Free SSL Certificate with Let's Encrypt

Encrypting data on the Internet is essential to prevent interception and manipulation of communication by third parties. Without efficient cryptography, servers transmit all kinds of information in what is known as plaintext as digital characters, which can be stored, read, and manipulated by any intermediary. It is crucial to secure all communication through official methods - whether through paid or free SSL certificates such as those from Let's Encrypt, to prevent eavesdropping.

What are SSL certificates and what are they used for?

Requirement for effective encryption is that at least one endpoint - for example a website - clearly authenticates its identity. Subsequently, an exchange of multiple keys begins, which Let's Encrypt, like all other methods for secure bi- or multilateral communication, uses. This involves a so-called asymmetric encryption - the encryption of information is done using a publicly known key. However, converting back to plaintext requires a completely independent, secret, and private passcode, also created by providers like Let's Encrypt and held exclusively by the owner.

This process offers several advantages that serve as the basis for efficient IT security. These include:

• Switching between encryption algorithms at any time
• Secure exchange of keys between two unknown entities
• No compromise on security through transfer over insecure connections
• Guaranteed compatibility between encrypted and open network traffic
• Easy distribution for widespread coverage
• Clear identification of participants by providers like Let's Encrypt

Commercial or free SSL certificates legitimised by official authorities - whether from Let's Encrypt or other providers - use a chain of signatures to uniquely and securely identify an entity.

What's behind Let's Encrypt's free SSL certificate?

Until the second decade of the 21st century, no provider like Let's Encrypt offered free SSL certificates for websites. While these can be easily created using the OpenSSL program, advantages such as the unique identification of the endpoint are lost in such a process. For this reason, browsers like Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, or Google Chrome and alternatives consider such free SSL certificates as untrustworthy and reject them with an appropriate error message. This approach stems from an initiative founded by Google, aimed at significantly increasing security on the internet. To indirectly establish it as a standard, the search engine publicly announced around 2015 that it would initially consider encryption via HTTPS positively in its ranking and later penalise its absence through downgrading.

As part of this transition from an open to an encrypted connection on the internet using free SSL certificates, the non-profit certification authority Let's Encrypt was founded, with companies like Google and Microsoft participating through donations.

How does Let's Encrypt's free SSL encryption work?

Let's Encrypt allows for the creation of free SSL certificates for websites if the applicant can authenticate themselves through specific procedures. Let's Encrypt essentially uses two different methods: The operator of a website can either leave a special entry in the Domain Name System (DNS) containing a cryptographic code. If this is not possible, there are alternatives that are equally suitable for simple web hosting as well as dedicated servers. In this case, the user or a script creates a special webpage exclusively for Let's Encrypt on a hidden path - if this page can be read and accessed, it is considered a secure proof that the internet presence is under the control of the applicant.

What are the alternatives to Let's Encrypt?

The high popularity of Let's Encrypt is mainly due to the fact that the provider offers free SSL certificates in just a few minutes and with minimal time, cost, and information required. It is a licensed registration authority that officially proves its credentials through its own legitimization issued by the highest authorities. There are numerous commercial alternatives to Let's Encrypt such as GigiCert, GeoTrust, Thawte, Comodo, or RapidSSL - more details can be found in our SSL Certificate Comparison. These alternatives offer various advantages such as longer validity periods, visible display of the owner's information, or a browser display considered particularly secure. However, all these alternatives to Let's Encrypt come at a cost and can incur high three-digit Euro amounts per year, especially for commercial use.

Why is paid or free SSL encryption necessary?

An SSL encryption on your own website ensures that all data between the server and the end user's device is transmitted in an encrypted manner. The goal of encryption is to guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of the entire communication between the server and the website visitor. This way, transmitted data cannot be intercepted by unauthorized third parties. This effectively prevents so-called Man-in-the-Middle attacks or phishing attempts. Especially the transmission of sensitive data, such as personal information, payment details, or address information during online shopping or in online banking, should only be done through encrypted connections.

However, there are now numerous other reasons to implement an SSL encryption for your own website:

With the introduction of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in May 2018, the legislator demands comprehensive protection of personal data on the internet. This includes email addresses and even IP addresses, making the use of SSL encryption not only advisable for online shops and web services, but practically for any type of website.

Another reason for webmasters to opt for encrypted connections is the search engine giant, Google. Google has repeatedly stated that websites encrypted via SSL receive a ranking boost in search results. And who wouldn't want their website to be displayed higher? Furthermore, unencrypted websites have been marked as insecure in Google's Chrome browser for some time now, which could be perceived by website visitors as a negative trust signal.

You can recognise an encrypted connection by the protocol https (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), displayed before the actual domain name in the browser. In contrast to the regular protocol http (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), data transmitted in the secure version is encrypted using SSL/TLS.

Utilising Let’s Encrypt as a free SSL certificate

For a long time, SSL certificates could only be obtained for a fee through the web hosting provider. However, this changed with the introduction of the free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. Behind Let’s Encrypt is a non-profit interest group that advocates for a secure internet worldwide and aims to save webmasters the cost of SSL certificates. The main sponsors of the project include industry giants such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Cisco Systems, as well as other notable supporters like the University of Michigan or the Linux Foundation.

The goal of Let’s Encrypt is to promote the global use of SSL certificates and do so for free. They aim for these certificates to be free and easy to integrate, automatically renew without much effort, and always ensure the best protection of transmitted data.

Setting up Free SSL Encryption with Let’s Encrypt

Setting up Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates is usually straightforward for website owners, as many German web hosts have already integrated the service into their web hosting offerings. Activation can be done easily through the management interface. After requesting the certificate, the website can be accessed via https just a few minutes later. To ensure the full functionality of the website, the webmaster simply needs to change all URLs from the old standard http to the new standard https in the backend.

Free SSL encryption with Let’s Encrypt is sufficient for almost all websites. In terms of security, the free certificates are on par with the paid offerings of other providers. Only website owners who require special additional features such as Organizational Validation with identity verification or Extended Validation with a "green address bar" need to look into paid SSL certificates.

Activating SSL encryption for your website is free and straightforward for every webmaster thanks to Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. Due to strict legal requirements, the benefits from the search engine giant Google, and the increased security for the personal data of website visitors, there are plenty of reasons to switch your website to SSL sooner rather than later.

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