What SSL certification authorities are there?

In many areas, certifications are necessary to provide evidence of compliance with standards and requirements for products, services, companies, systems, or individuals. Such certification is issued by independent certification bodies that verify whether the standards of the respective industry are met. Certificates usually have a limited validity period, requiring regular renewal or extension. SSL certificates are also issued by various certification authorities.

What is a Certification Authority?

A Certification Authority is essentially an institution entrusted with certification. Naturally, it must be a recognised and trustworthy institution. Certification authorities are often active in product testing, management systems, and digital certifications.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL stands for "Secure Sockets Layer". This protocol is used on the internet to ensure secure data transmission by the SSL provider. Nowadays, the term TLS for "Transport Layer Security" is also commonly used. It is the same encryption protocol but has been further developed. For more information, see the article Differences between TLS and SSL. This encryption method is based on a public and a private key. The public key is responsible for data encryption, while the private key is used for data decryption. Data transmitted between the internet and a computer via a server is secured by an SSL certificate. The same applies to communication between a website or a server.

Which SSL Providers Are Available?

There is a wide range of SSL certificate providers on the market, including:

SSL Provider Sectigo (formerly Comodo)

Sectigo, formerly known as Comodo CA, is one of the world's leading certification authorities and provides a variety of digital certificates, including SSL/TLS certificates.

Sectigo originated from the Comodo Group, founded in 1998. Comodo CA was a long-time leader in the certification services industry. In 2018, the Comodo Certificate Authority business unit was sold by the Comodo Group and rebranded as Sectigo. The company offers a wide range of SSL certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. The company also provides other types of digital certificates, including Code Signing, Email, and more. Sectigo has its own root certificates that are trusted in most popular web browsers and operating systems, ensuring that certificates issued by Sectigo are recognised by most end-users without any issues. Sectigo has strict procedures and policies for certificate issuance to ensure the integrity and security of the entire ecosystem. This includes the use of modern technologies for identity verification and fraud prevention.

Sectigo is a renowned certification authority with a long history in the industry. Over the years, the company has developed a wide range of security products and services, offering reliable SSL/TLS certificates for websites and applications worldwide.

Find suitable Sectigo SSL certificates for your web project

SSL Provider DigiCert

DigiCert is one of the leading certification authorities worldwide, offering a wide range of SSL/TLS and other digital certificate solutions.

DigiCert was founded in 2003 and has since built a reputation for high standards of security and customer care. The company offers a variety of SSL certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. In addition to traditional SSL certificates, DigiCert also provides solutions for IoT, Code Signing, secure email, and more. In a significant move in the CA industry, DigiCert acquired Symantec's Website Security and PKI Solutions business in 2017. This acquisition significantly expanded DigiCert's customer base and solidified its position as one of the leading SSL providers. DigiCert has introduced a range of technologies and solutions to simplify certificate management and enhance security. These include advanced certificate management platforms and innovative solutions for certificate automation.

DigiCert is a key player in the digital certificate space and over the years has earned the trust of many large and small organisations through reliability, innovation, and excellent customer service.

Find suitable DigiCert SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL Provider GeoTrust

GeoTrust is a well-known certification authority and a significant provider of SSL/TLS certificates and other digital security products.

GeoTrust was founded in the early 2000s and quickly grew to become one of the world's largest digital certificate providers. In 2006, GeoTrust was acquired by VeriSign, another leading certification authority. This acquisition combined the resources and customer bases of both companies. After VeriSign sold its certificate business to Symantec in 2010, GeoTrust became part of Symantec's expanded product portfolio. Later, in 2017, when DigiCert acquired Symantec's Website Security business, GeoTrust came under the umbrella of DigiCert. GeoTrust offers a range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. They also provide other products such as Code Signing certificates and True BusinessID. Like other major certification authorities, GeoTrust has trusted root certificates in most modern web browsers and operating systems, meaning certificates issued by GeoTrust are generally accepted by end users without issues.

GeoTrust has been a key player in the digital certificate space for many years. Despite several corporate changes and acquisitions, the brand has maintained its presence and reputation in the digital security industry.

Find suitable GeoTrust SSL certificates for your web project

SSL Provider GlobalSign

GlobalSign is one of the established certification authorities in the digital security industry, offering a variety of SSL/TLS certificates and other digital identification solutions.

Founded in 1996, GlobalSign is one of the oldest active certification authorities. The company has been headquartered in Europe since its inception, although it operates globally. GlobalSign provides a comprehensive range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. In addition to SSL/TLS certificates, the company offers a variety of other digital identification products such as Code Signing certificates, email security solutions, and Identity Verification services. GlobalSign places a strong emphasis on security standards and is compliant with industry standards like WebTrust. They implement rigorous procedures in the issuance and management of certificates. GlobalSign was one of the first companies to offer cloud-based PKI solutions to help businesses ensure security in an increasingly interconnected world.

