SSL Tools

This article introduces SSL and the most commonly used SSL tools available to help manage and troubleshoot SSL certificates.

With cyber threats on the rise and privacy becoming a growing concern, the use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates has become essential for any website. According to recent industry reports, usage of free and open-source SSL tools has surged by 35% over the past year. As more businesses migrate online and browsers enforce HTTPS by default, developers and site owners are increasingly relying on SSL utilities to ensure certificates are correctly configured and up-to-date.

SSL Labs, OpenSSL-based tools, and online utilities like SSL Checker and CSR Decoder are now being used more frequently by even small website operators.

What is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a standard security protocol that encrypts data between a web server and a browser. When a site has an SSL certificate installed, it activates HTTPS, signifying a secure connection. SSL tools are online or command-line utilities used to generate, validate, inspect, and decode SSL certificates and related files.

SSL tools simplify the process of certificate management. Whether you’re generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), validating an installed certificate, or checking the SSL configuration of a website, these tools come in handy for both beginners and advanced users.

CSR is a block of encoded text generated on the server where the SSL certificate will be installed. The CSR contains information like the organization name, domain name, locality, and public key. It is submitted to a Certificate Authority (CA) when applying for an SSL certificate.

Certificate Checker

A Certificate Checker tool allows users to verify if an SSL certificate is installed correctly and is still valid.The tool checks the certificate installation status on the website.

It checks for expiration, hostname mismatches, and proper chaining of intermediate certificates. Simply enter your domain name to get a full report on your SSL setup.

CSR Decoder

The CSR Decoder tool allows users to decode their Certificate Signing Request to verify its content before submitting it to the CA. This ensures that all information embedded in the CSR is accurate and helps troubleshoot CSR issues quickly.

Certificate Decoder

The Certificate Decoder tool helps decode and view the contents of an SSL certificate file (usually in PEM format). Users can paste their certificate text into the tool to see details such as the issuer, validity dates, subject, and more. It’s useful for diagnosing certificate problems or confirming certificate details.

SSL tools are vital for managing web security efficiently. With increasing browser and user expectations for secure connections, mastering these tools can greatly improve your website’s trust and performance online.