The Importance of Extended Validated SSL Certificates?
The Problem of Phishing and Online Fraud
Phishing scams and online fraud have created an environment of fear and doubt among online consumers. Phishing is a form of "man-in-the-middle" attack that uses emails and websites that appear legitimate to trick visitors into sharing personal information. These types of attacks were developed by hackers to circumvent SSL's end-to-end capabilities. The phishing threat continues to grow, and up to 35,000 new phishing sites are detected every month. Even if you are not a target, phishing casts its net far and wide and it has a detrimental effect on consumer confidence.
To re-establish consumer trust, website owners needed an easy, reliable way to show consumers that their transactions were secure and that their website was legitimate. To meet the challenge, security and Internet browser vendors combined forces, through the CA Browser Forum, to establish the Extended Validation (EV) standard for SSL certificates.
The Solution: EV SSL
When consumers visit a website secured with an EV SSL certificate, the browser address bar turns green (in high-security browsers) and a special field appears with the name of the legitimate website owner along with the name of the security provider that issued the EV SSL certificate. EV SSL provides an extra layer of protection for consumers and website operators by requiring third-party Certificate Authorities (CA) to follow a strict issuance and management process, as defined by the CA/Browser Forum, for certificate approval and delivery.
The Value of EV SSL Certificates
EV SSL has become a "must have" for businesses that want to maximize their online growth potential. Symantec SSL Certificates with EV and the EV "green bar" help e-commerce websites:
- Reduce abandoned shopping carts
- Improve conversion rates
- Comply with regulatory standards
Upgrade to EV, the "Green Bar" Experience!
Most of all, Symantec SSL Certificates with EV help give your customers the confidence to complete their transactions. More confidence can mean more conversions for customers with EV SSL certificates.
** This information is taken directly from Symantec's DataSheet - "How Extended Validation SSL Can Help Increase Online Transactions and Improve Customer Confidence".