SSL/TLS Certificate Types: DV, OV, EV and Wildcard Differences

SSL/TLS certificates encrypt communication between your website and visitors while verifying your site's identity. But not all certificates are equal: DV (Domain Validation) only confirms domain ownership, while EV (Extended Validation) performs comprehensive organization verification. This guide covers certificate types, use cases, and the criteria to help you choose the right one for your project.

SSL/TLS Certificate Types

Type	Validation	Issuance	Cost	Use Case
DV	Domain ownership	Minutes	Free - $50/yr	Blog, personal site, API
OV	Organization identity	1-3 days	$50 - $200/yr	Corporate site, SaaS
EV	Comprehensive org audit	1-2 weeks	$100 - $500/yr	E-commerce, finance, banking
Wildcard	DV or OV + subdomains	Minutes - 3 days	$50 - $300/yr	*.example.com

💡 Tip: In terms of encryption strength, there is no difference between DV, OV, and EV certificates - they all use the same TLS encryption. The difference lies only in the validation level. A Let's Encrypt DV certificate is sufficient for blogs or APIs; prefer OV or EV for e-commerce sites.

TLS 1.3 Configuration

TLS 1.3 offers faster handshakes (1-RTT vs 2-RTT), stronger encryption, and a smaller attack surface compared to TLS 1.2. Over 95% of modern browsers support TLS 1.3. Here is the Nginx TLS 1.3 configuration:

nginx ssl.conf

ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
ssl_ciphers ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
ssl_session_timeout 1d;
ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
ssl_session_tickets off;

# HSTS (1 year)
add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;

# OCSP Stapling
ssl_stapling on;
ssl_stapling_verify on;

Test your SSL/TLS configuration with SSL Labs. For free certificate setup with Let's Encrypt, check our Let's Encrypt guide. Build your secure HTTPS infrastructure with Hosted Cloud cloud servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Let's Encrypt certificate secure?

Yes, Let's Encrypt DV certificates provide the same encryption strength as paid DV certificates. The only difference is the 90-day validity period; you can eliminate this concern by configuring automatic renewal with certbot.

Does a Wildcard certificate cover sub-subdomains?

No, a *.example.com certificate only covers single-level subdomains (blog.example.com, api.example.com). Second-level subdomains like sub.blog.example.com require a separate certificate or SAN (Subject Alternative Name).

Should I disable TLS 1.0 and 1.1?

Absolutely yes. TLS 1.0 and 1.1 have known security vulnerabilities and must be disabled for PCI DSS compliance. Modern browsers no longer support these versions. Keep only TLS 1.2 and 1.3 enabled.

What is HSTS and why should I use it?

HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) tells browsers to connect to your site only over HTTPS. It prevents man-in-the-middle attacks during HTTP-to-HTTPS redirects. Once set, the browser automatically converts HTTP requests to HTTPS.

Which certificate type should I choose for my e-commerce site?

An OV certificate is sufficient for small e-commerce sites. For large stores and sites processing payments, an EV certificate increases customer trust. There is no difference in encryption, but EV certificates display organization details in the certificate.

Conclusion

SSL/TLS certificate selection depends on your project's requirements. A Let's Encrypt DV certificate works for blogs and APIs, OV for corporate sites, and EV for e-commerce and financial sites. Maximize security and performance with TLS 1.3 configuration, HSTS, and OCSP Stapling.

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