Let’s Encrypt free SSL certificates

We’re delighted to announce that Let’s Encrypt certificates are now available at 34SP.com.

Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated and open certificate authority (CA) that offers free SSL certificates for the public’s benefit. Just like a paid for SSL certificate, a Let’s Encrypt certificate provides HTTPS protection for your website.

The key benefits of Let’s Encrypt are:

• It’s free, with no hidden costs or renewal fees
• Easy to setup, you can setup Let’s Encrypt in a matter of seconds
• Trusted by all major browsers

 

Getting started with Let’s Encrypt

Anybody who has gone through the effort of installing their own SSL certificate will know that it’s not the easiest process in the world, but with Let’s Encrypt it could not be easier. If you have a Professional Hosting, Business Hosting or WordPress Hosting plan, you’ll be able to setup your free SSL certificate with  a single click of a mouse button. We’ve written a helpful step-by-step guide on ‘How to install a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate’ to help you get started.

Reseller Hosting customers can simply install the Let’s Encrypt Plesk extension, which will let you install SSL on any website of your choice.

We recommend anyone with VPS Hosting or a dedicated server setup reads the Let’s Encrypt documentation.

---

What is SSL and why do you need it?

While often referred to as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) from an earlier incarnation modern servers use TLS (Transport Layer Security) as the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. You will be familiar with SSL if you have ever purchased anything online, SSL is used to provide security for your credit card details. Whenever you’re using a site over SSL you’ll notice a ‘padlock’ icon in your browser’s address bar, indicating that SSL is present and trusted by your browser.

Other than the obvious security benefits for financial transactions – what are some other compelling reasons to use SSL?

1. Google advises using SSL for all websites. You can improve your Google ranking if you are using SSL, as you can read in further detail on a previous blog post ‘Boost Your Google Rankings with SSL Hosting’. You can also refer the original Google SSL blog post here.
2. Customers will have greater confidence in your website and brand. As the online world moves towards tighter and tighter security, it stands to reason that any sites not conforming to the latest security standards will concern site visitors. Further, maintaining high security via SSL indicates to your website visitors that you value their security and confidentiality.
3.  Using SSL will improve your website security. While there are myriad methods used to infiltrate website security, simply adding SSL is a valuable first step in reducing cyber threats.