WildCard SSL Certificates and Easy Answers

The best way to secure and protect sub-domains can be accomplished through the use of a WildCard SSL Certificate. These certificates offer convenience and affordability by use of a public key certificate which can be used with multiple sub-domains of a domain. Therefore, instead of purchasing and administering several separate SSL Certificates for each sub-domain, a business can utilize a Wildcard SSL Certificate.

While WildCard SSL Certificates provide versatility, only a single level of sub-domain matching is supported. For example, the use of *.company.com WildCard could be: subscribe.company.com, payment.company.com, login.company.com, or contact.company.com. Although, during the installation process there has been recommendations on changing the WildCard domain names to match the actual account domain name (not installing as *.company.com). It is possible to have a WildCard SSL Certificate installed to more than one sub-domain on a single IP address.

However, If you attempt to update a WildCard SSL Certificate, the single IP address method might not be retained when the WildCard is installed to more than one sub-domain on a single IP address. If there is no manual configuration then each sub-domain or domain will need its own dedicated IP address. A CPanel can be used for easier management over dedicated IP addresses when each site needs its own IP for SSL.

Installing the WildCard SSL Certificate at WHM

The WHM menu path which is used to install SSL Certificates is:

WHM: Main>>SSL/TLS>> Install a SSL Certificate and Setup the Domain

1. Copy and paste the WildCard SSL Certificate into the first text area


2. Permit the rest of the text area to be filled automatically


3. Confirm that the SSL Key and CA bundle are accurate


4. Switch the WildCard domain name to match the actual account domain name


5. Double check that the username and IP address match the actual account involved

Issues with the WildCard SSL Certificate

Some mobile devices might not be able to connect because of authentication issues if they do not trust the certificates (because the certificate is not trusted by the customer’s browser). To help prevent this error it is best to use a trusted provider of WildCard SSL Certificates that issues a certificate the user’s browser will rely on. Basic browsers that do not support “Certificate Request” may have problems because the certificate appears invalid due to lack of verification. Intermediate Certificates are used to connect an SSL Certificate to a trusted root certificate. Commercial Certificates have the trusted root certificate built in.

Although many platforms, devices, servers, services work well with the WildCard Certificates, there are some that are incompatible such as:

* Microsoft Office Communications Server

* Microsoft Lync Server

* Oracle Wallet Manager

* Windows Mobile 5 Devices

The WildCard SSL Certificate as a Solution

There are different products which can be used to provide SSL for websites. It is important to consider which domains and sub-domains need to be protected, how they can best be protected, and what cost is affordable for the business. A WildCard SSL Certificate is a versatile tool, although it does have its limitations. IT Professionals and Web Security Experts should consider the effectiveness of the WildCard SSL Certificate in providing the security they need in the areas that they desire.

Money can be saved when using a certificate such as the WildCard by avoiding the individualized costs of other various certificates. So long as the WildCard has been properly installed it is a great resource in providing easier web security administration in a cost-effective manner. As mentioned before, the WildCard SSL Certificate will only apply to those servers which are compatible and only to secure and protect sub-domains. There are other options if protection is needed for various domain names.

Original Source:
https://www.rapidsslonline.com/blog/wildcard-ssl-certificates-and-easy-answers

A list of Frequently Asked Questions about WildCard SSL Certificates answered by RapidSSLonline

A WildCard SSL certificate has many advantages over a conventional SSL certificate, the most important one being it’s ability to secure not only your website URL, but also an unlimited number of its subdomains. Needless to say, a product with such  benefits does attract interest of a large pool of customers.

At RapidSSLOnline, a Certificate Authority of a wide range of brands such as VeriSign (Now Symantec), GeoTrust, Thawte, and RapidSSL, we  come across a lot of such customers on a daily basis, who are curious about this product, and have a variety of questions to ask before making a decision to buy it. And hence this post.

A follow up to my last article, which provided a brief overview of WildCard SSLs, this one aims to address most frequently asked questions on the web about the same and clears air about WildCard SSL security and how it works to protect small and wide level e-Commerce business over the web.

What is a WildCard SSL Certificate?Cheapest WildCard SSL, which protects user’s confidential information while transferring it on the web, and additionally, it protects multiple sub domains on a single server and IP address. Every Wildcard begins with an asterisk * or “star”. The star represents the wildcard part of the SSL certificate. The star can be any sub domain that shares the same base domain.

Which level of businesses need WildCard SSL security?It is a highly recommended SSL security solution to medium and wide level e-Commerce websites.

What  strength of encryption does WildCard Certificate hold?It holds the advanced 256 bit encryption  strength for single and multiple sub domains protection.

What  level of security is included in WildCard Security SSL?It protects a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) and Sub Domains on a Single Server and IP address.

