Do I need an SSL certificate for my website?

You have probably heard of 128-bit encryption or seen the lock symbol in the address bar of your web browser and wondered what it stands for. A lock symbol in the address bar is supposed to show you that the website you are currently visiting is secured with an SSL certificate. Most people are very careful when shopping online and want to be sure that their data is secure. An SSL certificate therefore offers you two important things:

• Encryption of sensitive data such as credit card numbers and personal information.
• A security feature that shows your customers that you are trustworthy.

Not all websites require an SSL certificate, but for some sites the use of encryption is a must. To find out if you need an SSL certificate for your site, ask yourself these questions:

• Is my website an e-commerce site (e.g. an online store) that requires sensitive information from visitors?

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  The majority of e-commerce sites require an SSL certificate to encrypt the transmission of visitor data to the server. As an online retailer, it is your responsibility to ensure that the information collected from your customers is protected. If a thief gains access to credit card data, it can be devastating for your customers as well as your business. Protect yourself and your customers from harm by using an SSL certificate.

• Do I use a third-party payment processor?

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  If the online store directs your customers to the pages of a third-party provider, such as PayPal, for payment processing, you do not necessarily need an SSL certificate, as your website has "no contact" with the customer's credit card information. Of course, this is only valid if your store does not accept the data while the customer is still on your website. Paypal offers both options for processing the payment. If the credit card information is still entered on your website, the use of an SSL certificate is mandatory so that it can be transmitted securely!

• Do I use a login form?

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  If you give visitors to your website the opportunity to register as a user without encrypting the login page via SSL, an attacker could very easily read the user's access data in plain text and then misuse it. This not only enables the attacker to use the user's account, it may also open doors to other accounts belonging to this person, as many people unfortunately use the same password for different accounts. Handle your users' data responsibly, even if the content on your website is not critical.