SSL Certificate Information Center

What are the types of SSL Certificates?

Over the last few years the number of organizations using SSL Certificates has increased dramatically.  The applications for which SSL is being used has also expanded.  For example:

• Some organizations need SSL simply for confidentiality, e.g. encryption
• Some organizations wish to use SSL to enhance trust in their security and identity, e.g. they want to show customers they have been vetted and are a legitimate organization

As the applications for SSL have started to become wider, three types of SSL Certificates have emerged:

• Domain validation SSL Certificates:  where the Certification Authority checks the right of the applicant to use a specific domain name.
  
  
• Organization validation SSL Certificates:  where the Certification Authority checks the right of the applicant to use a specific domain name PLUS it conducts some vetting of the organization.
  
  
• Extended Validation SSL Certificates:  where the Certification Authority checks the right of the applicant to use a specific domain name PLUS it conducts a THOROUGH vetting of the organization.

GlobalSign is the first SSL Provider to offer a simplified range of SSL Certificates – fitting neatly into the three newly defined SSL classes of Domain Validation (DV), Extended Validation (EV) and Organization Validation (OV).  By taking its 10 years of experience in delivering trusted SSL solutions, GlobalSign has pioneered a simple approach to the three classes of SSL the market has seen emerge over recent years.

Other SSL Providers favor using complex product naming and classifications, with basic features being used to differentiate otherwise identical products.  GlobalSign bucks this trend by adopting simple product naming and assigning feature sets as options within each product class.  This approach is designed to eliminate the time consuming and frustrating “which certificate do I need” issues faced by customers evaluating SSL vendor solutions.
The simplified classification of GlobalSign SSL consists of:

• Domain Validation: GlobalSign DomainSSL –DomainSSL Certificates are fully supported and share the same browser recognition with Organization ServerSign, but come with the advantage of being issued in only 5 minutes and without the need to submit company paperwork.  This makes DomainSSL ideal for businesses who need a low cost SSL quickly and without the effort of submitting company documents. 
  
  
• Extended Validation: GlobalSign ExtendedSSL – The latest, and possibly most significant, advancement in SSL technology since its initial inception follows the standardized Extended Validation guidelines.  New high security browsers such as IE7 on Windows XP and Windows Vista identify ExtendedSSL Certificates as EV certificates and activate the browser interface security enhancements, such as the Green Bar in IE7.  For customers who wish to assert the highest levels of authenticity, ExtendedSSL is the ideal solution. 
  
  
• Organization Validation: GlobalSign OrganizationSSL – GlobalSign has been issuing organization validation certificates for 10 years.  Companies applying for OrganizationSSL have their company details vetted before issuance.