Very often, when we want to purchase a product, the first thing we consider is its price. However, this rule does not apply at all when we want to select the right SSL certificate for our website. Before making a choice, it is worthwhile to check whether the chosen security solution will work in a specific situation, that is, for a particular website. In most cases, we will be choosing between a DV (Domain Validation) or an OV (Organization Validation) certificate, and we will focus on these two types in this post.
When is a standard Domain Validation (DV) certificate sufficient?
The purpose of SSL certificates is to encrypt the data transmitted between the web browser you use and the website operating under a specific domain. This is the basic function of SSL certificates, although not the only one. What is often overlooked when selecting this type of website protection is the degree to which it can verify information about the site owner. If all we need is for the SSL certificate to validate the domain only, then a DV solution is the way to go. How does such a certificate work? When we order this type of protection, a verification process is carried out to check whether the domain owner’s details listed in the WHOIS database match those in the CSR file (Certificate Signing Request) – i.e., the file transmitted during the certificate order. The company issuing the certificate may also want to confirm that a specific website is actually operating under that domain. At first glance, the entire verification process may seem quite complicated, but in practice it is fairly straightforward. If you want to order a DV SSL certificate for your domain, you simply need to create a new “admin” email account in that domain and then confirm the order via a link sent to that address. Because you don’t have to submit any additional files and the entire procedure is automated, the verification runs quickly and smoothly.
When do Organization Validation (OV) SSL certificates prove useful?
When you choose a standard DV certificate to secure a domain, visitors to the site cannot tell whether the website is truly owned by a specific organization or company. This confirmation is very important, especially if payments can be made through the site, such as in an online store or on the website of a financial institution. If these types of sites are not properly secured in this regard, cybercriminals can exploit this by creating websites that, at first glance, look strikingly similar to legitimate companies’ sites. It becomes much easier to detect such fraud when OV SSL certificates are used. Similar to the DV certificate, domain verification is also required when choosing an OV certificate. However, in addition, the company’s details (of the party requesting this protection) are analyzed. The process is a bit more involved because the entity applying for the OV certificate must provide specific documents, typically a National Court Register extract or a company agreement. Even though the verification process is more complex, it is worth going through. In some cases, additional verification is carried out via a phone call. Websites protected by an OV certificate are perceived more positively by users and enjoy higher trust.
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