OV SSL Vs EV SSL Certificate Differences Explained

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Difference Between OV SSL and EV SSL

Understanding the Key Differences between OV SSL and EV SSL Certificates

Do you need clarification on the OV SSL vs EV SSL certificate, or do you want to know which certificate you should buy? If you are facing similar issues, don’t worry; we will help you out. In this article, we will explore OV and EV certificates in great detail, along with the differences between these two.

It becomes painless to comprehend the differences between these certificates – OV vs EV certificates if you know them in detail, as in what they are, why you should buy them, and their features, along with other information. So, let’s start with OV certificates.

OV SSL Vs EV SSL: What is an OV SSL certificate?

OV SSL certificate stands for “Organization Validated Secure Sockets Layer” certificate. It’s upgraded version of standard SSL certificate, which includes a basic business validation process to confirm the following business aspects like:

  • An organization’s existence
  • The ownership of the domain name

An OV certificate embeds the company name and other identity information within the certificate on the client’s web browser. It establishes the aqueduct of trust and confidence within the user while browsing the company website. The validation procedure for OV SSL certificate is more detailed than a DV SSL certificate, but not as meticulous as extended validation.

Why Should You Obtain an OV Certificate?

Obtaining an OV certificate can provide an extra layer of confidence to visitors to small businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. It’s commonly used for medium-range companies involved in daily financial transactions.

It’s a distinctly nominated SSL certificate type to protect internal infrastructures that are not accessible to the common mass or the public. Examples of such internal infrastructures include webmail, internal login pages, and intranets. OV SSL certificates offer enough security and authentication for these internal uses without incurring the higher costs and increased validation process required for an EV certificate.

Features of OV SSL certificate

One of the best features of an OV certificate is that you can use Wildcard sub-domain and multiple top-level domains.

Issuing an OV certificate with a wildcard feature will allow you to secure unlimited sub-domains and enable users to validate the business. And, if the multi-domain feature is chosen, you can secure up to 250 fully qualified domain names (FQDNs). Apart from these, there are some other prominent features of an OV SSL certificate, such as:

  • It includes the organization’s authenticated details inside your certificate on the client’s web browser giving greater confidence to the end-users.
  • It blends 2048-bit CSR key length to make it the powerful CSR request.
  • It protects one entire domain or website with a single certificate, including www and non-www versions of your domain.
  • It is compatible with most web and mobile browsers and other web platforms such as web mail, web server, email servers, client OS, and more.
  • It uses SHA-2 signed algorithm with 256-bit strong encryption.
  • It covers unlimited server licenses and reissuances.

How to Check OV SSL Certificate in the Browser?

Here are the steps to check the OV SSL certificate in the browser (Chrome):

  • Click on the “Lock” icon in the URL.
  • Click on the arrowhead on the right of “Connection is secure.
  • Click “Certificate is valid.
  • In the “Certificate Viewer” window, click “Details.”
  • In the “Certificate Fields” section, click “Subject” after scrolling down.
  • In the “Field Value” section, the certificate details will be visible.
OV SSL Certificate in Web Browser

The Best OV SSL Certificates of Top Certificate Authorities

Name of ProductWarrantyIssuance TimeCheapest Price
Comodo Instant SSL$50K1 to 3 Days$21.99/yr
Comodo InstantSSL Pro$100K1 to 3 Days$23.99/yr
Sectigo OV SSL$1MM1 to 3 Days$39.99/yr
Comodo Premium SSL$250K1 to 3 Days$38.99/yr
SECTIGO OV UCC SSL$1MM1 to 3 Days$69.99/yr

EV SSL Vs OV SSL: What is an EV SSL certificate?

EV SSL certificate stands for “Extended Validation Secure Socket Layer.” It is high-end SSL certificate that involve a rigorous organization verification process to confirm the following:

  • The legitimacy of the website
  • The legality of the organization operating it

It provides website visitors with the highest level of premium SSL security and trust. It carries strong HTTPS encryption and more significant identity verification compared to other SSL certificate types, such as OV and DV (Domain Validation). It also complies with the x.509 international PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) and industry identity verification standards the CA/Browser Forum set out.

