Add SSL Certificate to WordPress

According to a study conducted by WP White Security, out of the 11,000 hacked WordPress websites they analyzed, 98% of them were not using SSL certificates.

Is your WordPress website SSL certified? If not, it’s important to install a WordPress SSL certificate now to enable encrypted data transfer between browsers and servers. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protects websites from having precious customer data stolen by hackers. Websites without an SSL certificate are much more prone to being hacked than those with SSL.

SSL certification is critical for any website that handles sensitive customer data such as login credentials, personal information, or payment details. When your website has an SSL certificate, it creates a secure connection between the user’s browser and the server, making it extremely difficult for any third party to intercept or steal data transmitted between the two. This secure connection is established through the use of encryption, which scrambles the data being transmitted, making it unreadable to anyone who may try to intercept it.

How SSL Certificate Help A WordPress Website

SSL certification is critical for any website that handles sensitive customer data such as login credentials, personal information, or payment details. When your website has an SSL certificate, it creates a secure connection between the user’s browser and the server, making it extremely difficult for any third party to intercept or steal data transmitted between the two. This secure connection is established through the use of encryption, which scrambles the data being transmitted, making it unreadable to anyone who may try to intercept it.

Furthermore, having an SSL certificate on your website improves your search engine rankings. Google has publicly stated that it prefers websites that have SSL certification and uses it as a ranking factor. This means that not only does an SSL certificate help to protect your website and its visitors, but it can also benefit your online presence.

How Does SSL Certificate Work?

When a user visits your website, their browser sends a request to your server to establish a connection. Your server responds by sending your SSL certificate to the user’s browser. The certificate contains a public key and other information, such as the domain name and the certificate’s issuer. The browser verifies the certificate’s authenticity by checking it against a list of trusted root certificates, which are maintained by the operating system or browser.

Once the certificate is verified, the browser and server establish a secure connection using a symmetric key. This key is generated by the server and is unique to the current session. The symmetric key is then used to encrypt all data sent between the two, including login credentials, payment information, and any other sensitive data.

Types of SSL Certificates For WordPress

There are three main types of SSL certificates. Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV). The main difference between these certificates is the level of validation required to obtain them.

• Domain Validated (DV): A DV certificate is the most basic SSL certificate available. To obtain a DV certificate, the certificate authority (CA) verifies only that the domain is owned by the person requesting the certificate. This type of certificate is suitable for small websites that don’t handle sensitive data.
• Organization Validated (OV): An OV certificate requires a more extensive validation process than a DV certificate. The CA verifies that the domain is owned by the organization and that the organization is a legitimate legal entity. This type of certificate is suitable for e-commerce websites or other sites that handle sensitive data.
• Extended Validation (EV): An EV certificate is the most comprehensive and expensive SSL certificate available. To obtain an EV certificate, the CA conducts a rigorous validation process to verify the identity of the organization. This type of certificate is suitable for large organizations and e-commerce websites that handle a large amount of sensitive data.

Best SSL Certificate for Your Website

The type of SSL certificate you choose will depend on your website’s needs. If your website deals with private information like credit card details or personal information, it’s advisable to use an OV or EV certificate. On the other hand, if your website doesn’t handle sensitive data, a DV certificate is sufficient.

Choosing an SSL Certificate Provider

When it comes to choosing an SSL certificate provider, there are several factors to consider, including price, reputation, and customer support. Some of the most popular SSL certificate providers include Let’s Encrypt, Comodo, DigiCert, and Symantec. Let’s Encrypt is a free and open-source certificate authority that provides DV certificates.

Also Read: How to Fix ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR on Google Chrome

The Cost of SSL Certificates

The cost of these certificates can vary greatly depending on what kind you need. Prices range from free to several hundred dollars per year. For instance, Let’s Encrypt offers basic SSL certificates for free but they may not have all the features required for your website. Commercial SSL certificates come at a higher price point ranging from $50 to $500 or more per year depending on the level of security you require. It’s important to carefully consider the costs and benefits of each type of certificate before making a decision that best suits your website’s needs.

Here are the top WordPress hosting companies that offer free SSL certificates with their hosting plans.

• Bluehost
• SiteGround
• HostGator
• WPEngine
• Dreamhost
• InMotion Hosting
• GreenGeeks
• Hostinger
• Liquid Web

In addition to losing potential customers, a non-SSL website is also vulnerable to cyber attacks such as phishing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and data breaches, which can result in financial loss, reputation damage, and legal liabilities.

How to Add SSL Certificate to WordPress?

Before you install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site, you need to ensure that your web host supports SSL. Most reputable web hosts support SSL, and many offer free SSL certificates as well. You can also obtain an SSL certificate from a third-party provider and install it on your server.