GlobalSign is a renowned and trusted certification authority with a long history and a broad portfolio of digital security products. The company has established a reputation in the industry for quality, reliability, and ongoing innovation.

Find suitable GlobalSign SSL certificates for your web project

SSL Provider Thawte

Thawte is one of the older and most well-known certification authorities in the digital security industry, offering a range of online security solutions.

Thawte was founded in 1995 by Mark Shuttleworth in South Africa. The company quickly gained recognition and grew rapidly to become one of the leading providers of SSL/TLS certificates. In 1999, Thawte was acquired by VeriSign, another major certification authority. Following the acquisition, Thawte remained as a standalone brand, complementing VeriSign's portfolio. Thawte offers a wide range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. Thawte has also offered other products and services such as Code Signing certificates and Email Security certificates. Although originally founded in South Africa, Thawte has quickly evolved into a global player in the CA industry, issuing certificates in many countries and in multiple languages.

Over the years, Thawte has established itself as a trusted and reliable certification authority that meets the needs of businesses and individuals worldwide. Despite organizational changes and a constantly evolving security landscape, the Thawte brand remains recognised and respected in the industry.

Find suitable Thawte SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL Provider Certum

Certum is a European certification authority based in Poland, operating in the European region and offering a range of digital certificate solutions.

Certum is the oldest active certification authority in Poland. It was founded in the early 2000s and has since expanded its services both in the Polish and international markets. Certum offers a variety of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. Additionally, Certum also provides other products such as Code Signing certificates, Email certificates, and digital signatures for documents. One of Certum's main features is their expertise in electronic identification (E-ID). They offer various solutions related to electronic signatures and trust services. Certum places great emphasis on security and compliance with European and international standards for digital certificates. Their infrastructure and procedures are regularly reviewed to meet the highest security standards.

Certum is a reputable certification authority in Europe, offering a wide range of digital certificate solutions. Their specialization in E-ID products and trust services makes them a key choice for many businesses and individuals in Europe and beyond.

Find suitable Certum SSL certificates for your web project

SSL Provider RapidSSL

RapidSSL is a well-known certification authority specialising in providing cost-effective and efficient SSL/TLS certificates, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses as well as individuals.

RapidSSL focuses on a quick and easy issuance process for SSL/TLS certificates, making it a preferred choice for many seeking a fast and straightforward solution to secure their website. RapidSSL primarily offers Domain Validated (DV) certificates, which provide basic encryption and are typically available within minutes of submitting the required information. One of RapidSSL's main selling points is its low price. The brand caters to customers looking for a budget-friendly solution without compromising on basic security requirements. RapidSSL is part of the DigiCert portfolio, following DigiCert's acquisition of Symantec's website security business (previously owner of brands like Symantec, Thawte, GeoTrust, and RapidSSL) in 2017. Now part of the DigiCert ecosystem, RapidSSL customers benefit from the extensive support and resources that DigiCert provides, including certificate installation and management tools.

RapidSSL is a reliable choice for those seeking a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to secure their websites. The brand has built a reputation for efficiency and user-friendliness, making it particularly appealing to small and medium-sized businesses or individuals who are new to the world of web security.

Find suitable RapidSSL SSL certificates for your web project

SSL Provider AlphaSSL

AlphaSSL is a brand known for cost-effective SSL/TLS certificates. It may be less well-known than some of the major names in the certification industry, but it has carved out a niche for itself by offering simple and affordable security solutions.

AlphaSSL positions itself as a competitive, affordable Certification Authority focusing on simple and straightforward SSL/TLS certificates. AlphaSSL mainly offers Domain Validated (DV) certificates, meaning the validation is based on verifying domain ownership without requiring extensive company validation. This simplifies and speeds up the certificate issuance process. AlphaSSL is actually a brand of GlobalSign, one of the established and larger Certification Authorities worldwide. While GlobalSign offers a wide range of certificate products and services, AlphaSSL is specifically geared towards cost-effective and quick solutions. A key selling point of AlphaSSL is the fast issuance time, allowing websites to be secured in no time. This is particularly beneficial for developers and website owners in need of a swift solution. Despite being positioned as an affordable brand, AlphaSSL customers benefit from the comprehensive support and resources provided by GlobalSign.

AlphaSSL is a suitable choice for those seeking a quick and cost-effective way to secure their websites with SSL/TLS. It offers less extensive validation options compared to some other certificates, but for many applications and users, it can provide just the right level of security and validation.

Find suitable AlphaSSL SSL certificates for your web project here

Finding the right SSL provider

When looking for an SSL Certification Authority, there are numerous providers to choose from. It is important to carefully examine the offers. Not every offer is optimally equipped for your own online shop. Every website owner must consider carefully what type of SSL certificate is needed for their specific requirements. More information is also available in our SSL Certificate Buying Guide. This will make the decision for a provider a bit easier.

Our article is based on our own experiences and research, as well as information from external sources.

Sources & further links on the topic:


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