WDTalk

Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates meet the highest standard in the Internet security industry for Web site authentication. EV SSL Certificates give high-security Web browsers information to clearly display a Web site’s organizational identity. The high-security Web browser’s address bar turns GREEN and reveals the name of the organization that owns the SSL Certificate and the SSL Certificate Authority that issued it. Why is this important? It gives Web site visitors an easy and reliable way to establish trust online.

I’ve started noticing more and more green EV SSL certificates lately, but I was on a local Credit Union’s site yesterday afternoon and noticed their SSL didn’t even show that the site was encrypted. I was stunned. I’ve been in that Credit Union a number of times and know their IT security to be first rate.  Their site was recently revamped, so I suspect their new host cut costs by installing a cheap SSL certificate, as they can be found online for less than ten dollars.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology protects your Web site and makes it easy for your Web site visitors to trust you in three essential ways:

• 1. An SSL Certificate enables encryption of sensitive information during online transactions.
• 2. Each SSL Certificate contains unique, authenticated information about the certificate owner.
• 3. A Certificate Authority verifies the identity of the certificate owner when it is issued.

You need SSL if…

• You have an online store or accept online orders and credit cards
• You offer a login or sign in on your site
• You process sensitive data such as address, birth date, license or ID numbers
• You need to comply with privacy and security requirements
• You value privacy and expect others to trust you.

Extended Validation SSL Certificates give high-security Web browsers information to clearly identify a Web site’s organizational identity. For example, if you use Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7 to go to a Web site secured with an SSL Certificate that meets the Extended Validation Standard, IE7 will cause the URL address bar to turn green. A display next to the green bar will toggle between the organization name listed in the certificate and the Certificate Authority (VeriSign, for example). Firefox 3 also supports Extended Validation SSL.