Now that you have obtained your SSL certificate and chosen your SSL provider, it’s time to enable the certificate on your WordPress. There are several methods to add an SSL certificate to the WordPress site, but we’ll cover the two most popular methods: using a plugin or installing it manually.

A) Install SSL Certificate with a Plugin

The easiest way to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site is by using a plugin. There are several SSL plugins available in the WordPress repository, and the most popular one is Let’s Encrypt, Really Simple SSL, Cloudflare Flexible SSL, WP Force SSL, etc. Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority that provides SSL/TLS certificates.

Here are three plugins that you can use to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site:

• Really Simple SSL Plugin

Really Simple SSL is a popular plugin for WordPress that automatically detects your SSL certificate and makes the necessary changes to your site. It is effortless to install and use, making it a popular choice for beginners. Here are the steps to install Really Simple SSL:

1. Log in to your WordPress site and go to the Plugins menu.
2. Click on “Add New,” then search for “Really Simple SSL.”
3. Click on the “Install Now” button, then activate the plugin.
4. Once the plugin is activated, it will automatically detect your SSL certificate and make the necessary changes to your site.

• Cloudflare Flexible SSL

Cloudflare Flexible SSL is a free plugin that you can use to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site. Cloudflare is a content delivery network (CDN) that provides SSL certificates for free. Here are the steps to install Cloudflare Flexible SSL:

1. Sign up for a free Cloudflare account at https://www.cloudflare.com.
2. Add your domain to Cloudflare and follow the instructions to set up your account.
3. Once your account is set up, go to the Crypto menu and toggle on the “Flexible SSL” option.
4. Download and install the Cloudflare Flexible SSL plugin on your WordPress site.
5. Activate the plugin, and your site should now be using an SSL certificate.

• WP Force SSL

WP Force SSL is another free plugin that you can use to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site. This plugin forces your site to use HTTPS instead of HTTP, making it more secure. Here are the steps to install WP Force SSL:

1. Log in to your WordPress site and go to the Plugins menu.
2. Click on “Add New,” then search for “WP Force SSL.”
3. Click on the “Install Now” button, then activate the plugin.
4. Once the plugin is activated, go to the Settings menu and click on “WP Force SSL.”
5. Toggle on the “Force SSL” option and your site should now be using an SSL certificate.

B) Install SSL Certificate Manually on WordPress

If you prefer to install an SSL certificate manually in WordPress, here are the steps you should follow:

• Log in to your hosting account and access your cPanel.
• Go to the Security section and click on SSL/TLS.
• Click on Generate SSL certificate and fill out the form with the required information.
• Go back to the SSL/TLS page and click on Manage SSL sites.
• Choose the domain you want to secure and paste the SSL certificate and private key in the respective fields.
• Save your changes and check if the SSL certificate is installed correctly.
• Checking if your SSL certificate is installed correctly.

After installing your SSL certificate, it’s essential to check if everything is working correctly. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open your website in your browser and check if the URL starts with “https://“.
• Click on the padlock icon to view the SSL certificate details.
• Ensure that you have an SSL certificate that is issued for your domain name and check that it has not expired.
• Check if the SSL certificate is signed by a trusted SSL provider.

Enable WordPress SSL Certificate

After installing your SSL certificate, there are a few additional steps you should take to ensure your WordPress site is secure:

• Update all the links on your website to use HTTPS instead of HTTP.
• Update your Google Analytics and Search Console settings to reflect the change to HTTPS.
• Set up redirects to ensure all HTTP requests are redirected to HTTPS.
• Update any external scripts, such as social media widgets, to use HTTPS.
• Updating your WordPress site to use HTTPS.

To enable your WordPress site to use HTTPS, you need to update your site URL and add some code to your .htaccess file. Here’s how to do it:

• Log in to your WordPress site and go to Settings > General.
• Change both the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to use HTTPS instead of HTTP.
• Save your changes.
• Open your .htaccess file and add the following code at the beginning of the file:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</IfModule>

• Save your changes.

Conclusion

SSL certificates offer an effective way to secure your website’s traffic and build trust with your visitors. By encrypting data between the website and the user’s browser, SSL certificates can prevent malicious attacks and ensure the safety of sensitive information.

In this article, we discussed the importance of SSL certificates for WordPress websites and the different types of certificates available in the market. We also covered a step-by-step guide for installing an SSL certificate on your WordPress site, which included instructions on using Really Simple SSL and other SSL providers, updating your WordPress site to use HTTPS, and verifying the correct installation of your SSL certificate.

We hope this article has helped you understand the significance of SSL certificates and how to install them on your WordPress site. Remember that installing an SSL certificate is only the first step toward securing your website. It’s important to keep your WordPress site up to date with the latest security patches, use strong passwords, and take other necessary measures to keep your website secure.