What is an SSL certificate?
An SSL certificate (also known as a TLS or SSL/TLS certificate) is a digital document that binds the identity of a website to a cryptographic key pair consisting of a public key and a private key. The public key, included in the certificate, allows a web browser to an encrypted communication session with a web server via the TLS and protocols. The private key is kept secure on the server, and is used to digitally sign web pages and other documents (such as images and JavaScript files).
An SSL certificate also includes identifying information about a website, including its domain name and, optionally, identifying information about the site’s owner. If the web server’s SSL certificate is signed by a publicly trusted certificate authority (CA), like , digitally signed content from the server will be trusted by end users’ web browsers and operating systems as authentic.
What is TLS?
TLS (Transport Layer Security), released in 1999, is the successor to the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol for authentication and encryption. TLS 1.3 is defined in in (August 2018).
Do I need a dedicated IP address to use SSL/TLS?
At one time it was a mandatory requirement to have a dedicated IP for each SSL certificate on a web server. This is no longer the case due to a technology called Server Name Indication (SNI). Your hosting platform will specifically have to support SNI.
What port is recommended to use SSL/TLS over?
For maximum compatibility, port 443 is the standard, thus recommended, port used for secured SSL/TLS communications. However, any port can be used.
What is the current version of SSL/TLS?
TLS 1.3, defined in August 2018 by , is the most recent version of SSL/TLS. TLS 1.2 () was defined in August 2018 and also remains in wide use. Versions of SSL/TLS prior to TLS 1.2 are considered insecure and should no longer be used.
How can I install SSL?
Watch the video and follow all the steps to install free SSL