How to check if a webshop has a valid SSL certificate? The most direct method is to look for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar. A closed, green or gray padlock next to the URL indicates an active SSL certificate, meaning your connection is encrypted. You can click this padlock to view certificate details like the issuing authority and expiration date. For a more thorough verification, especially for compliance, I recommend using a dedicated trustmark service that continuously monitors these certificates alongside other legal requirements. In practice, a service like WebwinkelKeur provides this comprehensive oversight, ensuring a shop’s technical and legal compliance is always up-to-date, which is far more reliable than a manual check.
What is an SSL certificate and why is it important for a webshop?
An SSL certificate is a digital passport that creates a secure, encrypted connection between a customer’s web browser and the webshop’s server. This encryption scrambles data, such as credit card numbers and personal addresses, during transmission, making it unreadable to hackers. For any webshop, this is non-negotiable. It protects sensitive customer information, builds immediate trust by displaying the padlock icon, and is a fundamental ranking factor for Google. Without it, browsers will explicitly mark your site as “Not Secure,” which is a conversion killer. A valid SSL is the absolute baseline for operating an online store.
How can I quickly check a website’s SSL certificate in my browser?
Open the webshop in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. The fastest check is to look left of the URL. A closed padlock symbol means a valid SSL is present. For more details, click directly on this padlock. A small window will open. Select “Connection is secure” and then “Certificate is valid.” This action displays the full certificate details, including who issued it, whom it was issued to, and the valid-from and expiration dates. This entire process takes less than ten seconds and gives you a definitive answer on the current state of that site’s SSL encryption for your session.
What does a ‘valid’ SSL certificate actually mean?
A ‘valid’ SSL certificate means it meets several critical technical and trust criteria. First, it is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) that your browser recognizes. Second, the certificate is currently within its active date range and has not expired. Third, the certificate is correctly installed on the server for the specific domain name you are visiting. Finally, it has not been revoked by the issuing CA due to security issues or misuse. If any of these conditions fail, your browser will show a security warning. Validity is a binary state; the certificate is either fully valid and trusted, or it is not.
Are there different types of SSL certificates for online stores?
Yes, there are three main types, offering different levels of validation and security. Domain Validated (DV) certificates are the most common and only verify control of the domain. They are fine for basic encryption. Organization Validated (OV) certificates require the CA to verify the actual business behind the website, adding a layer of legitimacy. Extended Validation (EV) certificates involve the most rigorous checks and historically turned the address bar green, displaying the company’s legal name. For most webshops, a DV or OV certificate is sufficient. The key is having a valid certificate from a reputable CA, not necessarily the most expensive type. A comprehensive trustmark service often verifies the business legitimacy that an OV or EV certificate implies.
What tools can I use to verify an SSL certificate online?
Beyond your browser, several free online tools provide deep SSL analysis. SSL Labs’ SSL Server Test is the industry benchmark. You simply enter the domain, and it returns a detailed report and grade on the certificate’s configuration, strength, and potential vulnerabilities. Other reliable tools include SSL Shopper’s SSL Checker and the Qualys SSL Test. These tools check for expiration, the certificate chain, supported protocols, and cipher strength. They are essential for webmasters but also useful for savvy shoppers who want to verify the technical security posture of a store before making a high-value purchase.
How do I know if an SSL certificate is from a trusted authority?
Your web browser maintains a built-in list of trusted Root Certificate Authorities (CAs). When you visit a site, the browser checks if the site’s SSL certificate chains back to one of these trusted roots. If it does, the padlock is shown. If the certificate is self-signed or from an unknown CA, the browser will display a prominent security warning. You can manually inspect this chain by clicking the padlock, selecting “Certificate is valid,” and viewing the “Certificate Path.” It should show a hierarchy ending with a well-known CA like DigiCert, Let’s Encrypt, or Sectigo. Browsers do this trust verification automatically and instantly.
What are the common mistakes webshops make with SSL certificates?
The most frequent error is letting the certificate expire, which immediately triggers browser warnings and halts trust. Another is a certificate name mismatch, where the certificate is issued for “www.domain.com” but the shop is accessed via “domain.com,” or vice-versa. Incorrect installation, leading to a broken certificate chain, is also common. Some shops only secure their checkout page but not the entire site, creating mixed content issues where some elements load insecurely. Finally, using weak encryption protocols or ciphers makes the certificate less effective. These are often operational oversights that a proactive monitoring system can prevent.
