Guide on Digital Certificates: What and Why
With the growth of the online business, digital certificates have become a necessity and a mandatory component. Whether someone needs to launch a website, release software, or want to strengthen security, digital certificates are necessary for all.
Besides, you must have heard professionals on various online forums discussing the upgrades of such certificates. But, just listening to the word “Digital Certificate” is not enough to understand all such stuff. To deeper your understanding, it’s essential to start from the fundamentals. And, here you are at the right place.
Further, you will get all the details about digital certificates, helping you to secure your digital presence.
A Comprehensive Overview: What is a Digital Certificate?
A digital certificate is a logical file that helps organizations or people build digital authenticity and legitimacy of themselves, their software, website, server, and device. Digital Certificate files are password protected and get only issued by a third-party authority, known as Certificate Authority (CA).
All the operating systems, browsers, and digital platforms trust the CAs. And when the system finds that a CA has issued you a digital certificate, it automatically recognizes you as having a legitimate identity.
Besides improving authenticity, such certificates are also helpful in strengthening security, as each digital certificate utilizes a PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) mechanism to ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and availability.
Furthermore, some organizations and professionals in the security industry also refer to digital certificates as identity certificates or public key certificates.
Additionally, every digital certificate consists of the following details:
- Name of Certificate Holder
- Serial Number of Device or IP Address
- Original Copy of Public Key
- Issue and Expiration Date of Certificate
- Root and Intermediate CA details
- Address of Organization
The information consists of a certificate depending upon the type of digital certificate. As the certificate changes, so do the details on it.
Type of Digital Certificates
When people first think about digital certificates, the very first thing that come to someone’s mind is an SSL certificate. However, there are others on the list too. Primarily, there are three types of identity certificates as follows:
Code Signing Certificate
Code Signing Certificate is a popular digital certificate among software developers and publishers, as it helps them to improve software security and authenticity. It also gets issued by a Certificate Authority, such as Comodo, Sectigo, and Certera.
Recommended: What is Code Signing Certificate [Complete Guide]
The primary purpose of using such a certificate is to tamper-proof the code and embed a digital signature with the software. The signature helps the operating systems and browsers to verify the identity before allowing the download and installation of an application.
If the software doesn’t have a publisher’s digital signature, the system displays an Unknown Publisher Warning or blocks its installation.
Furthermore, Code Signing Certificate works on the principle of Hashing, Encryption, and Public Key Infrastructure. When a publisher uses the certificate, firstly, it creates a hash digest of the source code and then encrypts the hash value using the private key.
Then, the associated public key gets integrated with the software. And whenever users try to download or install the software, systems cross-verify the public key with the embedded private key.
In addition, there are three main types of Code Signing Certificates as below:
Individual Validation Code Signing Certificate
Individual Validation Code Signing Certificate is for developers who work independently and release their software for public usage. IV certificate is the only alternative for such developers to secure their applications, scripts, and executable files from unauthorized modification.
In addition, it gets issued within 1 to 3 days and aids in removing the Unknown Publisher Warning to build user confidence in the brand’s name.
Organization Validation Code Signing Certificate
OV Code Signing Certificate also gets considered as the Standard Code Signing Certificate. To avail of it, the applicant must be a registered organization. Before its issuance, CA verifies all the core details of a firm, such as government registration, physical address, and phone number.
Once you obtain an OV Code Signing Certificate, you can sign unlimited applications and software on any digital platform. Moreover, the enterprise’s reputation will increase across all major digital platforms.
Extended Validation Code Signing Certificate
An EV Code Signing Certificate is a top digital certificate that every software developing/publishing organization wants to avail of. Its validation procedure is quite similar to the OV vetting process. But, the firm needs to prove a minimum of three years of operability in the industry.
The EV Code Signing Certificate is the only digital certificate that removes Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warnings as soon as you sign software.
SSL/TLS Certificate
Secure Socket Layer/Transport Layer Security Certificate is for websites and online portals, transmitting data between the client browser and the web server. It also utilizes an encryption mechanism to establish a highly protected communication pipeline to maintain data CIA triads for each end-user.
Nowadays, installing an SSL Certificate has become mandatory; otherwise, browsers display a security warning whenever someone tries to access it. The HTTPS you see in the website address bar is due to an SSL Certificate only.
To avail of an SSL certificate, an organization or an individual must purchase a domain name, as it’s an essential requirement to participate in the validation procedure. Further, SSL Certificates are divided based on validation level and domain coverage.
The three validation levels of SSL Certificates are:
Domain Validation
To pass the domain validation, you only need to verify the ownership of the purchased domain. The CA will send you a verification link to the registered email address, on which you have to click, and within minutes, you will receive your SSL certificate.
Organization Validation
To pass the organization validation, you must prove your business authenticity by providing government registration, financial documents, physical address proof, domain details, and a telephone number.
The CA will cross-verify information with government and other authorized databases and call you to confirm the details. Once CA gets satisfied with the validation results, it will issue you an OV SSL Certificate.
Extended Validation
At the EV validation level, you must provide the same documents as in the OV vetting process. However, the CA requires a complete physical address for the EV process. Moreover, the EV validation gets performed strictly, leading to issuance cancellation even due to minor document discrepancies.
Moreover, it’s the only certificate that aligns with PCI-DSS, HIPPA, and HITECH standards, guaranteeing the secure sharing of financial and medical data transactions.
And according to domain coverage, the following are the primary SSL Certificates:
- Single Domain SSL Certificate
A single-domain SSL certificate only provides security to one primary domain. You can install it only on a single website with any WWW or NON-WWW domain name.
