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SSL Certificates

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establisheing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This encrypted link ensures that all data passed between the web server and the browser remain private. Many websites use the protocol to obtain confidential user information, such as credit card numbers. By convention, URLs that require an SSL connection start with "https" instead of "http". 

Types of SSL Certificates Available

UHS Information Security offers 3 types of SSL certificates for purchase by the UHS community:

  • Standard Organization Validation (OV) SSL certificates are used to secure web pages, securely authenticate users using SSL and provide basic encryption between the client and the website.
  • Premium Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates are issued to an organization that has been "validated" and their domain verified by the certificate authority (issuer) prior to them getting the certificate(s). The certificates can then only be used on their domain. Premium EV SSL certificates increase the security of a web page by forcing the user's browser to use the highest encryption level it is capable of (the browser that normally defaults to 64-bit encryption, will be forced to use 128-bit or even 256-bit encryption, if it able to do so). 

NOTE: UHS Information Security requires Premium EV SSL certificates for all public facing websites and any site where Level 1 data is being entered on the site, including web-portals for students, faculty, and staff.

  • Standard Wildcard SSL certificates are an inexpensive way to encrypt 5 or more websites on 1 server. All websites on that one server are protected under the * wildcard, so they do not have a specific certificate name. For this reason, government agencies, banks, and credit card gateways DO NOT accept connections or transactions from websites protected with a wildcard SSL. 

Purchasing an SSL Certificate

To purchase a DigiCert certificate, contact UH University Information Technology at 713-7433-1411, or software@uh.edu. If you have any questions about certificates, contact the UHS DigiCert account administrator at SSL@uh.edu.