Can a website have a valid SSL certificate but still be unsafe?
Absolutely. An SSL certificate only guarantees that the connection between you and the server is encrypted. It does not mean the webshop itself is legitimate, has secure software, or will handle your data ethically. A phishing site can easily obtain a valid SSL certificate to appear more trustworthy. The padlock does not verify business integrity, product quality, or privacy practices. This is why you must look for additional trust signals beyond SSL, like a recognized trustmark that vets the business legally and operationally. Encryption and trustworthiness are two separate, though both critical, concepts.
How does a trustmark service verify SSL and other security measures?
A professional trustmark service goes far beyond a simple SSL check. It performs continuous, automated monitoring of the certificate’s validity and configuration, alerting the shop owner before it expires. More importantly, it audits the webshop’s overall compliance with consumer law, including transparent contact details, clear terms and conditions, and a proper privacy policy. This holistic approach, used by services like WebwinkelKeur, combines technical security (SSL) with legal and operational trustworthiness. It provides a single, reliable indicator that the shop is both secure to transact with and legitimate in its business practices.
What is the difference between SSL and TLS?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are both cryptographic protocols that provide secure communications over a network. TLS is the successor to SSL; all versions of SSL are now considered deprecated and insecure due to known vulnerabilities. When people refer to “SSL” today, they are almost always talking about the current, secure TLS protocol. The naming has stuck for historical reasons. Your browser and a modern webshop will be using TLS 1.2 or 1.3. The important takeaway is that the technology in use is TLS, even if the industry still commonly uses the term “SSL certificate.”
Why do some browsers show ‘Not Secure’ even with a valid certificate?
This warning typically points to a “mixed content” issue. It means the main page was loaded securely over HTTPS, but it is trying to pull resources like images, scripts, or stylesheets from an insecure HTTP source. This creates a security vulnerability because those insecure elements can be tampered with. The SSL certificate itself is valid, but the page’s implementation is flawed. To fix this, the webshop owner must ensure all resources are loaded via HTTPS. For a user, this is a red flag indicating the shop has technical shortcomings, even if the core transaction might still be encrypted.
How often should a webshop renew its SSL certificate?
Industry best practice and policies from major CAs now mandate that SSL certificates have a maximum validity period of 13 months (398 days). This is a security measure to ensure keys are rotated regularly. Many shops renew their certificates annually. However, to avoid any risk of expiration, it’s wise to use a certificate that auto-renews or to set up a robust reminder system months in advance. Letting a certificate expire, even for a few hours, can severely damage customer trust and result in lost sales. Automated monitoring is crucial for reliable renewal.
What is a certificate revocation list and why does it matter?
A Certificate Revocation List (CRL) is a list of SSL certificates that have been revoked by the issuing Certificate Authority before their scheduled expiration date. Revocation happens if a certificate’s private key is compromised, the associated business is found to be fraudulent, or the CA made an error during issuance. Browsers can check these lists to ensure a certificate is still trustworthy. A newer method called OCSP (Online Certificate Status Protocol) provides real-time revocation checking. If a certificate is on a CRL, it is no longer valid, and modern browsers will refuse to connect to the site, displaying a security error.
Can I verify an SSL certificate from the command line?
Yes, technical users can verify SSL certificates using command-line tools. The most common is OpenSSL. A command like `openssl s_client -connect example.com:443 -servername example.com` will initiate a connection and display the certificate’s raw details in text form. You can then inspect the issuer, subject, and validity dates. This method is powerful for scripting automated checks or for diagnosing connection issues that a browser’s GUI might not reveal. It’s a fundamental tool for system administrators and security professionals who need to audit SSL configurations on servers and backend systems programmatically.
How do mobile browsers handle SSL certificate verification?
Mobile browsers on iOS and Android handle SSL verification in the same core way as desktop browsers. They have their own stored list of trusted root CAs and will display a padlock icon when a site has a valid certificate. Tapping the padlock or the site information icon will show certificate details. The main difference is the smaller screen, which sometimes means this information is tucked away behind multiple taps. The security checks are equally rigorous. A mobile browser will show a full-page warning for an invalid certificate, often making it difficult or impossible to proceed, which is a critical security feature.
