It is now easier than ever to get a free SSL certificate. In fact, the Internet has been around for quite some time now and is filled with different websites that are trying to get their foot in the door by offering freebies for visitors. But the good thing about this whole scenario is that there is nothing really “free” about these offers because you are actually getting what it offers – an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate is essentially an identification card of sorts for your website. Once you have obtained one, anyone that makes use of your site will know that they are dealing with a trusted site and that all transactions will be secure.
You can get this certificate by visiting any of the sites that offer you the opportunity to have one. They will ask for a couple of details including your name, address and probably a contact number too. Once you provide these details they will check the details against a list of valid SSL records maintained by the likes of Norton and McAfee etc. The certificate is good for as long as you keep it safely tucked away. You can hand it over or even sell it if you want but you cannot copy and past it over to another person or organisation and you certainly cannot sell it on online auction sites.
If you feel the need to get one, you should make sure that you do not overdo it and give out too much information. Most websites will ask you for things like your name, email address and perhaps registration information. There is nothing illegal about this. They are only asking for this information in order to verify the identity of the user and to facilitate the transfer of funds from the buyer to yourself. If you do not have anything to hide then there is no reason to hide the certificate.
If you choose not to go for the free option and want a physical copy of the certificate sent to your address then you should find a company that specializes in issuing certificates. Some companies will even allow you to export the SSL certificate so that you can keep it in a file on your computer or in a safe place on the web. It does involve some work but the work is minimal and the benefits are great.
If you do not want to get a certificate with your name included on it, or you do not want to share your real name, then use a service that does not demand these things. A lot of companies require you to put your name first but many others only need the last name and your date of birth. This is all a matter of preference and you can use whichever you like. Just ensure that you get the certificate from a company that can provide you with the support that you need.
You can get a free SSL certificate if you know where to look. However, most people who want one forget to look at the details and end up getting a fake certificate instead. You should avoid shady sites that want to sell you a certificate at the end of the day. You can also try out services that offer you a certificate for free and are happy to distribute it to you. However, these are rare because they do require you to give them some kind of information that they need to make the certificate valid.