SSL Certificates enable data encryption on the internet and allow data to be transmitted securely from a web server to a browser. With SSL, your website can use the https protocol and will display a padlock in end users web browsers to indicate the connection is secure.

SSL Certificates are an essential part of the internet. They not only encrypt communication between your computer and the server where a website is located, but they also provide verification that a site is what it claims to be.

There are 3 different levels of vetting that SSL Certificates are based upon. Domain Validated (DV) , Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV). The major difference between the types of certificate relates to the information the Certificate Authority, RapidSSL, GeoTrust and DigiCert, requires and validates in order to issue a certificate. The higher levels of certificate require more information, and often is displayed in the browser bar. EV SSL for example turns the browser bar green and displays the organization name to visitors to generate more trust.

A Wildcard SSL certificate provides the same encryption and authentication features as other SSL certificates but can also be applied to an unlimited number of subdomains of a website. A Wildcard SSL certificate supports the root domain (example.com) as well as its subdomains. 

EV or Extended Validation certificates are the highest class of SSL available and give the most credibility and trust to your website. EV assures consumers that their personal and financial information is protected at the highest levels of authentication. Additional verifications are performed, such as corporate agency record checks, applicant contact info, and whether the business has existed for a minimum of 3 years. EV certificates are best suited for business-critical webpages.