Which brand’s WildCard SSL security holds an unlimited server license?RapidSSL and GeoTrust. These are two major brands  whose WildCard SSL certificate security holds an unlimited server license.

What is the issuance time of WildCard SSL security certificate?It can be issued within few minutes for a  single Domain Name.

What all web browsers are compatible with a  WildCard SSL certificate?Here is a  list of web browsers  most compatible with WildCard Cert.

• IE 5+, 6+, 7+, 8+
• Firefox 1+, 2+, 3+
• Netscape 4+
• Opera 7+
• AOL 5+
• Safari

What validation method does WildCard Certificate hold?It holds a complete domain validation.

Does it include trust mark or site seal feature?Yes! Its includes the trust mark or site seal feature, which is essential  to gain trust and confidence of the users.

How does one  generate WildCard SSL Certificate CSR for any web server?It is the same process, which holds other Domain Validated SSL certificate CSR. However, during the WildCard SSL generation, the common name should be *.yourdomain.com. To get a better idea about WildCard SSL Certificate CSR generation, click here.

Is  WildCard SSL security android validated?Yes, it is an Android Validated SSL security.

What is the difference between EV SSL and WildCard SSL?
EV SSL certificate is a complete domain authentication which protects single qualified domain only on a single server and IP, whereas  WildCard SSL is domain authenticated security, which protects sub domains and as well as main domains on single server and IP.

To see a list of Frequently Asked Questions about EV SSL Certificates, please click here.

Credit Goes to: http://www.dailyhostnews.com/a-list-of-frequently-asked-questions-about-wildcard-ssl-certificates-answered-by-rapidsslonline

Safe and Secure Online Shopping for All

We spend our money increasingly online, and this form of shopping has been a sea change for the retail industry and business in general. Web shopping or e-commerce has made the transfer of money and obtainment of products and services incredibly easy. With the good comes the bad, though. We have always been concerned that web sites and e-commerce online stores are safe to use and that our information is properly protected from web hackers and identity thieves.

SSL Certificates

SSL certificates stand for "Secure Socket Layer" certificates. This standardized form of technological tool encodes information provided through the browser, and in turn, through the website’s server. This increases data integrity and offers a protection for all details of a transaction. Through its encoding or encryption, the SSL certificate secures transfer of all the data that passes between the customer and the online retailer. The safety is verified by a lock symbol on the page or image index at the end of your browser and can be identified when the URL changes to https. High-end SSL certificates also light up major browser address bars in green as an obvious visual cue to proceed with the site.

The lock icon and https will not necessarily appear on the site until you log on to the pages that are secured. This typically occurs on a registration screen or any online account page or login.

Most sites ought to offer a link for users to view their SSL certificate. If you want to know what one might look like, click on this link: https://www.name-of-site.com/

Credit Card or Debit Card

Try to avoid using your debit card. The bank provides you security guarantees with a credit card that are not afforded to the use of a debit card.

Never send payment information via e-mail

E-mail is not completely protected from reading by others. The most reputable merchant sites use encryption to protect your private data so that it isn’t read by others. This type of SSL encryption is utilized during an online transaction.

User Names and Passwords

If you have the opportunity to edit or create your own user name, do not use your e-mail address because it is too widely known. Take the original password, and modify into a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols as soon as possible. Make sure that you have it written down for next time.

Try not to use the option "remember password." This registers the password on the network and stores it on your computer. This is frequently the subject of fraud. Malicious software has been developed to find these passwords. Especially if you are using a portable computer, select to uncheck this feature.

Check Your Card Statements

Check your statements frequently, not only to confirm the transactions you've made, but to ensure lack of fraudulent activity. A fraud usually begins with a small "test" of personal information or credit card details prior to using stolen data seriously.

Privacy Policies

Make a routine examination of a site's privacy policy for information on how your private information will be used. Only make available the least amount possible of personal informationin online forms.

Check Terms and Conditions

Verify the legal agreements of the site that you visit, such as the information return policy and your constitutional rights as a consumer. If these items do not exist, don’t do business with the site.

Separate Card

Think about using a separate card for online buying, to minimize damages in case your details are used unfairly.

RapidSSLonline is one of the largest resellers of major brand SSL certificates such as RapidSSL, GeoTrust, Thawte, & VeriSign. Being Pioneer Cheap SSL Certificates provider that RapidSSLonline provides WildCard SSL Certificate Security for Sub Domains, EV SSL Certificate, and Code Signing SSL Certificate for Java and Microsoft at the lowest price including 24/7 support for anytime problem-solving. XEROX, NOKIA, the University of Sydney, IBM, and thousands of small organizations and businesses have trusted RapidSSLonline since its founding in 2007.