2022-07-22
Benefits of Wildcard SSL Certificates
Does your website have subdomains? Find out why you should use Wildcard certificates!
Securing a website, especially one that is used for conducting business online, is an essential part of operating online. The first element to ensure the security of websites are SSL certificates, which are the only ones that can provide websites with the necessary encryption and the ability to position the website in browsers. Websites that do not have an SSL certificate are marked as unsafe in browsers, sending deterrent messages to the user. The browsers’ policies come as no surprise, especially in light of the fact that the lack of an installed SSL equates to a lack of website security, and data sent through an unsecured website is vulnerable to interception and leakage. Fortunately, these days SSL certificates have become a common standard and a smaller and smaller percentage of websites remain unsecured.
What is the difference between a Wildcard SSL certificate and a regular SSL certificate?
A standard certificate is a certificate for a single domain. Standard SSL protects yourdomain.pl but will not protect subdomain.yourdomain.pl. A Wildcard certificate, on the other hand, will protect all subdomains in addition to the main domain for the entire period of certificate validity.
Until recently, the vast majority of websites used Standard SSL certificates, i.e. those that protect the main domain. When using subdomains, website owners opted for additional and separate SSL, which often made it difficult to manage the installed certificates and the process of their replacement was time-consuming and complex. Currently, however, the most popular in the world are Wildcard certificates, the main idea of which is to automatically secure all subdomains of the main domain. This means that once a certificate is installed for a given address, all current and future subdomains will be protected with a single certificate. With this option, website owners will not have to worry about purchasing and installing more certificates.
One certificate – many benefits
Wildcard certificates save time and money compared to installing separate certificates for each subdomain. They also contribute to the greater convenience of running a website and the lack of need for additional intervention when another subdomain is created. They also influence the creation of a positive image of your brand. Leaving subdomains unsecured can not only be dangerous, but can also effectively scare away your potential customers or users. Therefore, it is important to secure them right away.