TLS/SSL certificates establish an encrypted connection between a website/server and a browser with what's known as an "SSL handshake." For visitors to your website, the process is invisible—and instantaneous.
Authentication
For every new session a user begins on your website, their browser and your server exchange and validate each other's TLS/SSL certificates.
Encryption
Your server shares its public key with the browser, which the browser then uses to create and encrypt a pre-master key. This is called the key exchange.
Decryption
The server decrypts the pre-master key with its private key, establishing a secure, encrypted connection used for the duration of the session.
Any website without a secure TLS/SSL certificate will show a "Not Secure" message in the browser address bar. The only way to fix a "Not Secure" message on your website is by installing a TLS/SSL certificate. You can do that by purchasing a certificate from DigiCert and following the installation steps in CertCentral.
Top CAs issued TLS/SSL certificates deliver the highest root ubiquity on 99.9% of web browsers, major operating systems and mobile devices. If you have questions about the compatibility of older devices, please contact our support team.
Browsers
Just as websites are designed to be device and browser agnostic, TLS/SSL is supported by all major web browsers.
Servers
A TLS/SSL certificate can be supported by any server. It's up to the browser to determine the security of a server during the handshake process.
Most cloud-based email providers use TLS/SSL encryption. Organizations can also install an TLS/SSL certificate to protect private email servers.
Verifying an SSL certificate is the process of ensuring the certificate the site holds is valid and identifying it correctly before the certificate is issued. Regardless of the kind of certificate that you purchase, there are two parts to the validation process, that is Domain Validation and Business Validation.
When a Certificate Authority issues TLS/SSL certificates easily without verification steps, the internet becomes an unsafe place with high fraud risks. For OV, EV certificate, CA will verify the organizational details of the entity that applied for the certificate.