{"id":241,"date":"2024-09-12T04:57:49","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T01:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avenacloud.com\/blog\/ssl-certificates-for-e-commerce-websites-a-complete-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-10-25T15:04:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T13:04:06","slug":"ssl-for-e-commerce-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/avenacloud.com\/blog\/ssl-for-e-commerce-website\/","title":{"rendered":"SSL for E-Commerce Websites: What You Need and How to Set It Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

An online store asks customers for exactly the details attackers want: passwords, addresses, and card numbers. HTTPS, the secure version of the web, is what keeps that information from being read or changed on its way to your server. Browsers also warn visitors about sites that lack it, so it is the minimum a store needs before it takes its first order.<\/p>\n

This guide covers what HTTPS does for a store, what it doesn’t do, how it relates to PCI DSS, which certificate to choose, how to set it up, and how to keep it working. If you are new to the topic, start with our guide, How SSL\/TLS Certificates Protect Customer Data<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What HTTPS Protects in an Online Store<\/h2>\n

An SSL\/TLS certificate lets the browser and your server agree on encryption keys before any page content is sent. Cloudflare’s explanation<\/a> covers the handshake in detail. For a store, the practical result is that what customers type and what your server sends back is scrambled for anyone watching the connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Where it happens<\/th>\nWhat travels<\/th>\nWhy HTTPS matters<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Account login and registration<\/td>\nEmail addresses and passwords<\/td>\nStops someone on the same network from capturing credentials<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cart and product pages<\/td>\nSession cookies, cart contents, browsing activity<\/td>\nPrevents tampering and session hijacking in transit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Checkout and address forms<\/td>\nNames, addresses, phone numbers<\/td>\nProtects personal data during entry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Payment step<\/td>\nCard details, or a token from your payment provider<\/td>\nRequired to protect card data in transit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Order confirmation and account links<\/td>\nOrder details and account links<\/td>\nKeeps order information private on the way to the customer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Admin panel<\/td>\nStaff logins and store settings<\/td>\nPrevents attackers from reading or altering admin sessions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The rule is simple: every page on your store should load over HTTPS, not only checkout. A mixed approach, where only some pages are encrypted, leaves cookies and logins exposed and triggers browser warnings.<\/p>\n

HTTPS also helps customers confirm they have reached your real domain, because the certificate is tied to it. It cannot tell them whether you are a trustworthy business. The FTC points out<\/a> that data may be encrypted on its way to a site and still not be safe from scammers running it, so a padlock only proves the connection is encrypted.<\/p>\n

SSL\/TLS and PCI DSS: What a Certificate Does Not Cover<\/h2>\n

PCI DSS is the security standard for payment card data, managed by the PCI Security Standards Council. According to the Council’s guide<\/a>, it applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data, and card brands and acquiring banks set how each merchant must validate compliance.<\/p>\n

Two points matter for store owners:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Encryption in transit is one requirement among many.<\/strong> PCI DSS requires strong cryptography and security protocols to protect card data sent over public networks. The Council’s FAQ on requirement 4.2<\/a> adds that this includes supporting only secure protocol versions and configurations. A certificate on its own does not make a store compliant.<\/li>\n
  2. Old protocols no longer count.<\/strong> The Council’s migration guide<\/a> says SSL and early TLS are no longer considered secure for payment card data and recommends TLS 1.2 or higher, with fallback to the older versions disabled. So the “SSL” in “SSL certificate” is a name, not a protocol you should be running.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Cut Down Your Scope<\/h3>\n

    The more card data touches your own server, the more of PCI DSS applies to you. Many small stores reduce that by sending customers to a hosted payment page or embedding a payment provider’s fields, so card numbers never pass through the store’s own systems. Ask your payment provider which integration keeps card data off your server, and confirm with your acquiring bank what you need to validate.<\/p>\n

    Other Things a Certificate Doesn’t Protect<\/h3>\n