Note: EV SSL certificate do not support the wildcard feature.

Why Should You Obtain an EV Certificate?

Obtaining an EV certificate can establish the highest level of trust with their website visitors and are also commonly used for businesses that request sensitive information, such as: 

  • eCommerce Websites
  • Subscription-based Websites
  • Official Banking Websites
  • Health-care Websites

EV SSL certificates can also increase ecommerce websites revenue by boosting a page’s SEO ranking and user’s confidence. And this is one of the many reasons that this type of SSL certificate is mainly used by large e-commerce websites, such as Amazon, and financial institutions, such as Bank of America. Using an EV certificate fulfills the PCI DSS‘s compliance requirements and protects you from cyber threats, such as Phishing.

Features of EV SSL certificate

Here are some of the features of an EV certificate:

  • It uses 256-bit SSL encryption and uses two major encryption algorithms such as RSA and DSA.
  • The padlock in the address bar in the user’s browser includes the important information such as the organization name, the certificate details, SAN information and more.
  • It is issued only to registered organizations with a verifiable legal existence and physical address.
  • It supports all the modern web browsers, mobile browsers, client OS, web servers, and control panels.
  • It contains unlimited server licenses and reissuances.

It covers one full qualified domain name, but at the same time it allows you to add up to 250 multiple websites in the single certificate if the certificate includes multi-domain features such as COMODO EV Multi-Domain SSL, and Sectigo EV Multi-Domain SSL.

How to Check an EV SSL Certificate in the Browser?

Here are the steps to check the EV SSL certificate in the browser (Chrome):

  • Click on the “Lock” icon in the URL.
  • Click on the arrowhead on the right of “Connection is secure.
  • Click “Certificate is valid.
  • Under the “Certificate is valid” option, the “EV” SSL certificate details will be visible.
EV SSL Certificate in Web Browser

The Best EV SSL Certificates of Top Certificate Authorities

Name of ProductWarrantyIssuance TimeCheapest Price
Comodo PositiveSSL EV$1000,0001 to 5 Days$59.99/yr
Sectigo Positive EV SSL$1000,0001 to 5 Days$59.99/yr
COMODO EV SSL$1,750,0001 to 5 Days$69.99/yr
SECTIGO EV SSL$1,750,0001 to 5 Days$89.99/yr
Sectigo Positive EV Multi-Domain$1,000,0001 to 5 Days$109.00/yr
Comodo Positive EV Multi-Domain$1,000,0001 to 5 Days$109.99/yr

OV SSL vs EV SSL Comparison

Let’s discuss the difference between these two certificates for features, pricing, encryption length, domain coverage, and more.

BenchmarkOV SSLEV SSL
Identity ValidationValidates organization details, but not as thoroughly as EV SSL.   Thorough validation of organization details, including legal existence and physical address.
Displayed InformationDisplays organization name in the certificate details.Displays organization name in the certificate details and green address bar in the browser.
Issuance TimeTake up to two days.Takes 1-5 business days to issue.
Browser CompatibilityCompatible with 99.99% of web and mobile browsers.Compatible with 99.9% of web and mobile browsers.
Trust LevelOffers a moderate level of trust.Offers the highest level of trust.
Supports the Wildcard featureYes.No.
WarrantyDepends upon the provider (usually up to $1M)    Depends upon the provider (usually up to $2M)    
PriceMore affordable than EV SSL and the range of these certificates lies between $21.99 to $399.99/yr.More expensive than OV SSL and the range of these certificates lies between $59.99 to $799.00/yr.
Buy OV SSLBuy EV SSL

Conclusion

The article provides a detailed explanation of OV SSL and EV SSL certificates, their features, and differences. The primary difference between OV SSL and EV SSL certificates is the level of identity verification and validation required before issuing the certificate. EV SSL certificates require a more rigorous verification process and provide better security and enhanced trust level to website visitors.

Janki Mehta

Janki Mehta is a Cyber-Security Enthusiast who constantly updates herself with new advancements in the Web/Cyber Security niche. Along with theoretical knowledge, she also implements her practical expertise in day-to-day tasks and helps others to protect themselves from threats.

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