- Multi-Domain SSL Certificate
You can safeguard different main domain names with a single Multi-Domain SSL Certificate. Moreover, you can protect 200+ domains and improve business legitimacy with a site seal provided by the CA.
- Wildcard SSL Certificate
Wildcard SSL Certificate fulfills the need to secure one main domain and as many associated sub-domains with it. It’s a perfect solution for organizations looking to protect communications across web presence in an affordable manner.
- Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate
Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate is for companies looking to enable HTTPS on different domains and all the sub-domains associated with them.
SSL Certificates are available with a combination of validation level and domain coverage. For instance, the Multi-Domain SSL Certificate is available under OV and EV validation. Therefore, you must identify your validation and domain coverage requirements before selecting any one for your websites.
Client Certificate
Client Certificates are a primary identity source for end-users and devices. Primarily, it gets utilized within organizations to restrict unauthorized access to sensitive and confidential information. Such digital certificates also use the Public Key Infrastructure for authentication purposes.
The most common example of a Client certificate is in a remote working environment. When an organization provides a laptop or a device to its remote employee, it installs a client certificate with relevant details.
Further, whenever the employee tries to connect with the organizational network, the server will analyze the certificate details before providing access.
Moreover, according to numerous cyber-security experts, client certificates are becoming an alternative for password-protected systems. As hackers are becoming capable of cracking passwords, enterprises are moving to use client certificates for cloud apps, web apps, and especially for intranet portals.
Why Are Digital Certificates Important?
Digital Certificates offer numerous benefits to every business operating digitally. It’s some of the primary advantages include the following:
Data Integrity
Digital Certificate utilizes advanced security mechanisms, such as encryption and hashing, to maintain the secure sharing of information between servers and client systems. Whether it’s an SSL Certificate, Code Signing Certificate, or Client Certificate, all uses the latest encryption algorithms.
Reputation Boost
CA issues a digital certificate only after thoroughly verifying the details of an individual or an organization. And when you receive the certificate, digital platforms analyze it and understand that you are a legitimate authority.
Trust Optimization
When end-users see SSL certificates on websites and the system seamlessly initiates the installation due to Code Signing Certificate, trust in the brand increases. As a result, more users prefer to use your software and website, increasing retention and conversions.
Access Control
Digital certificates prevent malicious actors from entering an organizational network and accessing confidential resources. In addition, it also ensures that only authorized personnel are making relevant changes. And it all happens with the usage of PKI.
Aids in aligning with Industry Standards
With growing cyber-attacks, every digital platform only allows authentic organizations and individuals to access their resources. And it happens only through digital certificates. It helps to fulfill the industry requirements, prevent legal actions, enhance security and smoothly execute operations across operating systems, browsers, and servers.
Encryption and PKI As Primary Certificate Pillar for Software Security
PKI and encryption mechanisms are the two primary pillars of digital certificates that help fulfill their security purpose.
Besides security, it gets used in digital certificates due to following reasons:
- PKI utilizes advanced mathematical algorithms to secure the private key and public key.
- Its integration makes the certificates stronger and cheaper in the long run.
- Maintaining a PKI infrastructure is a seamless task.
- It streamlines the task of browsers, servers, and operating systems while confirming the authenticity.
- PKI is a reliable solution for both public-facing and intranet networks.
Clearing Fundamentals: Digital Certificate vs. Digital Signature
While going through the digital certificate section above, you must have read about the digital signature or digital signing of software. Digital Signature is like a digital stamp, which tells the receiver that data is coming from a legitimate source or from the system from where its been requested.
In simple terms, it’s an encrypted stamp that the sender uses to sign the files or data before sending it to the receiver. For more clarification, have a look at the differential table.
| Basis | Digital Signature | Digital Certificate |
| Primary Purpose | Enhances the digital identity of an organization or individual | Verifies that a particular website, person, device, or software is legit and authentic |
| Issuing Authority | Gets issued with a digital certificate from a CA | Certificate Authority, such as Comodo, Certera, and Sectigo |
| Format | SHA-1 and SHA-2 algorithms get used for the creation | It gets issued in X.509 format |
| Standard | Follows Digital Signature Standard | Utilizes PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) |
| Trust Between Parties | Maintains trust between the sender and the receiver | Boosts confidence between an organization and its stakeholders |
| Main Benefit | Prevents forgery of documents | Protects digital transactions on the internet |
| Security Guarantee | Assures that file or a document is coming from a legitimate source and the sender doesn’t non-repudiate. | Ensures that systems or parties involved in communication are in a secure environment. |
From Where Should You Buy Code Signing Certificates at Cheap Prices?
To Buy Code Signing Certificates at a cheap price, SignMyCode is an all-in-one platform. Whether you need an IV, OV, or an EV Code Signing Certificate, it offers each solution from a reputed CA at the lowest price in the overall industry.
In addition, SignMyCode is a CA-authorized seller who fully guarantees the certificate’s genuineness. Moreover, by becoming a customer of such a famous brand, you get 24/7 support services, free online resources and tools, a certificate renewal portal, and certificates compatible with all digital platforms.
Concluding Up
Digital certificates have become a necessity for every organization. Whether someone runs a website, publishes software, or requires additional security over the network, digital certificates are crucial in every domain. Such certificates help businesses to optimize security and brand reputation on digital platforms, increasing productivity, conversions, and revenue.
Furthermore, the most common digital certificates everyone must know to include the Code Signing Certificate, SSL/TLS Certificate, and Client Certificate.
All these major digital certificates use the PKI mechanism to align with the growing business requirements. From a startup to a large enterprise, having an online business must understand all three certificates to maintain data security and reliability and to align with industry standards.
