Securing your website with an SSL certificate is crucial for protecting your visitors’ data and establishing trust with search engines. However, many website owners are hesitant to purchase an SSL certificate due to the cost. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install a free SSL certificate from ZEROSSL and secure your website without spending a dime.
ZEROSSL is a Certificate Authority that provides free SSL certificates for websites, as well as paid certificates with additional features.
Here are the features that ZEROSSL offers:
- Free SSL certificates with Domain Validation (DV)
- Paid SSL certificates with Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV)
- Wildcard SSL certificates for subdomains
- Multi-domain SSL certificates
- Code Signing certificates
Here is how ZEROSSL works:
- Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) for your website domain
- Verify your domain ownership using one of the available methods (HTTP file upload, DNS record, or email verification)
- Download the SSL certificate, private key, and CA bundle files
- Install the SSL certificate on your web server
The benefits of using ZEROSSL include:
- Secure HTTPS connection for your website
- Improved search engine rankings (Google favors HTTPS websites)
- Increased user trust and confidence in your website
- Free SSL certificates with Domain Validation (DV) for small websites and blogs
Here are the steps to generate and install an FREE SSL certificate on your website using ZEROSSL and cPanel:
- Sign up for a ZEROSSL account at https://zerossl.com/
Go to the ZEROSSL website and create a free account by clicking on the “Sign Up” button. Fill in your email address, choose a password, and click on “Create Account“. You will receive a confirmation email to verify your account.
- Generate a CSR for your website domain from cPanel
a. Log in to cPanel and go to the “SSL/TLS” section: Log in to your cPanel account, and navigate to the “Security” section. Click on “SSL/TLS” to open the SSL/TLS Manager.
b. Click on “Generate, view, or delete SSL certificate signing requests“: In the SSL/TLS Manager, click on “Generate, view, or delete SSL certificate signing requests” under the “Certificates (CRT)” section.
c. Fill in the required information (domain name, email address, etc.) and click “Generate“: Fill in the details such as your domain name, email address, and select the key size. Click on “Generate” to create the CSR.
d. Copy the CSR code to your clipboard: Once the CSR is generated, copy the CSR code to your clipboard.
- Verify your domain ownership using the HTTP file upload method:
a. In ZEROSSL, select the “FREE SSL” option and enter your domain name: Log in to your ZEROSSL account, and select the “FREE SSL” option from the dashboard. Enter your domain name and click on “Next“.
b. Choose the HTTP file upload verification method: On the next page, select the HTTP file upload verification method.
c. Follow the instructions to upload the verification file to your web server: Download the verification file provided by ZEROSSL, and upload it to the public_html directory of your website using FTP or cPanel File Manager.
d. Click “Next” to complete the verification process: After uploading the verification file, click on “Next” in the ZEROSSL dashboard to complete the verification process.
- Download the SSL certificate files:
a. After domain verification, click on “Download” to get the certificate files: Once the domain ownership is verified, you can download the SSL certificate files from the ZEROSSL dashboard. Click on “Download” to get the certificate files.
b. Save the SSL certificate, private key, and CA bundle files to your computer: Download the SSL certificate, private key, and CA bundle files and save them to your computer.
- Install the SSL certificate on cPanel:
a. Go back to the “SSL/TLS” section in cPanel: Log back in to your cPanel account, and go to the “Security” section. Click on “SSL/TLS” to open the SSL/TLS Manager.
b. Click on “Manage SSL sites“: In the SSL/TLS Manager, click on “Manage SSL sites” under the “Install and Manage SSL for your site (HTTPS)” section.
c. Fill in the required information (domain name, certificate, and private key) and click “Install Certificate“: Fill in the required details such as your domain name, the SSL certificate, and the private key. You can copy and paste the contents of the SSL certificate and private key files that you downloaded from ZEROSSL.
d. Verify that the SSL certificate is installed correctly by visiting your website with HTTPS: After installing the SSL certificate, verify that it’s working correctly by visiting your website with HTTPS. The browser should display a padlock icon indicating a secure connection.
That’s it! Your website is now secured with an SSL certificate from ZEROSSL.
Here’s the link to sign up for ZEROSSL: https://zerossl.com/
Maximizing Website Security and Trust with Premium SSL Certificates
A premium SSL certificate is a type of SSL certificate that provides advanced features and additional security options beyond what is offered by standard SSL certificates. Premium SSL certificates are typically more expensive than standard SSL certificates because they offer a higher level of security and trust.
Premium SSL certificates are typically used by larger organizations or websites that require higher levels of security or have a greater need for customer trust.
Here are some of the benefits and features of premium SSL certificates:
- Extended Validation (EV) SSL: EV SSL certificates provide the highest level of validation and trust, and they display a green address bar in the browser to indicate that the website is verified and secure.
- Wildcard SSL: Wildcard SSL certificates can secure multiple subdomains under a single domain name. This can be useful for websites that have many subdomains or subdirectories that need to be secured.
- Multi-Domain SSL: Multi-Domain SSL certificates can secure multiple domain names or hostnames under a single certificate. This can be useful for websites that have multiple domain names or hostnames that need to be secured.
- Higher warranty: Premium SSL certificates often come with a higher warranty, which means that if there is a security breach, the certificate provider will offer a higher level of financial compensation to the website owner.
- Site seal: Premium SSL certificates often come with a site seal that can be displayed on the website to indicate that the site is secure and verified. This can help to increase customer trust and confidence in the website.
Premium SSL certificates offer advanced features and additional security options beyond what is offered by standard SSL certificates. They are typically more expensive but are useful for larger organizations or websites that require a higher level of security or customer trust.
Conclusion
In conclusion, installing an SSL certificate from ZEROSSL is a quick and easy way to secure your website and protect your visitors’ data. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can install a free SSL certificate on your website and enjoy the benefits of improved security and search engine optimization. Don’t let the cost of an SSL certificate prevent you from securing your website – try ZEROSSL today and enjoy peace of mind knowing that your website is secure and trusted.