General SSL Questions
Foundational articles for users trying to understand what SSL is, why they need it, and how types differ.
What is an SSL certificate?
SSL is an abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a protocol designed for web browsers and servers to keeps communication safe over the internet. Data sent via an SSL connection is protected by a mechanism called encryption that prevents eave...
Is SSL important for me to have on my site?
The answer is Yes. SSL will protect information like your customers' details, credit card information, etc that is being submitted on your site.Do you have a website where customers have to log in or fill a web form? If yes, it is important that y...
Who or What is a certificate authority?
A Certification Authority is a trusted agency that is authorized to issue, renew and revoke SSL certificates after verifying the identity and legitimacy of the requesting party. Verisign, Certum, and Comodo are all trusted certificate authorities.
What is the difference between domain validation, organisation validation and extended validation?
Domain validation: Domain validated certificates include your domain name in the certificate (not your business or organization name).These certificates are cheaper and usually issued in minutes as the Certificate authority validates your domain ...
What is the difference between high assurance and low assurance certificates?
High assurance certificates include your domain name as well as business registration details on the certificate. The certificate authority will verify your ownership of the domain name and business registration (you will be asked to submit a few...
What is a wildcard certificate?
A Wildcard SSL certificate secures the domain name as well as unlimited sub-domains that share a common base domain. For example, a Wildcard certificate issued to “*.mydomain.com” can be used to secure the following domains: - mydomain.com (naked...
Can I secure multiple domains with a single certificate?
No, this is not possible with the certificates we provide at this time. However, if you wish to secure multiple subdomains of a single domain name then you could choose an SSL wildcard certificate.
Can I secure multiple sub domains on the same domain name with a single certificate?
Yes. The Wildcard Certificate allows you to secure multiple subdomains on the same domain name. So with a single certificate issued to *.yourdomain.com you can protect www.yourdomain.com, secure.yourdomain.com, info.yourdomain.com etc...
Do I have to buy separate SSL certificates for each web page I want to secure in my site?
No. A single Domain SSL certificate covers every page within your domain. If your SSL certificate is issued for www.mydomain.com, then your SSL certificate will work for https://www.mydomain.com/index.htm; https://www.mydomain.com/support/about_us...
What are high security browsers?
Web browsers that recognize SSL Certificates with Extended Validation, i.e. trigger address bar green when connecting to the secured site, are considered to be high-security browsers. For instance, Internet Explorer 7 turns the address bar green a...
What is Browser Ubiquity?
Browser ubiquity is also known as browser recognition or browser compatibility. It indicates an estimated percentage of Internet users who will inherently trust an SSL certificate. The lower the browser ubiquity, the fewer people will trust a cert...
What is encryption strength? And what is the strength of your certificates?
The certificate encryption strength is a measure of number of bits in the key used to encrypt data during an SSL session. The bigger the number, the longer it takes for computer(s) to crack or break the code. **It is strongly recommended to use 12...
What is a Site Seal?
A site seal is an image that shows the authenticity of your website and that it has been validated by a certificate authority. Regardless of the SSL certificate that you purchase, you will be provided with a static/dynamic site seal. With a site s...
Will the Green padlock be seen on the browser?
Certainly, the green padlock will be seen right beside the URL of your site when visited by anyone on the web browser
What is an SSL reissue and when will I need to request it?
Just as the name sounds, SSL Reissue is to reissue a new certificate for the already configured SSL so as to replace the previously issued certificate. Reissuing a new certificate does not change the expiration of the certificate and the new certi...
What is a CSR?
The Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is a small, encrypted text file containing information about your organization and the domain you wish to secure. A CSR is what you give to a Certification Authority, such as Certum and COMODO, to generate you...
Where can I find instructions on how to generate a CSR?
To generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) file using cPanel 11 follow the steps below: Step 1: Generate Private Key (KEY) Login to the cPanel "Control Panel" Click SSL / TLS Manager under the Security section. Click on the Generate, v...
Are there any characters I cannot use in my CSR?
You cannot use any of the following characters in your CSR: < > ~ ! @ # $ % ^ * / \ ( ) ? & , Note that the asterisk (*.) will used for Wildcard certificate CSR's only. Also, do not include http:// or https:// in your Common Name.
Is it possible to check if the CSR I generated is valid?
Yes, you can check to see if the CSR you generated is valid before trying to activate the SSL certificate. Please follow the appropriate link: Please visit: https://www.sslshopper.com/csr-decoder.html
Why do I get an 'Invalid CSR' error message when I try to activate?
