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SSL certificates are essential for securing data exchanged between a website and its users. However, not all SSL certificates are created equal. While Let’s Encrypt offers free certificates with easy installation, it does not provide the same level of security and trust as other certificates. At OrangeWebsite, we’ve decided not to accept Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates on our shared hosting plans, and here’s why.

Not All SSL Certificates Are Equal

SSL certificates encrypt data between a browser and a web server, ensuring that communication is secure. The technology behind SSL is now called TLS (Transport Layer Security), but the name SSL is still commonly used. An SSL certificate guarantees that the server belongs to the entity it claims to be. A Certificate Authority (CA) digitally signs the certificate to verify its authenticity.

However, not all SSL certificates are the same. While anyone can create a self-signed certificate, without a CA’s signature, there’s no guarantee that the site owner is who they claim to be. This is why browsers warn users against trusting self-signed certificates.

Let’s Encrypt offers free, automated, and open certificates. This initiative aims to make secure web connections universal, but it has limitations in terms of authentication. Let’s Encrypt issues domain-validated certificates, meaning it only verifies that the applicant controls the domain. There is no verification of the applicant’s identity. While this helps secure a website’s connection, it doesn’t confirm who the site owner is, making it less reliable than other SSL certificates.

Let’s Encrypt SSL: The Good and The Bad

The benefit of Let’s Encrypt is clear—it’s free and easy to install. However, this simplicity comes at a cost. The authentication process is minimal, and because anyone can obtain a certificate without providing any personal or business information, it opens the door for misuse. Some websites may appear legitimate due to the padlock symbol, but they may be malicious or deceptive.

Let’s Encrypt has been the subject of criticism from security experts, especially after incidents where hackers have used the service to gain certificates for malicious domains. There have been instances where scammers impersonated well-known brands like PayPal, taking advantage of Let’s Encrypt’s domain validation process.

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The Limitations of Let’s Encrypt SSL

Let’s Encrypt certificates are domain-validated only. This means they confirm ownership of the domain but don’t validate the identity of the site owner. This can lead to confusion, as users might assume that a padlock symbol means a site is trustworthy when it simply indicates encryption. Extended Validation (EV) certificates, however, require rigorous checks, including the verification of the business’s legal existence, providing users with greater trust.

Moreover, many websites, including major social media platforms like Twitter, have been criticized for not implementing stronger validation methods, with experts calling for the adoption of two-factor authentication and more advanced security methods to protect users.

Trust and Openness: The Challenge

While Let’s Encrypt’s mission is to make the web more secure, its lack of rigorous identity validation makes it less trustworthy for commercial and sensitive websites. For this reason, we have chosen not to accept Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates on our shared hosting plans. We believe that offering these certificates could give dishonest websites the appearance of legitimacy, which is something we want to avoid.

Instead, we offer domain-validated SSL certificates for a low annual fee to discourage the use of throwaway domains. For businesses looking for better security, we offer Comodo InstantSSL certificates, which provide business-level validation. For the highest level of validation, we recommend Comodo EV certificates, which provide extended validation and clear verification of the organization behind the website.

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At OrangeWebsite, we strive to balance openness with trust. Our goal is to make sure that all our clients and their customers are secure. That’s why we focus on offering certificates that provide higher levels of security and trust for your websites. We want to ensure that the web remains a safe space for both businesses and their customers.