What is Domain Validation (DV)
Domain Validation is a verification process to prove ownership or control over the domain for which the SSL certificate is being requested. DV does not require the organization's legal identity to be validated, making it less stringent than other validation methods, such as Organization Validation (OV) or Extended Validation (EV). As a result, DV certificates are issued more quickly, often within minutes or hours of request.
DV Validation Process
The process of validating an SSL certificate through Domain Validation typically involves the following steps:
1. Purchase and Request the Certificate
The first step is purchasing a DV SSL certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA). During the purchase process, you will be asked to provide information about the domain for which the certificate is requested.
2. Domain Verification
After submitting the request for a DV SSL certificate, the CA will need to verify that you control the domain in question. This can be done through several methods:
Email Validation
- This is the preferred and the most common method of verification. The CA sends a verification email to the email address associated with the domain registration or to a predefined email address like admin@example.com, where "example.com" is the domain in question. The email contains a verification link or code that the recipient must follow or enter to confirm domain control. The five approved addresses are:
- Admin@name-of-site.com
- Administrator@name-of-site.com
- Webmaster@name-of-site.com
- Hostmaster@name-of-site.com
- Postmaster@name-of-site.com
DNS Record Validation
- The CA asks you to create a specific DNS record (TXT or CNAME) for your domain. The CA then verifies the presence of this record, confirming domain control.
HTTP/HTTPS Validation
- The CA requires you to place a specific file in a predetermined location on your website (usually in the root directory). The CA then attempts to access this file over HTTP or HTTPS to verify domain control.
3. Certificate Issuance
Once domain control is verified, the CA issues the SSL certificate. The certificate includes the public key for the domain, allowing clients to establish secure connections.
4. Certificate Installation
After receiving the SSL certificate, it must be installed on the server hosting the domain. This step varies depending on the server software (e.g., Apache, Nginx, IIS) and typically involves placing the certificate and private key files in the appropriate directory and configuring the server to use them for the specified domain.
5. Verification and Testing
After installation, it is crucial to verify that the SSL certificate is correctly installed and functioning as expected. This can be done using various online tools that check the SSL certificate's status and the security of the connection.
Conclusion
Domain Validation is a straightforward and fast method for obtaining an SSL certificate, making it an attractive option for many websites. Although it does not validate the organization's identity behind the domain, DV certificates still provide the essential encryption and security needed for secure web communications. Following the above steps ensures that the SSL certificate validation process through Domain Validation is conducted efficiently and effectively.
