What is a Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificate?
A Domain Validated (DV) SSL certificate is a quick and easy way to secure a domain, as the Certificate Authority (CA) issuing the certificate only requires verification that the recipient actually owns the domain they wish to cover. This verification process can typically be completed in a matter of minutes. However, these certificates offer little in the way of SSL recognition, so they are recommended for websites where visitor trust is not of high importance and information like usernames, passwords, or credit card information is not required.
What is an Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificate?
An Organization Validated (OV) SSL certificate requires that a business complete a light vetting process by the Certificate Authority before being issued. These certificates are a nice middle-ground between DV and EV certificates, as they aren't as expensive as EV options but still offer more SSL and trust indications than basic DV options. These certificates typically take between 2-3 days to be issued.
What is an Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate?
EV stands for Extended Validation and is the most premium type of SSL certificate available. These certificates are identified on websites mainly by the green address bar, the most universally recognized symbol of trust on the web. EV certificates are becoming more and more commonplace in the industry, especially amongst e-commerce sites, as they are used by some of the most trusted sites in the world like Bank of America, Twitter, Paypal, and more. These certificates require that a company complete a thorough vetting process before being issued.
How can I get a Green Address Bar for my website?
The only way to get the green address bar on your website is with an Extended Validation (EV) certificate. These are the only type of SSL certificate that come with the green address bar.
Can I qualify for an EV certificate?
The main criteria for qualifying for an EV certificate would be that your business is an official company registered with a government authority. Unfortunately, if you're a sole proprietor or a partnership registered in the U.K., you cannot qualify for any EV SSL certificate.
What is a Wildcard SSL certificate?
Wildcard SSL certificates can cover one main domain name (www.domain.com) and an unlimited amount of subdomains (mail.domain.com, login.domain.com, test.domain.com, etc.).
If I buy a Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificate, which document(s) do I need to provide?
You do not need to provide any documentation in order to purchase a Domain Validated (DV) certificate. All you will need to do is confirm that you own the domain you wish to cover, either through a simple email or file-based authentication.
If I buy an Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificate, which document(s) do I need to provide?
Organization Validated (OV) verification requires checking your business registration. If the Certificate Authority (CA) can verify this information using online government databases, no additional documents will be required. However, if the online filings are not available or inaccurate or not up to date, the CA may request additional official government registration documents, which vary on a case-by-case basis. A Dun & Bradstreet listing can usually satisfy most of the requirements for an OV certificate.
If I buy an Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate, which document(s) do I need to provide?
EV certificates require a more stringent verification process than OV certificates. To understand the basis of this procedure, please refer to the above question about OV certificate verification. Please note that EV certificates require you to complete a few extra steps, including proving both physical and operational existence as well as completing a simple telephone call with the Certificate Authority (CA) directly.
I haven't received my Domain Control Validation email (DCV) yet. What should I do?
There are a few reasons why this might be the case. First, verify what email address you have chosen for the Doman Control Validation email (please note: this is different from the contact information provided during the generation process). If you need to change your DCV email, you can use any email on the Whois registration for that domain or one of the five following pre-approved alias email:
Also, make sure to check the Spam or Junk Mail folder of your email provider.
How long will validation take?
This largely depends on the type of certificate that you purchased and your response times. No matter which type of certificate that you purchase, the Certificate Authority (CA) will be contacting you directly and will only proceed with next steps upon your response. For Domain Validated (DV) certificates, these can typically be issued in a matter of minutes to one business day. For Organization Validated (OV) certificates, these tend to take around 2-3 business days to be issued. And for Extended Validation (EV) certificates, these usually take between 3-5 business days to be issued.
I have accidentally deleted my "private key" what can I do now?
First check your backups and see if you can re-install the "private key". If you don't know how to re-install the key from your backups, contact your systems administrator. Failing that, contact DS4A Technical Support. The only alternative course of action available is a re-issuance of the certificate following the re-submitting of a replacement CSR.
What is a CSR?
A CSR stands for Certificate Signing Request and is necessary for all SSL certificates in order to complete the generation process. There are numerous ways to generate a CSR.