SSL: Why It Matters

TL;DR

Without SSL (now usually HTTPS), your website is vulnerable to hackers intercepting sensitive data like passwords, credit card details and personal information. This damages trust, hurts your search engine ranking, and can lead to legal problems. Installing an SSL certificate encrypts this data, making it unreadable to anyone but you and your visitors.

What Happens Without SSL?

1. Data Interception: Anyone on the same network (like public Wi-Fi) can see what information is being sent between a user’s computer and your website. This includes usernames, passwords, addresses, and credit card numbers.
   Imagine sending a postcard with your bank details written on it – anyone could read it!
2. No Trust: Modern browsers show warnings like “Not Secure” when a site doesn’t have SSL. Users are less likely to trust websites that display these warnings and may leave immediately.
3. SEO Penalty: Google prioritises secure (HTTPS) websites in search results. Not having SSL can negatively impact your website’s ranking.
   Google has explicitly stated HTTPS is a ranking signal.
4. Legal Issues: Depending on the type of data you collect, you may be legally required to protect it with encryption like SSL. For example, GDPR and PCI DSS compliance often require HTTPS.
5. Phishing Risks: Without SSL, it’s easier for attackers to create fake versions of your website (phishing sites) that look legitimate to steal user credentials.

How Does SSL Protect You?

SSL creates an encrypted connection between the web server and the visitor’s browser using a digital certificate.
Think of it as creating a secure tunnel for data.

Installing SSL: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Choose an SSL Certificate: There are different types (Single Domain, Wildcard, Multi-Domain). For most websites, a Single Domain certificate is sufficient. You can purchase these from providers like Let’s Encrypt (free), Sectigo, DigiCert, or GoDaddy.
2. Generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request): This is a block of text you create on your web server that identifies your website.
   The process varies depending on your server software:
   • Apache: Use the openssl command. Example:

     openssl req -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout example.key -out example.csr

   • Nginx: Use the nginx-genkey script or similar tools provided by your hosting provider.
3. Submit the CSR to Your Certificate Provider: Copy and paste the contents of your CSR file into the certificate provider’s website. They will verify your domain ownership (usually via email).
4. Install the SSL Certificate: Once verified, you’ll receive the SSL certificate files.
   You need to install these on your web server. Again, this varies by server software:
   • Apache: Edit your virtual host configuration file (usually in /etc/apache2/sites-available/) and add the following lines:

     <VirtualHost *:443>
       ServerName example.com
       SSLEngine on
       SSLCertificateFile /path/to/your_certificate.crt
       SSLCertificateKeyFile /path/to/your_private.key
     </VirtualHost>

   • Nginx: Edit your server block configuration file (usually in /etc/nginx/sites-available/) and add the following lines:

     server {
       listen 443 ssl;
       server_name example.com;
       ssl_certificate /path/to/your_certificate.crt;
       ssl_certificate_key /path/to/your_private.key;
     }

5. Redirect HTTP to HTTPS: Force all traffic to use the secure HTTPS version of your website.
   • Apache: Add a redirect rule in your .htaccess file:

     RewriteEngine On
     RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
     RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

   • Nginx: Add a redirect block in your server configuration file:

     server {
       listen 80;
       server_name example.com;
       return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
     }

6. Test Your SSL Installation: Use an online SSL checker tool (like [https://www.sslshopper.com/ssl-checker.html](https://www.sslshopper.com/ssl-checker.html)) to verify that your certificate is installed correctly and there are no errors.