17 Jan 2022

Does GoDaddy Provide Let’s Encrypt

Post: Does GoDaddy provide Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate? Read this post to know about the complete information. This post will cover the following topics:

List of contents
(01). What is GoDaddy?
(02). Plans
(03). What is Secure Socket Layer?
(04) : What is Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate?
(05). GoDaddy and Secure Socket Layer
(06). How to install Let’s Encrypt SSL in GoDaddy?
(07). Frequently asked questions

Also read: Is Onohosting Good for WordPress in India?

(01). What is GoDaddy?

GoDaddy is a web hosting company which is best known for issuing domain certificate. It one of the top 10 hosting provider company. The company is known for best customer service, and at the same time the company is criticised by many users for its costly hosting services. Even its starter hosting plans are more costly than other hosting providing company, such as Hostinger and Blue host.

(02). Plans

Its plan include starter, economy, deluxe, and others. I will divide it into following categories:

  • Basic plans.
  • Advanced plans.

The common features of a basic plan, such as starter linux hosting are as follows:

  • 30 GB of disk space.
  • 1 website.

The common features of an advanced plan, such as deluxe are as follows:

  • Unlimited websites.
  • Unlimited bandwidth.

(03). What is SSL?

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer.

There are three types of Secure Socket Layer:

  • Flexible.
  • Full.
  • Strict.

Flexible

  • Secure connection between website and its users.
  • No secure connection between website’s server and any third party client.

Full

Secure connection between website and its users and a secure connection (not authentic) between website and third party client.

Strict

Secure connection between website and its users and a secure connection (authentic) between website and third party client.

Why is it important?

Because all beginners want a hosting, but they don’t want to invest in SSL.

The benefits are as follows:

  • Protection of sensitive information.
  • Search engine ranking.
  • Sign of trust.
  • Compliance with PCI.

3.1: Protection of sensitive information

Example: Step by step

  • I want to buy a product from a website.
  • Next, I have to type the name of a product.
  • I went through a website XYZ.
  • This website don’t have a Secure Socket Layer padlock.
  • It is not encrypted.
  • My information will pass from computer to computer before reaching to the server of XYZ.
  • The website XYZ has no active Secure Socket Layer.
  • My entry will not be encrypted.
  • Now any computer between me and the server of XYZ can read my entries.
  • This sensitive information can be a credit card number, pancard number, GST number, password, user identity, etc.
  • A SSL certificate will encrypt the information.
  • The information will not be readable by the third person.
  • Entry becomes safe
  • This is one of the most important reason of having a padlock sign in your website.

3.2: Search engine ranking

  • There are many factors of search engine ranking.
  • You will notice, some websites start with HTTP and some with HTTPS.
  • Google and other major search engines, such as Yahoo, being, etc., prefer an HTTPS site.
  • Sites those URL starts with the HTTPS extension are more likely to get a better position in search engine ranking.

3.3: Sign of trust

Secure Socket Layer is a sign of trust among the website visitors. It is very important for an e-commerce website. You are not going to miss a padlock sign in an e-commerce website. Google and other search engines warn website visitors by saying how safe this website is.

Example: See image

Google’s security warning to its users

3.4: Compliance with PCI

If I accept payments through my website then I must have compliance with PCI.
A website which accepts payment without a valid secure pocket layer, may get a penalty.

(04) : What is Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate?

Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificates is a free website security measure. It is provided by
Internet Security Research Group (ISRG) to solve the security issue of webmasters.

This certificate is meant to be renewed after 60 days, and it is an automatic process. It will stop working after 90 days without renewal.

Initially, many website owners don’t want to invest on SSL. For example, GoDaddy standard secure socket layer package cost more than Rs. 3,500.00 annually. Let’s encrypt provide them a free certificate.

(05). GoDaddy and Secure Socket Layer

GoDaddy’s basic plans do not include Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificate, specially shared hosting plans. It forces customer to buy an annual subscription plan from them.

It support the ACME protocol which is necessary for automated certificate issuance plus renewal.

“If you use GoDaddy shared web hosting, it’s currently very difficult to install a Let’s Encrypt certificate, so we don’t currently recommend using our certificates with GoDaddy”- Let’s Encrypt Incorporation.

Also read: Is GoDaddy’s Shared Hosting Plan Good?

(06). How to install Let’s Encrypt SSL in GoDaddy?

  • Anyone can use this certificate on Linux Hosting account.
  • You have to configure it manually.

Steps

Step 01: Generate CSR

  • Generate certificate signing request.
  • For this, Certbot is recommended by GoDaddy.
  • Although it doesn’t support Certbot on cPanel Linux hosting.
  • You have to use a third party client.
  • Generate your CSR from the third party client.

Note: GoDaddy and Let’s Encrypt control over these third party clients

Step 02: Verify your domain

  • The third party client will ask you to very your domain.
  • There are different types of methods of verification.

Step 03: Installing the certificate

  • Get your certificate and private key from the third party client.
  • Login to your cPanel.
  • Go to SSL/TLS.
  • Install your certificate.

Step 04: Renewal

  • You have to renew it manually.
  • It should be done after each 2 months.

Pros: No investment on SSL certificate.

Cons: Third party clients are not reliable.

Also read: Is Hostingdart Good for WordPress?

(07). Frequently asked questions

Question 01. Should I use cloudflare free SSL?

  • Don’t use cloudflare free SSL certificate. Your web files may be injected with the malicious codes.

Question 02. Which hosting company provides free SSL certificate?

There are many well known companies:

  • Hostinger.
  • Hostgator.
  • Bluehost.
  • Namecheap.
  • A2Hosting.

References

(1): https://letsencrypt.org/docs/godaddy/.

(2): https://in.godaddy.com/help/install-a-lets-encrypt-certificate-on-your-linux-hosting-account-28023.

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