Securing your website is one of the crucial aspects of preventing malicious attacks and protecting sensitive information. One of the fundamental steps to ensure your WordPress site is secure is by adding an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate.
An SSL certificate encrypts the data transmitted between your server and user browsers, protecting sensitive information such as login details and personal data. Additionally, having an SSL certificate can improve your search engine rankings, as Google prioritizes secure websites.
In this blog post, you will discover how to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress website.
Table of Contents
What is an SSL?
SSL ( Secure Socket Layer) is an encryption protocol that encrypts the information exchanged between a web server and a web browser. It ensures the shared data remains safe and secure, providing a layer of security.
SSL is essential for various reasons :
- Protecting Sensitive Information: SSL is crucial for protecting sensitive data such as credit card numbers, login credentials, and personal information from cybercriminals.
- Building User Trust: When users see the padlock icon and “https://” in the browser address bar, they know their connection is secure, which builds trust.
- Preventing Cyber Attacks: SSL helps prevent various cyber threats, including man-in-the-middle attacks, where an attacker intercepts data between the user and the server.
What is an SSL certificate?
An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that verifies the website’s identity. It ensures that data passed between the web server and browsers remains private. SSL certificate serves various purposes such as security, SEO benefits, increased trust and credibility, compliance, etc.
There are 3 different types of SSL certificates:
- Domain Validated(DV) certificates – These are the most basic types of certificates, verifying only the domain name.
- Organization Validated(OV) certificates – These provide a higher level of security by verifying the organization’s identity.
- Extended Validation (EV) certificates – These certificates offer the highest level of security, requiring a thorough vetting process of the organization and enabling the green address bar in browsers.
How does an SSL certificate works?
An SSL certificate ensures that data transferred between users and websites remains safe and secure. It uses an encryption algorithm and encrypts the data with keys so that attackers cannot read it in between. It uses the SSL/TSL Handshake protocol to create secure communication and safeguard data that may be sensitive information such as personally identifiable information(PIA), login credentials, financial information & credit card numbers, and so on.
Here is a breakdown of how it works:
- Establishing a secure connection
- Browser Connection: When users navigate to an SSL-secured website, their browser attempts to connect to the web server.
- Server Identification: The server responds by sending a copy of its SSL certificate to the user’s browser.
- Certificate Validation
- The browser verifies the SSL certificate to ensure it is from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) and is not expired, revoked, or invalid. Once the certificate is validated, the browser informs the web server, sending a signed acknowledgment to initiate an SSL-encrypted session.
- Session Key Generation
- Public Key Encryption: Once the certificate is validated, the browser generates a session key (a unique symmetric key for the session) and encrypts it using the server public key from the SSL certificate.
- Establishing an Encrypted Session
- Session Key Exchange: The server decrypts the session key using its private key. Now, the browser and the server have the same session key to encrypt all further communication.
- Secure Communication
- Data Encryption: With the session key established, all data transmitted between the browser and the server is encrypted, ensuring malicious attackers cannot intercept or tamper with sensitive information.
By following this process, SSL ensures that data transferred between the server and the browser remains private and secure, protecting it from interception and tampering. This encryption helps to maintain data integrity and user trust, which is crucial for online transactions and secure communications.
How to install an SSL certificate on WordPress?
Before you proceed, make sure to ascertain whether your website already has an SSL certificate or if it requires one. Most Web hosts provide free, paid, or third-party SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt. You can enable this directly from your hosting control panel. If your site does not have an SSL certificate or it is expired, you should install an SSL certificate or purchase from a Certificate Authority (CA).
Also, you must create a backup of your entire site using the WordPress backup plugins.
Installing an SSL certificate on your WordPress site can be done in several ways. Here’s a simplified guide to the most common methods:
- Plugin: Easiest method, ideal for non-technical users.
- cPanel: Directly manage SSL certificates via your hosting control panel.
- Web Host/Server: Utilize your hosting provider’s tools or support for SSL installation, best for those with technical knowledge, offering complete control over the process.
Step-by-Step guide to installing an SSL certificate using a WordPress plugin
We’ll guide you in installing the SSL certificate in a WordPress site using WordPress plugins.
Step 1: Install and activate the Really Simple SSL plugin
1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard:
- Go to your WordPress admin panel.
2. Navigate to plugins:
- In the left-hand menu, click Plugins>>Add New.
3. Search for Really Simple SSL:
- In the search bar, type Really Simple SSL.
- Locate the plugin in the search results, developed by Really Simple Plugins.
4. Install and activate the plugin:
- Click the Install Now button next to the Simple SSL plugin.
- Once installed, click the Activate button.
Step 2: Configure the plugin
1. Activate SSL:
- After activation, the plugin will automatically redirect you to its setting page.
- The plugin will automatically detect if your site has an active SSL certificate.
- Click on the Activate SSL button.
2. Update site URL to HTTPS:
- The plugin will update your WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to use HTTPS instead of HTTP.
Step 3: Additional configuration
1. Force SSL on all pages:
- The plugin ensures all pages are loaded over HTTPS by setting up the necessary redirects.
2. Mixed content fixer:
- Simple SSL includes a mixed content fixer that helps securely load all resources (images, scripts, stylesheets) over HTTPS.
3. Check for issues:
- Navigate to Settings>>SSL in your WordPress dashboard.
- The plugin will alert you to any issues or mixed content that need addressing. Follow the recommended actions to resolve them.
Step 4: Test your site
1. Visit your site:
- Open a new browser window and visit your website. Ensure the URL starts with https:// and a padlock icon in the address bar indicating a secure connection.
2. Use online tools:
- Tools like Why No Padlock? or SSL Labs’ SSL Test can assist in confirming that your SSL certificate has been correctly configured and can identify any remaining mixed content issues.
Enabling SSL on WordPress
After successfully installing an SSL certificate, proceed to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Settings section.
- From the Settings dropdown menu, click on General.
- Update your WordPress URLs.
- Click on the Save Changes button at the bottom. You’ll receive a confirmation message once the changes are applied.
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site. By adding an SSL certificate, you not only enhance your site’s security but also build trust with your visitors. However, remember that an SSL certificate is the first step toward website security. To fully protect your site, consider installing security plugins and following best practices for WordPress security.
For detailed guidance on securing your site, check out our article on the Best WordPress Security Plugins and Tips To Improve WordPress Security.
If you found this article helpful or have any feedback, please share your experiences in the comment section below.
Thank you for reading until the end!