SSL Certificates FAQs

An nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificate creates an encrypted link between a website and the visitor's browser, and comes with a free "seal" to display on your homepage. This clickable seal shows detailed information about your client's company along with the guarantee behind the SSL Certificate.

If you don't need website encryption for secure online transactions, you can purchase and display the nsProtect Assured site seal to show that the website has been validated as a legitimate business. Visitors can click on this seal to view your client's company credentials.

When you buy an nsProtect Secure SSL Certificate you are asked to provide specific information which Network Solutions will verify, or validate, to prove you or your client is a legitimate business. For example, you may be asked for articles of incorporation, licensing, etc. You move through the various stages of validation using Network Solutions Account Manager. Email communications will also be sent to you to assist you in the process.

Once all validation is complete, the SSL Certificate is issued electronically and is ready for installation on the website. If the site is hosted with Network Solutions, much of this installation process is automated.

Network Solutions follows a comprehensive validation process to ensure that your SSL Certificate is properly issued. During this process, you are asked to provide specific information which Network Solutions will verify, or validate, to prove you are a legitimate business. For example, you may be asked for articles of incorporation, licensing, etc. You move through the various stages of validation using Network Solutions Account Manager. Upon receipt of all validation documentation, the process is expedited within one business day with the purchase of nsProtect Secure Advanced or Wildcard Certificate, and within two to four business days with the purchase of the nsProtect Secure Basic Certificate or Assured Site Seal.

Making sure your SSL Certificate is recognized by almost all Web browsers is a key element when choosing an SSL provider. nsProtect Secure SSL Certificates are trusted by over 99% of all browsers, applications, servers, and clients, including:

• Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.01 +
• Mozilla® Firefox 1.0+
• Mozilla® 0.6+
• Google® Chrome
• Konqueror (KDE)
• Netscape® 4.77 +
• Opera 7.0+
• Apple® Safari 1.2 +
• Camino 1.0+
• AOL® 5+

Yes. Network Solutions offers and supports 2048-bit SSL Certificates. To get an nsProtect Secure 2048-bit SSL Certificate, you need to create and submit a 2048-bit certificate signing request (CSR) with your order.

You can verify that we support 2048 by going to https://www.networksolutions.com and clicking on the SSL Certificate indicator. Then select "View Certificate" and "Details". Look for the signature value of the key used to sign the certificate and the key used to request the certificate. If the root used to sign the certificate was not at least 2048-bit in length, then the certificate can not be 2048-bit and will be vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Not all Certificate Authorities are issuing from 2048-bit roots.

The encryption provided by SSL Certificates helps to prevent hackers from stealing private and confidential information sent via the Internet. A website secured with an SSL Certificate provides a safe place for customers to enter sensitive data such as credit card information, bank account numbers, etc. If your client's websites transact business or collect sensitive information, they need an SSL Certificate!

Certification Authorities (CA) are third-party verifiers that authorize and endorse the legitimacy of websites. Browsers inherently trust an SSL Certificate if it is current and is issued by a reputable CA since trusted CAs will only issue Certificates to websites after validating the legitimacy of that site.

In addition to encryption, an SSL Certificate provides identity assurance which proves that the business running the website is who they claim to be. Identity assurance is accomplished through a validation process. Network Solutions offers two different validation processes:

• Organizationally Validated SSL Certificates are only issued after verifying the legitimacy of the applicant's business. This is done by manually checking credentials such as Dunn & Bradstreet number, articles of incorporation, WHOIS, passport, driver's license, etc.
• Extended Validation SSL Certificates provide the highest level of Certificate validation and are available to all business and government entities, but are not available to individuals. The Extended Validation application process is more rigorous and detailed than for any other Certificate. Validation for EV Certificates will require additional steps, which may include obtaining signatures from several people within the company applying for the certificate, legal verification, etc.

Things to consider when evaluating SSL Certificate providers include the data encryption level, Web browser compatibility, price, and customer support. nsProtect™ Secure SSL Certificates offer:

• State-of-the-art encryption levels-up to 256 bit
• Compatibility with over 99% of Web browsers worldwide.
• Competitive pricing. Compare us to the competition
• J.D. Power and Associates certified, Free 24/7 Real-Person Support