Let’s talk about something that quietly powers the internet every single day: SSL/TLS certificates. You’ve seen that little padlock icon in your browser’s address bar? That’s them at work. They protect your passwords, credit card details, and personal information. They also tell your browser, “Yes, this site is legit.”
But here’s the twist: Google is tightening the rules on how these certificates are issued and used. Starting in June 2026, Chrome will get a lot stricter about what qualifies as a valid server certificate. That means if your site’s certificates are misconfigured or used for anything other than TLS web server authentication, you could end up flagged as “untrusted.”
So, let’s break down what SSL/TLS certificates actually are, how they work, and why this change from Google means it’s time to get serious about how you secure your site.
Wait, What’s an SSL/TLS Certificate?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and TLS stands for Transport Layer Security, but here’s the thing: SSL is dead. Seriously. All versions of SSL have been deprecated for years due to security flaws. These days, everything runs on TLS.
So why do we still say “SSL certificates”? Habit, mostly. It’s like calling a car radio a “tape deck.” The name stuck. But when you buy an “SSL certificate,” what you’re really getting is a TLS certificate.
In short:
– It’s a digital certificate that authenticates your website and enables encrypted HTTPS connections.
– Without it, data sent to and from your site can be intercepted or tampered with.
How Do These SSL Certificates Work?
Let’s say someone visits your website. Here’s what happens:
- Your site shows its certificate to the visitor’s browser.
- The browser checks if it’s from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).
- If all’s good, the browser and server exchange keys and create an encrypted connection.
It happens in milliseconds, but it’s essential for keeping users safe and building trust.
Types of SSL/TLS Certificates You Might Be Using
SSL/TLS certificates vary by two main factors: how thoroughly the requester is validated (validation level) and what domain scope the certificate covers (coverage). Understanding both is key to choosing the right certificate for your needs.
By Validation Level (How your identity is verified)
Domain Validation (DV)
| What it is | The most basic type of certificate. The Certificate Authority (CA) only verifies that the requester controls the domain name, typically through DNS records or email confirmation. |
| Issuance speed | A few minutes to a few hours. |
| Browser display | Shows the padlock and HTTPS, but no information about who owns the site. |
| Best for | Personal sites, small blogs, temporary landing pages, internal tools. |
| Pros | Fast, easy, and often free (e.g., Let’s Encrypt). |
| Cons | Provides no visible proof of who owns the site, which can lead to misuse by phishing or scam sites. |
Organization Validation (OV)
| What it is | Verifies domain ownership and the legal existence of the organization requesting the certificate. The CA checks company registration details, physical address, and phone number. |
| Issuance speed | Typically 1–3 business days. |
| Browser display | Users can view the organization name by clicking on the padlock. |
| Best for | Business websites, SaaS platforms, or nonprofits wanting a higher trust level. |
| Pros | Stronger assurance and legitimacy than DV. |
| Cons | Slightly more complex process and more expensive than DV, with less visual distinction in modern browsers. |
Extended Validation (EV)
| What it is | The most rigorous certificate type. The CA performs a comprehensive vetting process, including company registration, operational existence, physical location, and authority of the requestor. |
| Issuance speed | Up to 5 business days. |
| Browser display | Previously showed the organization name directly in the address bar, though modern browsers now often hide this by default. |
| Best for | Financial institutions, healthcare providers, e-commerce platforms, or any service where trust is mission-critical. |
| Pros | Maximum assurance and trust; provides strong protection against spoofing. |
| Cons | Higher cost, more paperwork, and reduced visual emphasis in most current browsers. |
By Coverage (What the certificate protects)
Single-Domain Certificate
| Coverage | One domain only, such as example.com or www.example.com (not both unless specified). |
| Best for | Sites with a single domain and no subdomains. |
| Pros | Simple and affordable. |
| Cons | Does not cover subdomains or additional domains. |
Wildcard Certificate
| Coverage | One domain and all subdomains at one level. For example, *.example.com covers mail.example.com, shop.example.com, etc. |
| Best for | Businesses using multiple subdomains under one primary domain. |
| Pros | Cost-effective and easier to manage than multiple single-domain certs. |
| Cons | Does not cover multiple domains or second-level subdomains like sub.mail.example.com. |
Multi-Domain Certificate (SAN Certificate)
| Coverage | Multiple domains and subdomains specified individually using Subject Alternative Names (SANs). For example: example.com, example.org, and shop.example.net. |
| Best for | Organizations managing multiple brands or services under different domain names. |
| Pros | Reduces the complexity and cost of managing separate certificates. |
| Cons | Updating domain names requires reissuing the certificate, which can disrupt service if not carefully managed. |
6 Best Practices for SSL/TLS Certificates (2025 & Beyond)
If you want to keep your website secure, trusted, and compliant, especially with Google’s upcoming stricter rules, these are the 6 fundamentals you need to get right:
1. Use Only TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3
Older versions like SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, and TLS 1.1 are no longer considered secure and are blocked by modern browsers. Make sure to disable older protocols on your server to reduce vulnerability exposure.
- TLS 1.2 is widely supported and still reliable.
- TLS 1.3, introduced in 2018, is faster and more secure with simplified handshakes and removal of outdated algorithms.
2. Set Up Auto-Renewal for Certificates
An expired certificate means instant loss of user trust and browser warnings.
- Most major providers (Let’s Encrypt, AWS, Cloudflare) support automatic renewals.
- Set up monitoring or alerts to verify that renewals are happening correctly.
If, for some reason, you still prefer manual certs, create calendar reminders at least 30 days before expiration.
3. Redirect All HTTP Traffic to HTTPS
Having an HTTPS certificate isn’t enough; you need to make sure all traffic is encrypted.
- Set up 301 or 308 redirects at the server level to route all HTTP URLs to their HTTPS counterparts.
- Use canonical tags and update internal links to HTTPS versions.
This also helps your SEO by avoiding duplicate content across protocols.
4. Eliminate Mixed Content
Mixed content means loading secure (HTTPS) pages with insecure (HTTP) resources like images, scripts, or fonts.
- This breaks the secure padlock icon and may block the content from loading entirely.
- Use browser dev tools to identify mixed content and update links to HTTPS.
Always use relative paths or HTTPS versions for external assets.
5. Enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
HSTS is a response header that tells browsers: “Only use HTTPS for this domain.”
- It prevents protocol downgrade attacks and ensures future visits are secure.
- You can preload your domain into the HSTS preload list for maximum protection.
Start with short max-age values to test before committing to long-term enforcement.
6. Audit Your Certificates Regularly
Especially important if you’re managing multiple domains, subdomains, or services.
- Verify all certs are properly scoped (no unnecessary EKUs, correct CN and SAN fields).
- Remove expired, duplicate, or unused certificates.
- Check for wildcard overuse. Sometimes it’s better to separate certs by service.
Use tools like SSL Labs’ SSL Server Test or CertSpotter to track certificate health.
Following these steps ensures that your site won’t just meet minimum security requirements. It will be ready for upcoming changes like Google’s 2026 SSL/TLS policy shift and earn long-term trust from users and browsers alike.
