Why does your website need an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate?

An SSL certificate, technically a TLS certificate, is a small digital file that does two things for your website:

• Encrypts information sent between your website and your visitors, such as form entries, logins and payment details, so it can't be read or changed in transit.
• Verifies that visitors are connected to your real website, not an imposter.

A website with an active certificate loads with https:// at the start of its address. Every website Gate 39 hosts includes an SSL certificate.

Why it matters

• It protects your visitors. Contact forms, logins, account details and payment information are encrypted.
• It builds trust. Browsers label websites without a certificate as "Not secure," which can drive visitors away.
• It helps your search rankings. Google gives preference to secure (HTTPS) websites.
• It's required for payments. Any website that accepts credit cards must use strong encryption under PCI security standards.
• It's expected by regulators and auditors. For financial firms, encrypting data in transit is a basic part of a strong cybersecurity program.

How to check that your site is secure

1. Visit your website and look at the address bar. The address should start with https://.
2. Make sure there's no "Not secure" warning next to the address.
3. To see details, click the icon to the left of the address and select Connection is secure. This shows who issued the certificate and when it expires.

See a security warning on your site? A warning such as "Your connection is not private" can mean a certificate has expired or isn't set up correctly. Contact Gate 39 right away. Don't ask visitors to click past the warning.

Which certificates does Gate 39 use?

We use certificates from several trusted providers, depending on how and where your site is hosted:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): used for most Gate 39-hosted websites. Set up within AWS and renewed automatically.
• Let's Encrypt: a widely trusted, free certificate provider. Typically used for domain aliases and redirects, and renewed automatically every few months. Let's Encrypt certificates are just as secure as paid certificates.
• DigiCert: used for specific sites [and installed and renewed by Gate 39].
• Cloudflare: used for some sites that run through Cloudflare's network, and maintained by Cloudflare.

All of these provide the same strong encryption. The provider mainly affects how the certificate is managed and renewed.

Certificates are renewed more often now

To improve security, the industry is shortening how long certificates last:

What this means for you: nothing, in most cases. Gate 39 monitors and renews certificates for the websites we host, and most renew automatically. If your site uses a certificate you bought or manage yourself, talk to us about switching to automatic renewal.

Questions about your website's security? Contact the Gate 39 team through the Customer portal.