Which SSL certificate should I choose for my mail server?
An SSL(Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is an important tool used for internet security. It serves several purposes: encrypting data, switching to the secure HTTPS protocol, authenticating the site, and increasing user trust. Major search engines such as Google take into account the presence of an SSL certificate when ranking websites.
Lack of SSL on the mail server is a serious vulnerability. MITM (Man In The Middle) attacks are often used to intercept messages. All the contents of the correspondence will be known. Installing an SSL/TLS certificate will significantly increase security. For additional security, you can install MIME/E-mail certificates that allow you to encrypt and sign emails.
Main types of SSL Certificates
Several types of SSL are available, issued by certificate authorities such as GeoTrust.
- Domain Validated (DV) Certificate. This is a basic type of SSL certificate that only confirms domain ownership.
- SSL with Organization Verification (OV). This option requires a higher level of verification, where the certificate authority verifies both domain ownership and the existence of the organization. It’s perfect for e-commerce.
- Extended Validation (EV) Certificate. It provides the highest level of trust, includes a rigorous vetting process for legal entities. EV certificates are typically used by large organizations.
SSL certificates are also differentiated by the number of domains they can protect.
- The WildCard certificate is designed to protect the main domain and all of its subdomains. For example, the certificate for “mysite.com” can also protect “www.mysite.com”, “mail.mysite.com”, “blog.mysite.com”, and other subdomains.
- A multi-domain (SAN) certificate allows you to protect multiple domains and subdomains within a single certificate. Suitable for organizations with multiple sites or online services.
The choice of SSL depends on the specific requirements of the website or server, the level of validation needed, and the number of subdomain domains to be protected.
What is an SSL Certificate for a mail server
An SSL certificate for e-mail, also called an SSL/TLS certificate or e-mail security certificate, is designed to protect e-mail communication. It provides a secure connection between email clients (such as Outlook, Thunderbird or mobile apps) and the server.
SSL certificate for mail server provides encryption and authentication mechanisms to protect confidential information transmitted over HTTPS protocol. This ensures that data including email content, attachments, login credentials and other sensitive information is encrypted and cannot be intercepted or altered by unauthorized parties.
SSL certificates for mail servers typically use SSL or TLS protocols. They are issued by trusted certificate authorities (CAs) after authenticating the server and the organization requesting the certificate.
Choosing SSL for the mail server
Choosing a certificate for a mail server is not much different from the process of buying an SSL for a website.
- Select a reputable certificate authority, such as DigiCert. Their certificates are easily recognized by major web browsers and operating systems, and there are no problems with them.
- Most CAs offer certificates with a validity period of 1 year. As of 2020, all popular browsers no longer support SSL with an expiration date greater than 398 days.
- Note the ease of installation and management of SSL. Check if CA provides clear instructions or tools to help with installation, if they offer customer support in case of problems.
- Well-known CAs offer a high price for which you get the maximum level of security and user trust. Less promoted companies may offer a more favorable price for services.
You can buy SSL from Comodo and other reliable CAs.
SSL installation on mail servers
Installing a certificate on a mail server is quite easy:
- Go to the server control panel.
- Install an SSL certificate. If you have purchased a certificate, you will see it in the list of connected services. You may be required to enter private key data. If SSL is already installed on the domain, proceed to the next step.
- Go to the Mail section and select mail domains. Click the “Edit” button
- Check the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) checkbox and select the desired option. Click “OK.”
If you are already a TutHost customer, you can set up SSL in Directadmin. You will need the private key file and the certificate itself. We have detailed installation instructions.To securely protect your correspondence from prying eyes, install an SSL certificate on your mail server. To further protect your emails, connect an S/MIME certificate that allows you to encrypt them. With this protection, even experienced hackers will not be able to access the contents of your emails.
