SSL certificates are widely used for securing the connection between website visitors and the server. They can be very handy when your website deals with credit cards and monetary transactions – this way the users feel that their connection and private data are secured.
The way to get an SSL certificate is simple – you will need a CSR request from a web hosting provider. This request will contain information both about you and about your web hosting account – where it is located, what your IP address is, etc.
Recently, the Certification Authority Browser Forum, an association of the biggest SSL authorities, has issued a new rule for all CSR requests – they have to be 2048 bits in length instead of the customary 1024 bits. This applies to all new CSR requests, as well as to those, which will be used for renewing SSL certificates.
All your clients, however, don’t have a reason to be alarmed – for some time now, all CSR requests issued for web hosting clients under the Free Reseller Program have been 2048 bits in length. This means that if a client plans to get a new SSL, they will have no problem with the CSR.
For existing customers – your SSL will continue to work without a problem. At the renewal date, however, you will have to present a newly generated CSR request to your SSL authority.
Here is a list of all SSL providers, who will require 2048 bit CSR requests:
A-Trust Gmbh
AC Camerfirma SA
Buypass AS
Certum
Comodo CA Ltd
Cybertrust
D-TRUST GmbH
DanID A/S
DigiCert, Inc.
DigiNotar
Echoworx Corporation
Entrust, Inc.
GeoTrust, Inc.
Getronics PinkRoccade
GlobalSign
GoDaddy.com, Inc.
IdenTrust, Inc.
ipsCA, IPS Certification Authority s.l.
Izenpe S.A.
KEYNECTIS
Network Solutions, LLC
QuoVadis Ltd.
RSA Security, Inc.
SECOM Trust Systems CO., Ltd.
Skaitmeninio sertifikavimo centras
Starfield Technologies, Inc.
StartCom Certification Authority
Swisscom Digital Certificate Service
SwissSign AG
T-Systems Enterprise Services GmbH.
TC TrustCenter GmbH
Thawte, Inc.
Trustis Limited
Trustwave
VeriSign, Inc.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.