What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the name of the protocol used to establish secure communication between a Server and a Client, without data (such as passwords, personal details and credit card numbers) being intercepted, tampered with or falsified.
To ensure secure browsing, where the data is protected, a suitable SSL Server certificate, issued by a trusted third party (Certification Authority), needs to be installed.
What types of Certificates are there?
There are 4 types of SSL Certificates:
- DV (Domain Validation)
- OV (Organization Validation)
- EV (Extended Validation)
- QWAC (Qualified Website Authentication Certificate)
The types of SSL Certificates differ according to the type of validation they require, each with their own verification level.
DV - Domain Validation
This confirms that the applicant owns or controls the domain. A DV SSL Certificate contains the domain's common name.
It can be issued in the following ways:
- Single Host: valid for a single domain name (e.g. "domainname.extension").
It can be managed using the ACME protocol: for more information see the guide;
- Wildcard: valid for one domain name (e.g. "domainname.extension") and all of its subdomains, usually in the format *.domainname.extension (e.g. "shop.domainname.extension", "login.domainname.extension", etc.);
- SAN (Subject Alternative Name): valid for a maximum of 5 different domain names (e.g. "domainname.extension", "domainname1.extension", "domainname2.extension", etc.).
It can be managed using the ACME protocol: for more information see the guide;
OV - Organization Validation
This requires the same checks as for the DV Certificate, plus verification of the company that owns the domain. An OV SSL Certificate also contains information about the applicant's organization.
It can be issued in the following ways:
- Single Host: valid for a single domain name (e.g. "domainname.extension");
- Wildcard: valid for one domain name (e.g. "domainname.extension") and all of its subdomains, usually in the format *.domainname.extension (e.g. "shop.domainname.extension", "login.domainname.extension", etc.);
- SAN (Subject Alternative Name): valid for a maximum of 5 different domain names (e.g. "domainname.extension", "domainname1.extension", "domainname2.extension", etc.).
EV - Extended Validation
This is a qualified, digital SSL certificate, issued in accordance with the European Union eIDAS Regulation standards for trust services. Essentially, it is an EV SSL certificate and therefore cannot be issued to individuals.
It can be issued in the following ways:
- Single Host: valid for a single domain name (e.g. "domainname.extension");
- SAN (Subject Alternative Name): valid for a maximum of 5 different domain names (e.g. "domainname.extension", "domainname1.extension", "domainname2.extension", etc.).
QWAC - Qualified Website Authentication Certificate
This certificate offers the highest level of reliability. In addition to the checks carried out for the OV, for an EV SSL certificate, the CA carries out more in-depth checks, ensuring, for example, that the request comes from a person authorized to represent the organization.
It can be issued in the following ways:
- Single Host: valid for a single domain name (e.g. "domainname.extension");
- SAN (Subject Alternative Name): valid for a maximum of 5 different domain names (e.g. "domainname.extension", "domainname1.extension", "domainname2.extension", etc.).
All DV, OV and EV SSL Certificates issued by Actalis are covered by a Warranty; further details can be found in the
guide.