Optional Extras
SSL certificates, Domain Names & Domain Privacy.
Why you need an SSL Certificate
Having an SSL certificate – giving your website URLs beginning with ‘https’ – is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity.
If you run a site where a user has to enter information – such as a store – not having an SSL certificate could harm your business. Users are less likely to trust a non-‘https’ website.
Google has been encouraging web designers to implement ‘https everywhere’ since 2014, and sites without SSLs are marked as ‘not secure’.
How SSL Works
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates are used to encrypt the information travelling to and from the hosting server. This is instead of sending that data by plain text – which could be intercepted. It can be used for websites and email systems.
A very simple explanation of how SSL works would be:
- A browser tries to connect to a website
- The browser first contacts a DNS server to find where the site is hosted, then contacts that web server
- If the the website is secured by SSL, the web server sends a copy of the website’s SSL certificate to the browser
- The browser checks to see whether the certificate is genuine with the issuer of the certificate. It needs to be a trusted certificate authority, such as Geotrust
- If it checks out OK, the browser sends a message to the web server and exchanges the necessary encryption information: a key and hashing cypher – basically a code
- Encrypted data is shared between the browser and the web server.
Domain Names
We started in the domain business back in 2004, so we have a pedigree in providing great value. There are no hidden charges, and the price to renew is the same as the price to register a domain.
At present, we offer over 80 top-level domains, and we’re continually adding more. Using our powerful domain search tool couldn’t be easier, and you can manage all your domains from the StackCP control panel.
We also provide a Domain Privacy Service as an optional add-on. When you register a domain name, your personal details are linked to it. These details are publicly available online, allowing people to access your confidential information. The Domain Privacy Service protects your privacy by replacing your details with our generic company details. We can forward-on requests to contact you.
Learn more