SSL Certificate Guide 2025: Everything You Need to Know About HTTPS

SSL certificates are the bedrock of web security — they encrypt data between your site and visitors, establish trust, and are required for search engine visibility. This guide covers everything from certificate types to TLS configuration to automated monitoring.

Types of SSL Certificates

By Validation Level

Domain Validated (DV):

• Proves you control the domain
• Issued in minutes to hours
• Free via Let's Encrypt
• Perfect for most sites — including business websites

Organization Validated (OV):

• Proves domain control AND organization identity
• 1-3 business days to issue
• Appropriate for business websites requiring identity assurance

Extended Validation (EV):

• Rigorous business verification
• Highest level of identity assurance
• Best for high-security e-commerce and financial services

By Coverage

• Single Domain: One specific domain
• Wildcard (*.example.com): One domain + all subdomains
• Multi-Domain/SAN: Multiple specified domains

Free vs. Paid SSL

Let's Encrypt: Free, 90-day certificates with automatic renewal. Perfectly secure. Use it for most sites.

When to pay: EV certificates for high-security e-commerce, OV for compliance requirements.

Installing SSL on WordPress

# Install certbot
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

# Obtain and configure SSL
sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com -d www.example.com

# Test automatic renewal
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

Forcing HTTPS

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

TLS Versions

| Version | Status | Action |

|---------|--------|--------|

| SSL 2.0/3.0 | Deprecated | Never use |

| TLS 1.0/1.1 | Deprecated 2020 | Disable immediately |

| TLS 1.2 | Current standard | Use with strong ciphers |

| TLS 1.3 | Latest, recommended | Enable |

ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;

Mixed Content: The Hidden SSL Problem

Mixed content occurs when an HTTPS page loads HTTP resources. Fix in WordPress:

UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, 'http://yourdomain.com', 'https://yourdomain.com');
UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content, 'http://yourdomain.com', 'https://yourdomain.com');

Or use the "Really Simple SSL" plugin to automate mixed content fixes.

HSTS: Making HTTPS Permanent

Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload

Submit to hstspreload.org to add your domain to browser HSTS preload lists — browsers will use HTTPS before ever connecting to your site.

Automated SSL Health Monitoring

SecureCheap automatically monitors your SSL certificate:

• Expiration warnings at 30, 14, and 7 days
• TLS version enforcement checks
• Certificate chain verification
• Mixed content detection
• HSTS configuration verification

The SecureCheap Scanner runs these checks automatically and alerts you before certificate issues impact users. An expired SSL certificate is 100% preventable — the only question is whether you'll know before users see security warnings.

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