An SSL certificate is a bit of code on your web server that provides security for online communications. When a web browser contacts your secured website, the SSL certificate enables an encrypted connection. It's kind of like sealing a letter in an envelope before sending it through the mail.

A wildcard certificate secures domain names along with all subdomains of the domain. For example, a Wildcard certificate issued to *.mydomain.com can be used to secure the following host names:

mydomain.com
www.mydomain.com
login.mydomain.com
secure.mydomain.com
support.mydomain.com etc.

An Extended Validation SSL Certificate (also known as EV SSL for short) is the highest form of SSL Certificate on the market. While all levels of SSL – Extended Validation (EV), Organization Validated (OV), and Domain Validated (DV) – provide encryption and data integrity, they vary in terms of how much identity verification is involved.

Extended Validation Certificate Verification

During verification of an EV SSL Certificate, the owner of the website passes a thorough and globally standardized identity verification process (a set of vetting principles and policies ratified by the CA/Browser forum) to prove exclusive rights to use a domain, confirm its legal, operational and physical existence, and prove the entity has authorized the issuance of the certificate. This verified identity information is included within the certificate.

Sectigo (formerly Comodo) SSL/TLS Certificates are automatically and transparently trusted by most browsers. This trust is established because Sectigo Root Certificates are embedded in most major browsers and root certificate programs.