What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts information sent to the server using SSL/TLS technology. Encryption scrambles the data in transit, preventing eavesdropping and tampering.

Why is SSL important for my website?

SSL certificates encrypt sensitive information, build user trust with the padlock icon, improve SEO rankings as Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal, and ensure compliance with security standards like PCI DSS for payment processing.

What happens if my SSL certificate expires?

When an SSL certificate expires, browsers will display a warning message to visitors, indicating that the website is not secure. This can severely damage user trust, lead to a drop in traffic, and negatively impact your search engine rankings. It's critical to renew your certificates before they expire.

What is the difference between DV, OV, and EV certificates?

Domain Validated (DV) certificates only verify domain control and are quickest to obtain. Organization Validated (OV) certificates require verification of the organization's identity. Extended Validation (EV) certificates require thorough vetting and display the organization name prominently in browsers, offering maximum trust.

What is a wildcard SSL certificate?

A wildcard SSL certificate secures a domain and all its subdomains with a single certificate. For example, a wildcard certificate for *.example.com would secure mail.example.com, www.example.com, and any other subdomain. This is cost-effective for websites with multiple subdomains.

ServerSpan · Toolbox

SSL certificate checker

Verify SSL/TLS validity, expiration, and security signals for any domain.

Validity checks Key strength CT logging

Certificate information

Results appear after a successful check.

# Enter a domain name to check its SSL certificate.
# Example: google.com, github.com, cloudflare.com

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Check SSL certificate

Enter any domain to analyze its certificate.

What We Check

Certificate validity & expiration
Issuer & certificate authority
Key strength & signature algorithm
Hostname verification
Certificate Transparency logging
Certificate chain depth

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Frequently asked questions

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