SSL Certificates

What is an SSL Certificate?

The acronym SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. It is a security protocol that ensures the data transmitted between a server and a web user travels securely, encrypted and protected.

A system of keys and mathematical algorithms is used, which can only be identified between the browsing user and the server, meaning no one else can read the content.

To use an SSL certificate on your website, it is essential that the Internet server supports SSL.

When a visitor accesses an SSL-protected page on your website, their browser bar displays a padlock icon and the https:// prefix in the URL address.

With an SSL certificate, the client knows that the website is authentic, real, and trustworthy for entering personal data.

Types of Registration Certificates

Depending on the intended use of each certificate, we can find different types. According to the data verification checks performed, they are divided into four classes:

Class 1 Certificates: These are the simplest. They perform minimal data verification, only checking the holder's name and email address.

Class 2 Certificates: In this case, additional checks are performed on the ID card or driver's license, Social Security number, and date of birth.

Type 3 Certificates: This category includes credit verification checks for the individual or company through Equifax or Duns & Bradstreet.

Class 4 Certificates: In this case, all previous checks are carried out, plus verification of the person's role or position within the organization.

Depending on their purpose, certificates can be divided into:

SSL Certificates for Clients: Used to identify and authenticate clients accessing the website through the Secure Socket Layer protocol. They are usually issued to an individual person, either private or corporate.

SSL Certificates for Servers: In this case, they are used to identify a server to a client through the Secure Socket Layer protocol and are generally issued in the name of the company that owns the secure server or service.

S/MIME Certificates: Used for email services, digital signing, and encryption.

Code Signing Certificates: Used to identify the author of a file.

CA Certificates: Used to identify and verify certification authorities themselves using specific software.

What Types of Certificates Does SWHosting Offer?

We provide different types of fully trusted certificates. Let’s start with the basic trust certificates:

Comodo Essential: Secures and certifies 1 domain, available immediately with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $10,000.

Comodo Positive: Secures and certifies 1 domain, available immediately with 256-bit encryption.

RapidSSL: Secures and certifies 1 domain, available immediately with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $10,000.

RapidSSL Wildcard: Certifies one domain and secures unlimited subdomains, available immediately with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $5,000.

Comodo Essential Wildcard: Certifies one domain and secures unlimited subdomains, available immediately with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $10,000.

Comodo Positive Wildcard: Certifies one domain and secures unlimited subdomains, available immediately with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $50,000.

Now we will describe the advanced trust certificates ideal for professional websites and ecommerce.

TrueBusinessID: Certifies the organization and domain, secures one domain, available within 1 to 10 business days with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $1,250,000.

TrueBusinessID Wildcard: Certifies the organization and domain, secures unlimited subdomains, available within 1 to 10 business days with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $1,250,000.

TrueBusinessID with EV: Identifies and obtains details about the organization, physical address, authorized contact person, and domain ownership. Secures 1 domain, available within 3 to 15 business days with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $1,500,000.

TrueBusinessID certificates allow additional domains or UC/SAN. A single certificate for one company, valid for one main domain and up to 24 additional domains.

TrueBusiness ID + 4 UC/SAN Pack: Identifies and certifies the organization, the domain, and its ownership. Secures 1 domain and 4 alternative domains (expandable up to 25 domains). Available within 1 to 10 business days with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $1,250,000.

TrueBusinessID with EV + 4 UC/SAN Pack: Identifies, certifies, and obtains details about the organization, physical address, authorized contact person, domain, and ownership. Secures 1 domain and 4 alternative domains (expandable up to 25 domains). Available within 3 to 15 business days with 256-bit encryption. Coverage insurance is $1,500,000.

How to Purchase a Certificate Through SWPanel?

To purchase any of our available certificates, you must access your SWPanel and select the submenu "SSL Certificate Portfolio" from the "Domains and SSL" section in the blue left-side menu.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

Within this section, you can manage your purchased certificates. You have different options available: open the notes post-it, download the RSA Private Key, renew the certificate, start DNS Token validation, and install the certificate directly on the selected service.

From the SSL Certificates section, you will also have the option to create a new SSL certificate by clicking the blue "Create SSL" button located in the upper-right corner or, if no certificate exists, the green button at the bottom.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

Once you have selected the new certificate creation tab, you must choose the certificate that best suits your needs.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

You must indicate the URL to secure, and then a form will appear where you must choose the validation method and complete all fields.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

Once the entire form has been completed, you can proceed to the next step. Remember that you must have previously created the validation email account and have access to that mailbox in order to validate your certificate request. Likewise, you must ensure you have access to the email account specified in owner details, as this is where you will finally receive your certificate.

Finally, you must verify your details and confirm the purchase of your new certificate.

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

SSL Certificate Purchase Process

Once you have completed all the data requested in the form displayed by SWPanel, you will receive a validation email at [email protected]. If no account named "admin" exists, you must create one. Afterwards, once the email has been validated, you will receive another email with the attached certificate at the email address listed as the certificate owner. If your server has an SWPanel usage license, you can install it on your server through the certificate management tools explained below.

Certificate Actions

From the SSL certificate portfolio, you can perform different actions on each purchased certificate. By expanding the available options, you will find the following functionalities:

info_capture Screenshot is for guidance purposes only. It was taken from version 2026.001.0057 dated 18/05/2026. It may differ from the current version of SWPanel.

Download RSA Private Key
Allows you to download the RSA private key associated with the certificate. This key is required for migrations or manual certificate reinstallations on other servers or services. It must be securely stored, as it is the key used to decrypt encrypted communications.

Download CA Intermediates
Downloads the intermediate certificates from the Certificate Authority (CA). These certificates help correctly establish the trust chain between the SSL certificate and visitors’ browsers or devices.

Download Certificate CRT
Downloads the certificate in .crt format, one of the standard formats used on web servers such as Apache or Nginx.

Download Certificate PFX
Downloads the certificate in .pfx or .p12 format, which includes both the certificate and private key in a single protected file. This format is common in Windows or Microsoft IIS environments.

Download Certificate PEM
Downloads the certificate in .pem format, compatible with multiple Linux/Unix services and applications.

View TLSA Hash
Displays the TLSA hash record associated with the certificate, used in advanced security configurations such as DANE and DNSSEC validations.

Enable Automatic Renewal
With this option, you can enable automatic renewal of the certificate to avoid service interruptions due to expiration.

Non-renewable
For some certificates or specific statuses, the system may indicate that the certificate does not support automatic renewal and must be purchased again.

Manage Notes (Post-It)
Allows you to open a notes block associated with the certificate to add observations or internal information related to it.

Validation by DNS Token
Allows domain validation using a DNS Token record. This method consists of adding a specific DNS record provided by the certification authority to verify domain ownership.

Install Certificate on the Service
Allows automatic installation of the SSL certificate on a service managed through SWPanel. To use this functionality, the server must have an SWPanel license and be updated to a compatible version, provided your server has Level 2 support contracted.

Other SSL certificate manuals that may interest you:

📃 Manual: Install SSL certificate purchased through SWPanel

📃 Manual: Installing third-party SSL certificate via SWPanel