Is self signed security certificate enough for your business website?

Website Security

In the 21st century, many internet based businesses go great lengths so as to connect with their target customers, which inevitably has become the most important step towards building a profitable online enterprise. Interestingly, some 75 per cent of the online shoppers look for a security certificate before making any online purchase and ensuring that the concerned website is protected by a verified and popular Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL certificate. Further, these kinds of security certificates are mostly provided by Comodo, Verisign or one of the Symantec brands. Without these reliable brands underlining reliability of a website, online customers usually click away and look for some other websites. A digital certificate like SSL is nothing but an electronic credit card, which confirms credentials or identity of a website that is engaged in online business and other types of transactions over the World Wide Web.

Introduction to a security certificate?

A security certificate for a website is issued by the Certification Authority (CA) and it comprises name, expiration dates, serial number and the copy of owner's public key, which is usually needed for encryption of data, messages and digital signatures. Further, an SSL certificate also includes digital signature of the certificate issuing CA, so as to enable a recipient to verify its authenticity. A digital certificate like SSL can also be recorded in online registries, so that any authenticating consumer can check public keys for verification.

Self signed vs third party signed security certificate 

Some IT professionals hold the opinion that net costs for a website authentication can be easily cut by eliminating third party SSL certification authorities from the budget equation. Individuals who believe that spending money on an SSL certificate for an online ecommerce website business or a company homepage is nothing but unnecessary, are actually walking on a tight rope. A self signed security certificate for an online business website is not a great alternative for paid SSL certification, issued by Comodo, Verisign or Symantec. This can be easily found out doing some basic market research and budgetary estimates.

Experts believe that the net cost of owning an SSL security certificate is much more than the price of the certificate. One has to consider expenses on security hardware, data centre storage space and management software, amid others, which can easily add up a big figure for the setting up of a secure and self signing architecture. Further, a Do It Yourself (DIY) approach to SSL certificate can put an entire organisation at grave risk in a number of ways, from both technical and business perspectives. Almost all major external and internal facing online marketing oriented business websites require a strong SSL protection verified by reputed third party certification provider. A digital certificate offers the most cost effective option for authenticating the identity of any online ecommerce web portal, besides being highly recommended as well.