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Domain Validated SSL Certificate

A website owner uses a Domain Validated SSL certificate (DV SSL Certificate) to secure websites and enable HTTPS. SSL certificates are small data files that a certificate authority (CA) digitally binds to a cryptographic key and details of an organization. By installing SSL certificates on a web server, a website owner activates the padlock and HTTPS protocol to create a secure connection between a website and end users.

SSL certificates work through a process called public-key cryptography. The CA generates a public and private key pair and issues the certificate containing the public key. The website owner keeps the private key. To establish an encrypted session, the browser requests the certificate from the web server to verify its validity. If valid, the browser generates a symmetric session key and encrypts it with the public key in the certificate before sending it to the server. The server decrypts this session key using its private key. The browser and server now encrypt all data transmitted between them using this shared symmetric key.

The level of identity verification a CA undertakes determines the SSL certificate type. A DV certificate only requires the CA to validate domain name control and ownership. An organization validated (OV) certificate also needs the CA to verify legal entity details of the company. For extended validation (EV) certificates, CAs must offer the highest level of verification including confirming company operational existence and registered legal status.

What is Domain Validation?

With domain validated (DV) SSL certificates, the certificate authority (CA) validates ownership and control of the domain name by automatically confirming the requester as the legitimate owner.

This contrasts with organization validation SSL certificates, where the CA undertakes thorough verification of the legal identity of the requesting company. The CA checks official company registration documents, director identities and operational existence.

For extended validation (EV) certificates, CAs follow the strictest guidelines set by the Certificate Authority Browser Forum to authenticate the legal entity status. CAs verify physical existence through site visits and cross-check legal jurisdiction, registration credentials and operational history.

Since DV certificates only involve domain validation, the CA can issue them much faster, typically within minutes or hours. The CA takes approximately 1-3 days to issue OV certificates and 3-5 days for EV certificates due to the more extensive verification required.

According to SSL Certificates Statistics 2024 data, Domain Validation SSL certificates constitute an overwhelming 94.4% of the market.

How Does Domain Validation Work?

The domain validation process is simple. When you request a DV SSL certificate, the certificate authority (CA) will verify that you control the domain name you want the certificate issued for.

There are a few ways this verification can happen:

Email Verification

The CA will send a verification email to an administrator email address listed in the WHOIS records for your domain. You will need to click a link in this email to confirm you control the domain.

DNS Verification

The CA will provide a unique verification code that you will need to add to a DNS TXT record for your domain. By adding this code, you prove you control the domain’s DNS settings.

HTTP Verification

The CA will ask you to upload or link to a specific verification file at your domain (e.g. yourdomain.com/verify.html). Access to your web server demonstrates control over the domain.

Once you complete domain verification through one of these methods, the CA can issue the DV SSL certificate for your domain.

Benefits of Domain Validated SSL Certificate

There are many advantages to using domain validated SSL certificates:

Lower Cost: DV certificates are the most affordable type of SSL certificate, costing on average $3 – $10 per year. OV certificates range from $15 – $50 since more processing is involved. EV certificates are premium products priced from $70 upwards annually due to stringent verification requirements.
Faster Issuance: Validating just the domain name enables DV certificates to be issued extremely fast, usually within a minutes. This compares to 1-3 days for OV and 3-5 days for EV certificates. Automation accelerates DV issuance.
Activate HTTPS and Padlock: Installing a DV cert permits sites to enable HTTPS and display the padlock icon. This assures visitors that communications are encrypted and not tampered with. While DV certificates have less visual trust indicators than EV, they still activate HTTPS.
Traffic Encryption: The prime function of DV certificates is to facilitate TLS/SSL encrypted connections between the browser and your website. All data transmitted becomes inaccessible to cybercriminals.
Broader Compatibility: DV certificates support all modern browsers and devices since they use industry standard 2048-bit encryption.
Easy Installation: DV certificates can be installed on the web server without having to make any changes to the website code. The installation process takes only a few minutes for someone with server access.
Multiple Options: CAs offer DV certificates for single or multiple domains, wildcard domains, sub-domains, internal server names, etc. so they can fit different website architectures.

Limitations of Domain Validated SSL Certificate

While DV certificates offer the lowest cost and easiest issuance process, they have some drawbacks:

Minimal Validation

DV validation only confirms domain ownership. The identity of the website owner is not verified. This is fine for informational sites, but higher security sites may require legal validation.

No Extended Validation

DV certificates do not include visual indications of an extended validation check. EV SSL displays the company name in green and provides maximum user trust.

Cannot Use Organization Name

Since company identity isn’t verified, DV certificates cannot include an organization name. Only domain names like www.example.com are allowed in the Common Name field.

When Should You Use a DV SSL Certificate?

Here are some examples of use cases where a DV SSL would be an appropriate choice:

Blogs, personal sites, and online portfolios
Small business websites that don’t process payments
Securing web logins and dashboards for apps and platforms
Intranets, wiki sites, and internal collaboration tools
For non-sensitive applications and development/staging sites
Low-risk sites that prioritize budget over maximum assurance

How to Choose Best DV SSL Provider?

Not all DV certificates are made equal.

