What Is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL certificate helps create a secure, encrypted connection between your website and the people visiting it. It is what allows a website to use HTTPS instead of an unsecured HTTP connection.

Your Site Before Night website is designed to use SSL automatically, so normal certificate setup is not something you should have to manage yourself.

What SSL Does for Your Website

When someone visits a secure website, the SSL certificate helps authenticate the website and protects information traveling between the visitor's browser and the website through an encrypted connection.

Identifies the Website

The certificate provides authentication that helps the browser establish a secure connection with the website it is visiting.

Enables HTTPS

A valid SSL certificate allows your website to load using HTTPS, the secure version of the normal web connection.

Encrypts the Connection

Encryption makes information traveling between the website and a visitor's browser more difficult for an unauthorized party to intercept or read.

Why an SSL Certificate Matters

Website visitors expect a business website to use a secure HTTPS connection. A missing or invalid certificate can also cause browsers or other online services to treat a website as insecure.

It provides an encrypted connection for website visitors.
It helps visitors recognize that they are using a secured website connection.
It prevents the website from relying on an unsecured HTTP connection.
It works alongside other platform security measures rather than replacing them.

Do You Need to Manage Your SSL Certificate?

Normally, no. SSL is handled as part of the website platform, so you should not need to purchase, install, renew, or configure a certificate for ordinary use of your Site Before Night website.

If your browser suddenly reports a certificate error, an HTTPS problem, or a security warning on your website, avoid changing domain, DNS, or other technical settings on your own. Visit our Website Technical Help resources or contact Site Before Night so the issue can be checked without risking your website configuration.

SSL Certificate Questions

Does my Site Before Night website already have SSL?

Under normal platform operation, websites are automatically issued an SSL certificate so they can use a secure HTTPS connection.

Do I need to buy a separate SSL certificate?

You normally should not need to purchase a separate certificate for your Site Before Night website because SSL is handled through the website platform.

Does SSL make a website completely secure?

No single security measure does everything. SSL protects and authenticates the connection, while other platform protections address areas such as access control, software security, backups, and network security.

What if I see a certificate or security warning?

Treat an unexpected warning as a technical issue. Do not begin changing DNS or certificate settings unless instructed to do so. Site Before Night can help determine whether the issue involves the certificate, domain connection, or another technical problem.