Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate

Extended Validation SSL Certificates were created in direct response to the rise in internet fraud, eroding consumer confidence in online transactions. In 2005, 84% of respondents to a Forrester Research study said they don’t think retailers are doing enough to protect their customers online and 24% did not make purchases online due to security concerns. Before customers share their confidential data online, they want proof of identification from a trusted source. The Extended Validation SSL Standard raises the bar on verification of SSL Certificates and enables visual displays in high security browsers.

Extended Validation SSL Certificates give high security web browsers information to clearly identify a web site's organizational identity. For example, if you use Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7 to go to a web site secured with an SSL Certificate that meets the Extended Validation Standard, IE7 will cause the URL address bar to turn green. A display next to the green bar will toggle between the organization name listed in the certificate and the Certificate Authority (VeriSign® or GeoTrust, for example). Firefox and Opera have announced their intention to support Extended Validation SSL in upcoming releases. Older browsers will display Extended Validation SSL Certificates with the same security symbols as existing SSL Certificates.

In 2006, a group of leading SSL Certificate Authorities (CAs) and browser vendors approved standard practices for certificate validation and display called the Extended Validation Standard. To issue an SSL Certificate that complies, a CA must adopt the extended certificate validation practice and pass a Webtrust audit. The validation process requires the CA to authenticate the certificate applicant's domain ownership and organizational identity, as well as the individual approver's employment with the applicant, and authority to obtain the Extended Validation SSL Certificate.

As people use the internet for commerce, business, and social activities, they share personal and confidential information. High profile incidents of fraud and phishing scams have made internet users very concerned about identity theft. Before they enter sensitive data, they want proof that the web site can be trusted and their information will be encrypted. Without it, they abandon their transaction and do business elsewhere. High security browsers and Extended Validation SSL Certificates provide third-party verification with a visual display that gives consumers confidence and builds trust in e-commerce.

An Extended Validation SSL Certificate helps your visitors complete secure transactions with confidence and puts your organization in a leadership position. If your site has the "green bar" in IE 7 and your competitor's site does not, you appear to be more trusted and more legitimate. That's a competitive advantage in the world of e-commerce. For businesses with a high profile brand, using Extended Validation SSL is the most effective defense against phishing scams. When customers see the green bar and the name of your security vendor, they can interact with you online, with confidence.

The CA/Browser Forum dictates what kinds of entities are eligible to obtain EV Certificates. The following entities are eligible provided they are currently registered with and approved by an official registration agency in their jurisdiction. The resulting charter, certificate, license or equivalent must be verifiable through that registration agency.

The employment and authority of the person placing the certificate order must be verifiable. These business entities need to have a confirmable physical existence and business presence. Any assumed business names should be verifiable. A principal individual associated with the business must be validated and that person must confirm agreement to the Certificate Subscriber Agreement.

The most secure and trusted option for SSL is a true 128 - 256 Bit, Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate. Review our EV SSL Certificates and ordering links in the table below.

Extended Validation SSL Certificates achieve the highest level of consumer trust through the strictest authentication standards of any SSL Certificate. Extended Validation verification guidelines require us to obtain and verify multiple pieces of identifying information.