affecting major banks, retail chains and other leading service providers have made headlines around the world. This has made users more concerned about security than ever. In particular, the security of personal data that they share in online transactions of all kinds.

Our mission is to make sure users are protected from hacking, identity theft and other types of online crime. This is extremely important to maintain the credibility of your site. Securing your website with SSL and HTTPS protocols.

to protect confidential data. For example, those that were collected in the course of doing business, and to alert users about the safety of the website. Let's say your site collects or uses data in some way. Then it is important for you to know how these two protocols work. How, you can use them to protect your site and customers from the consequences of a series of cyber attacks.

The content of the article:

• 1. What is SSL? Its importance for website security
• 2. What is the HTTPS protocol?

1. What is SSL? Its importance for website security

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer is a small data file. It adds a cryptographic key to the transfer of data between a web browser and a server through encryption. To set up SSL encryption for a website. As the site owner, you need to obtain an SSL certificate, which acts as a kind of badge.

This mark tells everyone that the site has been verified and certified by a certificate authority. An even more secure variant of SSL is TLS (Transport Layer Security). Site owners can also request confirmation for this certificate. Not all websites require an SSL certificate. However, you need an SSL certificate to protect your data.
For example, such as:

1. Payment Information;
2. website subscription or registration data;
3. email address or username and password;
4. documents such as medical records or tax returns.

An SSL or TLS certificate adds additional the level of security of the website to any communication between the browser and the server. The certificates are stored on the server and are available every time you visit a website with HTTPS.

Site owners can choose from three types of SSL, depending on the nature of the site and the type of information it collects.

1.1 Domain Validated Certificates (DV)

DV certificates are the lowest and least secure form of authentication. For this type of certification, the certifying authority simply verifies that the applicant is the owner of the domain. No other company or applicant details are verified.

Certificates with only domain validation can be issued quickly and inexpensively, as there is very little information to validate. DV is best for websites that have a minimal relationship with personal information. They also don't care about building a solid reputation for secure transactions.

1.2 Organizational Validation (OV) Certificates

O.V. - require more thorough verification than DV certificates. This type of SSL checks not only the right to the domain, but also detailed information about the company's property and any important documents. This information is also available to site visitors, which increases the transparency of the site and the level of trust.

An OV certificate takes longer to acquire and costs more than a DV certificate. It is worth noting that it provides additional. protection for sites that work with lower-level data types. Such as collecting email addresses for marketing subscriptions.

1.3 Extended Validation (EV) Certificates

EV give the site the highest level of security. They can only be issued by authorized certifying bodies and require detailed company information. Because EV certificates take the longest to verify and offer the highest level of protection, they are the most expensive of the three. They are best suited for websites that handle very sensitive information such as credit card details.

SSL certificates are installed on the server and activated. Further, when a visitor arrives at a site with HTTPS, ssl marks it as secure. Hosting providers can issue certificates for their clients. Many of them allow customers to apply for certificates directly through their hosting account. The web server must be properly configured to accept the certificate and this process is usually handled by the hosting service.

2. What is the HTTPS protocol?

Everyone who spends time online has come across the letters HTTP. These letters usually appear at the beginning of every URL. HTTP or Hypertext Transport Protocol is a universal text protocol.
It allows:

- clients;
— individual hardware or software.

Connect to the server and get data to display.

HTTP is an insecure protocol!!! It may mean that the data that is transferred between the client and the web server may be vulnerable to hacking, phishing, and other types of cyber threats.

How HTTPS protocol changes data transfer

This protocol stands for "Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure". It informs all users of the site that the data transfer protocol between them and the servers carries a high level of protection. Like an SSL certificate, a website with HTTPS instead of HTTP tells us that the data sent between the site and the web browser is encrypted and secure.

HTTPS works with an SSL certificate! When a visitor accesses an HTTPS site, the visitor activates the certificate and starts data encryption.

What does the padlock mean in the address bar?

Along with HTTPS attached to the site URL, there are a number of benefits. For example, simple visual cues can tell a visitor if a site is encrypted with SSL. It's worth noting that sites verified by OV and DV have a green padlock next to HTTPS, which can also be green.

Those sites that have a more secure EV certificate may also include a green search bar. Such a lock icon can tell us information about the status of the site's certificate. It can be used for other purposes as well. For example, a yellow padlock may indicate that a previously issued SSL certificate has been corrupted.

New websites can be set up right from the start with HTTPS and SSL. Legacy sites can also be configured to support these add-ons. security features. It is worth noting that upgrading an old website to a more secure version in this way can cause some problems. For example, search engines may recognize a site with HTTP and HTTPS as two different sites.

How to avoid problems when switching to a secure protocol?

In order to avoid the problems that arise due to the presence of both HTTP and HTTPS sites. Experts in this situation advise taking the time to reconcile all accounts and other activities that can be affected by the switch. This may include reconfiguring all aspects of the site.
Eg:

- plugins;
- analytics or advertising;
- setting up redirects.

That way everyone can get to the right place. It's worth noting that switching to HTTPS may affect all links on the old HTTP site.

Finally

In an era of increasingly sophisticated hacking schemes. When theft or damage to user data becomes the norm. SSL and HTTPS signal to everyone that your site is trustworthy and secure.

First of all, that their most important data is safe. Also, to seriously protect your site from hackers, you can download security plugins. WP Security is a great plugin to secure your WordPress site.
He offers:

1. overall assessment of the site;
2. audit of the main problems of the site;
3. monitoring the integrity of your files;
4. scanning for malware;
5. blacklist monitoring;
6. increased protection;
7. actions after hacking;
8. various access restrictions;
9. fight against spam;
10. notifications.

If you have any questions? Please write to the mail of the site, I will definitely answer you.

Reading this article:

• SSL certificate - what is it? All you need to know
• Website security and protection - how to protect a website?

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