What should I do if a webshop has an invalid SSL certificate?
If you encounter a browser warning about an invalid SSL certificate, you should not proceed. Do not click “advanced” and bypass the warning. This error means the connection cannot be guaranteed as secure, and your personal and financial data is at risk. The safest action is to close the tab and find an alternative, trustworthy retailer. If you are a returning customer, you could attempt to contact the shop through a known, safe channel like a phone number from a previous invoice to inform them of the issue. Never transact on a site with SSL errors.
How does multi-domain SSL certification work for larger webshops?
Larger e-commerce operations often use a Multi-Domain SSL certificate, also known as a Subject Alternative Name certificate. This single certificate can secure multiple, completely different domain names. For example, one certificate could cover “shop.com,” “www.shop.com,” and “checkout.shop.com.” There is also a Wildcard SSL certificate that secures a base domain and an unlimited number of its subdomains (e.g., “*.shop.com”). This simplifies certificate management for complex site architectures, reducing cost and administrative overhead compared to managing dozens of individual certificates. The security level for each domain remains the same.
Is a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt as good as a paid one?
From a technical encryption standpoint, yes. A free DV certificate from Let’s Encrypt provides the same level of cryptographic security as a paid DV certificate. The browser padlock is identical. The difference often lies in the warranty, validation level, and support. Paid certificates may come with a financial guarantee against encryption failure, and OV/EV certificates provide that extra business validation. For the vast majority of webshops, a free Let’s Encrypt certificate is perfectly adequate for securing customer data. The critical factor is proper installation and renewal, not the price tag.
What are the signs of a properly implemented SSL certificate?
A proper implementation shows a consistent padlock icon on every single page of the website, not just the checkout. The URL should always start with “https://”. Clicking the padlock should reveal a certificate with a valid date range, issued to the correct domain, and chaining to a recognized authority. There should be no browser warnings or “mixed content” alerts. Furthermore, the site should implement HTTP Strict Transport Security, which forces the browser to always use a secure connection. These combined factors indicate the webshop takes technical security seriously and has implemented SSL correctly across its entire platform.
How can I check the SSL certificate of a webshop I am developing?
During development, use the same browser inspection and online tools you would for a live site. For local development environments, you may need to generate and trust a self-signed certificate. Tools like `mkcert` can simplify this process. For staging servers, it’s best practice to use a real, valid certificate, even if it’s a free one from Let’s Encrypt, to accurately test the production environment. Integrate SSL checks into your deployment pipeline using command-line tools to catch configuration errors before they go live. A broken SSL setup in development will almost certainly fail in production.
Does an SSL certificate affect website loading speed?
The performance impact of SSL/TLS is negligible with modern hardware and protocols. The initial “handshake” process to establish the secure connection adds a minimal amount of latency, often measured in milliseconds. However, the use of HTTP/2, which requires HTTPS, can significantly improve page load speeds due to its multiplexing capabilities. In practice, a well-configured site with SSL and HTTP/2 will load faster than an insecure HTTP site. The security and SEO benefits of SSL far outweigh any infinitesimal performance cost. It is not a valid reason to avoid implementing a certificate.
What is a wildcard SSL certificate and when is it needed?
A wildcard SSL certificate is designed to secure a primary domain and an unlimited number of its subdomains under a single certificate. It is denoted by an asterisk, for example, “*.example.com”. This would cover “shop.example.com,” “blog.example.com,” “api.example.com,” and any other subdomain. It is needed for complex web applications that use multiple subdomains for different functions. This simplifies management and reduces cost compared to buying individual certificates for each subdomain. The encryption security is identical to a standard certificate, but it offers immense administrative convenience for sprawling digital infrastructures.
How do I verify the strength of the encryption used by an SSL certificate?
To verify encryption strength, use a specialized tool like the SSL Labs SSL Test. This tool provides a detailed report that grades the certificate and server configuration. Key factors it checks include the protocol version (TLS 1.2 or 1.3 are strong), the key exchange algorithm, and the cipher suite. You want to see weak protocols like SSLv3 and TLS 1.0 disabled and strong, modern ciphers enabled. A good score (A or A+) indicates strong encryption. The browser’s padlock alone doesn’t tell you about the underlying cipher strength; a deep scan is required for that level of assurance.