Here are some key criteria to look for when choosing a DV SSL provider:

Industry-trusted CA – Only purchase from established certificate authorities trusted in all major browsers and devices.
High encryption strength – 2048-bit minimum for RSA encryption, with 256-bit SHA-2 signature.
Fast issuance – The best providers issue DV certs within minutes, not days.
Good customer support – Pick a provider with knowledgeable support to help with installation and management.
Value pricing – Comparison shop as pricing can vary significantly between providers for equivalent DV certs.
Management tools – Browser-based dashboards make managing, renewing, and reissuing certificates much easier.
Refund policy – Providers who stand behind their DV certs will offer at least a 30-day money back guarantee.
Reputation – Check reviews and community feedback to verify quality of the CA’s products and services.

Affordable Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificates from the Trusted Certificate Authorities

Product Features	Sectigo PositiveSSL Certificate	RapidSSL Certificate	Basic SSL	AlphaSSL
Certificate Authority	Sectigo	RapidSSL	SSL.com	AlphaSSL
Domain Secured	Single Domain	Single Domain	Single Domain	Single Domain
Root Domain Support	Both www + non-www	Both www + non-www	Both www + non-www	Both www + non-www
Additional Domains
Validation Level	Domain	Domain	Domain	Domain
Paperwork
Issuance Time	Minutes	Minutes	5 Minutes	within 5 minutes
SSL Encryption	up to 256-bit	up to 256-bit	up to 256-bit	up to 256-bit
CSR Key Encryption	2048 bits	2048 bits	2048 bits	2048 bits
Assurance Level	Medium	Medium	Medium	Low
Server License	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
SSL Site Seal
Reissue Policy
Warranty by CA	$50,000	$10,000	$10,000	$10,000
Refund Policy	30 days	30 days	30-Day	7 days
EV Support
Wildcard Support
SAN / UCC Support
Browser Support	99%	99%	99%	99%
OS Support
Smartphone Support
Customer Support	24/7 Live Chat	24/7 Live Chat	24/7 Live Chat	24/7 Live Chat

How to Install Your DV SSL Certificate

Installing your DV certificate will vary depending on your web server setup:

Install DV SSL on Apache Web Server

Make backup copies of your private key file and existing SSL certificate (if you have one)
Upload and unpack your new DV certificate ZIP file onto your server
Merge your private key with the new SSL certificate file
Add the new merged .crt file to Apache’s SSL certificate file
Restart Apache to complete activation

Install DV SSL on Nginx Web Server

Backup your private key and any existing SSL certificate
Upload and unzip your new DV certificate package
Open the Nginx configuration file, usually in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
Update the existing SSL certificate directives to point to the new .crt file
Reload Nginx to active the new DV SSL certificate

How to Maintain Your DV SSL Certificate?

SSL certificates have an expiration date, typically set 1-3 years from the time of issue.

Here are some tips for maintaining your certificate:

Mark your expiration date on the calendar and set a renewal reminder about a month prior. Some CAs also notify you when expiration approaches.
Plan for some downtime around renewal, as you will need to reinstall the new certificate once renewed.
Backup your private key and current certificate before renewal so you can revert in case of issues.
Renew promptly to avoid any lapse in security, which can trigger browser warnings.
Occasionally check your certificate’s validity with tools like the Qualys SSL Server Test.

How to Revoke Your DV SSL Certificate?

In some situations, you may need to revoke a DV certificate before its expiration:

If your private key is compromised, revocation prevents fraudulent use of your certificate.
When migrating away from a domain name, revocation stops the DV cert being used with that domain.
If your domain ownership changes, the new owner would want to revoke any existing certificates.

To revoke a DV cert, you’ll need to use your CA account dashboard and follow their revocation process. Revocation usually takes effect within an hour at most.

Frequently Asked Questions – DV SSL Certificate

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about domain validated SSL certificates:

What is the validation process for DV SSL?

DV validation only checks for control of the domain name via DNS/file records, no legal vetting. This automated process takes just minutes.

How much do DV SSL certificates cost?

Typically, $3 – $10 per year from commercial CAs. Some free options like Let’s Encrypt also provide domain validated certificates.

Are DV certificates trusted by browsers?

Yes, DV certificates from reputable CAs are trusted by all major browsers and mobile devices. They activate the padlock and https without warning.

What is the difference between DV and OV certificates?

DV only validates domain control while OV also verifies the legal identity of the website owner for higher assurance.

Can I use a DV certificate on multiple domains?

Yes, you can get a multi-domain/SAN certificate or wildcard DV certificate to secure multiple domains and subdomains affordably.

How long does it take to get a DV SSL certificate?

DV certificates are issued instantly thanks to automated validation. You can enable HTTPS in just minutes with domain validated certificates.

What is the difference between a domain validated SSL cert and a regular SSL certificate?

Technically all SSL certificates enable HTTPS encryption. But domain validated certificates involve faster and basic domain-only validation. Other types like organization validated and extended validation certificates involve more extensive identity verification of the company.

How do DV certificates provide security?

They encrypt traffic between the website and visitors using TLS/SSL technology to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks where data is intercepted and stolen. The domain validation process also confirms the website is legitimate.

What cipher suites do DV certificates support?

Most reputed CAs now issue DV certificates with support for the latest TLS 1.2 and 1.3 protocols using 2048-bit or stronger RSA or ECC encryption that can leverage AEAD cipher suites considered secure by experts.

When should I renew my DV certificate?

Renew DV certificates every 1-2 years to keep HTTPS protection active. The renewal process only takes a few minutes for DV certificates.

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