Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate Review - Price, Features & Providers

Website securities come in many forms, and one of them is installing an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate for the website. 

When a website is hitched with an SSL certificate, HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is visible in the URL. HTTPS protocol is showing a rising trend in the coming years. Current research indicates that HTTPS is used by 67.7% of the websites.

Installation of SSL Certificates secures your website with robust encryption, thus making it difficult for cyber-criminals to steal your website data. Though the encryption level provided by these digital certificates is the same, their securities vary as per their type. 

Some secure just the website's main domain, while some secure sub-domains (of first level) and the main domain.

But what if someone wants to secure their entire business, i.e., all domains and all sub-domains. An SSL certificate is considered an "All in one SSL Certificate," also called the Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate.

Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate:

The most versatile Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificate is also called SAN enabled Wildcard. Its pliability to secure multiple domains and unlimited sub-domains on various sites is a boon to companies having various businesses and ample sites. There is no need to spend your hard-earned money on multiple-wildcard certificates for securing domains and subdomains when you have a single solution for all your web security requirements.

Since one single certificate can encrypt the entire web infrastructure of a company, it proves to be the ultimate security solution, which is not only easy to afford, but simple to execute too.

Of course, the count of domains that can be secured solely depends on the Certificate Authority (CA) issuing the same. While some CA’s allow security up to 100 domains, some Certificate Authorities like Comodo provide encryption security for 250 different domains or IPs, including multiple sub-domains.

Since the Wildcard option is favoured by companies having multiple domains on the same server, you can add up to 100 SAN Wildcard domains for life, proving that this certificate is a time-saver, money saver, and hassle saver.

We have listed here some of the best providers:

Workings of Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate Explained

Since “*” is a Wildcard Character used before the domain name for installing a Wildcard SSL, Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate also works the same way. Here too, an “*” needs to be put before each primary domain name, just like a regular Wildcard SSL certificate.

The same needs to be specified in the Certificate Signing Request (CSR).

Here the domain name is example.com. Adding an "*" before the domain name, i.e., *.example.com, is termed the primary domain.

The SAN domains *example1.com, *.example2.com, and *.example.3.com and many more can be secured as stated in the above image. Adding “*” before these SAN domains, it will allow various subdomains to be secured, i.e., login.example1.com, images.example2.com, and sub3.example3.com, etc., and many more.

Features and Benefits of Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificates:

Its robust features and web security benefits are restricted to encryption securities, but various other benefits entice business owners to opt for this solo security solution.

• Encryptions – This SSL certificate provides robust 256-bit encryption security and a 2048-bit RSA signature key, which secures the entire digital infrastructure.
• Domains Secure – It secures more than 100 domains or IP which go to a maximum of 250 domains or IPs depending on the Certificate Authority.
• Validation Support – It supports Domain Validation (DV) and Organisation Validation (OV).
• Web Security Coverage - Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificate secures many domains of multiple sites and multiple sub-domains of various levels.
• SAN Support - This SSL certificate has SAN Wildcard support for securing multiple sub-domains
• Trust Seal - Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificate comes with a site seal, easily noticeable on all web pages of the website, acting as a trust indicator for visitors.
• Trust Symbols – HTTPS in the address bar and secure padlock icon in the URL are additional trust symbols visible on this SSL certificate's installation.
• SSL Re-issuances – This SSL certificate provides unlimited re-issuance during the entire lifespan cycle.
• Mobile & Browser Compatibility – Since this SSL certificate is compatible with 99% of the browsers and mobiles, it is favored by large companies having various businesses and many sites.
• Best for Multiple Servers – Apart from securing a website on the main server, this digital certificate's security can be utilized for websites installed on multiple servers also, without any additional cost.
• Simplicity – Only one certificate secures everything, and hence it is easy and simple to install and manage the same.
• Cost-Effective and Time Saver – You need not purchase different SSL certificates for securing different domains to give a secured browsing experience. Hence this SSL certificate proves to be cost-effective. It also saves the hassles of installing many SSL certificates for multiple securities and hence saves time too.
• Warranty & Refund Policies – They come with ample warranties in case of data breaches or security lapses. The Certificate Authority ensures that this SSL certificate takes care of these unwanted catastrophes by warranties, which help cover and minimize the risk.

Disadvantages of Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate:

• Since Wildcard SSL is a part of this SSL certificate, it will not support Extended Validation (EV).
• If you want different domains to be mentioned on different certificates, this SSL certificate is not viable.
• This SSL certificate does not secure the non-www versions of Wildcard domains.
• The private key needs to be shared across multiple related people, increasing the private key’s threat of being accessed by intruders.
• Unless specified, this SSL certificate will not cover the Wildcard version of the common name and hence needs to be secured by adding additional SAN in the CSR.
• In case of any addition or deduction of a domain name, the SSL certificate needs to be reissued irrespective of its expiry date.

Essential Points Before Purchasing Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate:

Since this SSL certificate's benefits and features are unquestionable, let's check out some essential factors that we need to focus on before adding this SSL certificate to our web security list.

• Common Name (CN) Domain:

The Certificate Signing Request (CSR) must have a non-wildcard domain as the common name. The Wildcard Domains can also be included as an additional SAN.

         Example:

Common Name: www.mysite.com

SAN1: *.mysite.com

SAN2: *.blog.mysite.com

SAN3: *.site.com

SAN4: *.article.mysite.com