There are many reasons why a CSR may be invalid. When you create the CSR make sure: Your domain is hosted. This should not be intranet site. (The domain must point to the hosting account.) The domain is registered Check the common name field. Yo...
How do i validate my domain?
When installing an SSL certificate, the domain needs to be verified. There are currently three available verification methods: a). Administrator Email: This is done by clicking on the verification link sent by the certificate authority to a gene...
What type of SSL certificate require documents and what documents are to be provided before the SSL is activated?
The types of SSL certificates that require documentation are the Extended Validation and the Organisational Validation SSL certificate. To validate these certificates, you are required to provide the following: Certificate of Incorporation CA...
Will my certificate be canceled if I do not respond to an approved email?
No,a certificate will not be canceled if you do not answer the approver mail.
I did not setup a valid mailbox for the approval email address during activation. Can you resend it?
Once you have set up the right email address, send a mail to support@whogohost.com or contact us via chat and we would resend the mail on your behalf
Can I send the approval email to my personal email address?
The certificate authority needs an explicit approval from a domain owner to issue an SSL certificate. If you are the authorized person in your company, you need to have access to set up an email forwarding for any one of the generic @domainname.co...
How to Install an SSL Certificate
Follow the steps to install your SSL Certificate: Log into your cPanel account. Locate and click on SSL/TLS Manager in the Security section . You can also type SSL in the search box on the cPanel. Click on the Generate, view, upload, or delete...
Okay... so I ordered an SSL. How do I get it to work on my domain?
In order to activate your SSL certificate, you need to decide whether you are going to use the certificate for www.domain.com or for domain.com. There is a considerable difference between www.domain.com and domain.com. Once you have decided, click...
When I try to visit my site, I get 'This page contains both secure and non secure data' error.
This occurs if some links on the page are using unsecured HTTP protocol. You need to change each and every link on the destination page as HTTPS. To find unsecured links on your website, refer to this link enter the domain at the search bar. Pl...
How long does it take to issue my certificate?
It depends on the type of certificate that you choose. Domain validated certificates can be issued in minutes. An organizational validated certificate can take a few days to have the certificate issued. It takes a minimum of 7days.( Depending on h...
What are the pre-requisites for using an SSL Certificate on my domain?
You must have a registered domain before you can use SSL certificates. Other important things to have before SSL certificate can be issued for your site are: - An active hosting account. - A CSR (Certificate Signing Request) generated on your w...
Organisation Validation SSL certificate
Required documents for Organisational Validation (OV) To establish the existence of an organization, the certificate authority will check the CAC directory website . If the organization is listed in this directory, it will be accepted legally. ...
Can I get a refund once my certificate has been issued?
Yes. A refund for an SSL certificate can be requested within 5 days after certificate issuance . If a cancellation request is submitted when the 5-day grace period is over, the refund will not be granted. Certificates which have been purchased bu...
Extended Validation SSL Certificate
Required documents for Extended Validation (EV) To establish the existence of an organization, the certificate authority will check the CAC directory website . If the organization is listed in this directory, it will be accepted legally. If th...
How to renew an SSL certificate?
The process of renewing a certificate is more like getting a new certificate except you need to generate a new "CSR" code. You will be allowed to renew a certificate within 30 days of its expiration. When a certificate is close to expiration (30 d...
How can I get my certificate reissued?
To reissue an SSL certificate, Provide us with a new CSR code . Send the CSR code to our support desk by opening a ticket via this link. We will be glad to assist you with this.
I mistyped the domain name when activating the SSL certificate. Can it be changed?
It can be changed However, we have a 5 days refund policy for SSL certificates. If you have the certificate issued within 5 days, please send a mail to support@whogohost.com with details. The 5 days money back period refers to Comodo SSL certifi...
The private key for my SSL certificate is lost or is compromised. Can you resend it?
A private key is generated at the same time as the CSR on the web server hosting the website. As the private key is generated on the web server, we have no access to it. We only maintain CSR and Certificate for each SSL order placed. You need to c...
If I change my contact details after getting an SSL certificate, how do I update the certificate with my new details?
You need to generate a new CSR with the new contact details and apply for a reissue of the certificate. Once the certificate is reissued, you will be sent an email with a new certificate. Install the newly issued certificate on your domain.
Will the SSL still work after I change hosting/server provider ?
The answer is No unless you request for a reissue of the certificate. Click SSL Reissue to know more about ssl reissue. We recommend that you generate a new CSR code that will be used for the reissue To request a reissue, send an email to suppo...