How to apply for an SSL certificate? Super detailed application step guide

at the moment when HTTPS has become the standard of websites, SSL certificates are the core tools to achieve website encryption, improve user trust and search engine ranking. Many webmasters and novices are often confused because of the unclear process when they first come into contact. This article will start from the preliminary preparation, platform selection, application process to verification deployment, and fully dismantle the practical details of applying for SSL certificates, so that you can successfully complete the website encryption configuration without professional technical background.

What should I do before applying for an SSL certificate?

formally start the process of applying for an SSL certificate, adequate preparation can greatly improve efficiency and avoid process cards due to missing data or information errors in the middle.

1 Confirm domain ownership and control

the core premise of applying for an SSL certificate is to have full control of the target domain name, and the certificate authority will verify the ownership of the domain name in various ways. It is recommended to sort out the account information of the domain name registrar and the background authority of the domain name management in advance. If it is an enterprise domain name, it is also necessary to confirm whether the domain name filing status is normal to avoid affecting the review progress of the application for an SSL certificate due to filing problems.

2, determine the certificate type and requirements

SSL certificate is divided into DV domain name verification type, OV organization verification type, EV enhanced verification type three categories, individual webmaster or small website to choose DV certificate to meet the basic encryption needs, enterprise official website or e-commerce platform is recommended to choose OV or EV certificate to enhance brand credibility. At the same time, it is necessary to clarify the scope of the domain name covered by the certificate, is a single domain name, multi-domain name or wild-card domain name, to avoid the problem of incomplete coverage after applying for SSL certificate.

How to choose the platform to apply for SSL certificate?

currently on the market to provide the application of SSL certificate service platform many, different platforms of service types, audit speed and supporting tools vary greatly, need to combine their own needs reasonable choice.

1 Cloud as a Service

Alibaba Cloud Tencent Cloud and other mainstream cloud platforms provide services for applying for SSL certificates, not only free DV certificates, but also paid OV and EV certificates. The advantage of this type of platform is that it is deeply integrated with Cloud as a Service, CDN and other services. After applying for SSL certificates, it can be deployed with one click without manual configuration. It is suitable for webmasters who use Cloud as a Service, which can greatly simplify the subsequent operation process.

2, professional certificate authority

international authoritative certificate authorities such as Comodo and Symantec, as well as domestic CFCA and other institutions, provide a full range of SSL certificate services, with strict audit standards and high certificate credibility. Suitable for enterprise users with high requirements for certificate security and brand display, when applying for SSL certificates, you can directly submit applications through their official websites or authorized agents. Some institutions also provide customized certificate solutions.

3. The core operation process of applying for SSL certificate?

after completing the preliminary preparation and platform selection, you can enter the core process of applying for an SSL certificate. The operation interface of different platforms is slightly different, but the core steps are basically the same.

1, submit the application and fill in the information

log in to the selected application platform, find the SSL certificate application entrance, fill in the target domain name, certificate type and other basic information, if you apply for OV or EV certificate for enterprise users, you also need to submit qualification materials such as enterprise business license and organization code certificate. When filling in the information, you need to ensure that the spelling of the domain name is accurate, and the enterprise information is completely consistent with the industrial and commercial registration information to avoid the application for SSL certificate being rejected due to information discrepancies.

2. Complete the domain name verification process

submit the application, the certificate authority will start the domain name verification. The common verification methods are DNS resolution verification, file verification, and mailbox verification. DNS verification needs to add the specified TXT record in the background of domain name management. File verification needs to upload the specified file to the root directory of the website. Email verification needs to receive the verification email through the mailbox reserved when registering the domain name and click Confirm. After completing the verification, the certificate can be obtained within 10 minutes to 3 working days. The review speed of DV certificate is the fastest.

4. How to deploy and maintain after applying for an SSL certificate?

successfully obtain the SSL certificate, deployment and daily maintenance are the key links to ensure that the certificate continues to take effect and the website runs stably, which cannot be ignored.

1, certificate deployment and configuration

if you choose the cloud platform to apply for an SSL certificate, you can directly use the platform's one-click deployment function to bind the certificate to the website server or CDN node; if you apply for an SSL certificate through a third-party organization, you need to manually download the certificate file, upload it to the server and configure the encryption rules of the web server (such as Nginx, Apache). After the deployment is completed, you need to visit the website through the browser, confirm that the lock icon is displayed in the address bar, and the HTTPS connection is normal to avoid certificate mismatch or encryption failure.

2, daily maintenance and renewal of certificates

SSL certificate has a fixed valid period, generally 1 year or 2 years, it is necessary to start the process of renewing the SSL certificate about 30 days before the expiration of the certificate to avoid the website cannot be accessed through HTTPS due to the expiration of the certificate. At the same time, it is necessary to regularly check the status of the certificate. If the domain name is changed, the server is migrated or the certificate information is leaked, it is necessary to apply for the re-issuance or cancellation of the SSL certificate in time to ensure the continuity of the website encryption protection.

To sum up, applying for an SSL certificate is a complete process from preparation to deployment. The core lies in clear requirements in the early stage, accurate implementation of application and verification steps in the middle stage, and deployment and maintenance in the later stage. Whether it is an individual webmaster or an enterprise user, as long as you follow the steps dismantled in this article, you can successfully complete the whole process of applying for an SSL certificate, build a safe and trusted encryption environment for the website, and improve user experience and search engine friendliness.