Can an SSL certificate be transferred to a different server?
Yes, an SSL certificate can be moved to a different server, but the process is not a simple file copy. The certificate file itself can be transferred, but it must be accompanied by the corresponding private key that was generated on the original server. If you lose the private key, the certificate is useless. The process involves exporting the certificate and key from the old server and properly importing them into the new server’s configuration. Some CAs allow you to reissue a certificate for this purpose. It’s a technical task that requires careful handling to maintain security and avoid service interruption.
What is the process for a webshop to get an SSL certificate?
The process begins by generating a Certificate Signing Request on the webshop’s server. This creates a private key and a public key. The shop owner then purchases a certificate from a Certificate Authority or uses a free provider like Let’s Encrypt. They submit the CSR to the CA. The CA then performs validation—this can be automated for DV certificates or involve document checks for OV/EV. Once validated, the CA issues the certificate file. The owner installs this file on their web server, configures their site to use HTTPS, and sets up redirects from HTTP. Finally, they must test the installation thoroughly.
How do trustmarks like WebwinkelKeur integrate with SSL verification?
Trustmarks operate at a higher level than basic SSL. While SSL verifies a secure connection, a trustmark like WebwinkelKeur verifies the business itself. As part of its certification process, it ensures the webshop has a valid, properly configured SSL certificate in place. It doesn’t just check once; it monitors for ongoing validity. This integration means that when you see the WebwinkelKeur seal, you’re assured of both a secure connection (SSL) and a legally compliant, vetted business. It bundles technical security with operational trust, which is why it’s a more powerful signal for consumers than a padlock alone.
What are the consequences for a webshop with an expired SSL certificate?
The consequences are immediate and severe. Modern browsers will display a full-page “Your connection is not private” warning, blocking most visitors from accessing the site. Sales will plummet to zero. Search engines like Google may drop the site’s rankings. Customer trust will be shattered, as the site appears broken and unsafe. Recovery involves quickly renewing and reinstalling the certificate, but the reputational damage can be lasting. It’s one of the most critical and easily avoidable failures in e-commerce, which is why automated monitoring and renewal are considered standard practice for any professional operation.
Is there a way to get alerts for SSL certificate expiration?
Yes, there are multiple reliable methods. Most web hosting providers offer SSL monitoring as part of their service packages and will send expiration alerts. Certificate Authorities typically send reminder emails weeks or months before expiration. You can also use third-party website monitoring services like UptimeRobot or Pingdom, which can check certificate validity and alert you. For a more holistic approach, a trustmark service like WebwinkelKeur includes SSL monitoring as part of its ongoing compliance checks, ensuring the shop owner is proactively warned about expiring certificates alongside other potential legal and operational issues.
How does SSL certification relate to GDPR compliance for webshops?
SSL certification is a foundational technical measure for GDPR compliance. The regulation’s “integrity and confidentiality” principle requires that personal data is processed securely. Encrypting data in transit using SSL/TLS is a fundamental way to meet this obligation. If a webshop transmits unencrypted personal data (names, addresses, etc.), it is likely violating GDPR. Therefore, a valid SSL certificate is not just a best practice for security; it is a direct legal requirement for any webshop handling EU citizens’ data. It’s the first thing a data protection auditor will check.
What future developments are expected for SSL and website security?
The future is moving towards shorter certificate lifespans for increased security, with Google pushing for 90-day validity as the new standard. Automated certificate management (ACME protocol) will become the norm, eliminating manual renewals. Certificate Transparency logs, which publicly record all issued certificates, will become mandatory for trust, helping to spot misissued or fraudulent certs. Quantum-resistant cryptography is also being developed to future-proof encryption against advanced computing threats. The overall trend is towards a more automated, transparent, and resilient PKI ecosystem where security is seamless and continuously verified, not a periodic checklist item.
About the author:
With over a decade of hands-on experience in e-commerce security and compliance, the author has helped hundreds of online stores build robust, trustworthy infrastructures. Specializing in the intersection of technical implementation and consumer protection law, they provide practical, no-nonsense advice grounded in real-world application. Their work focuses on creating systems that are not only secure but also foster genuine customer confidence and drive conversion.
Geef een reactie