What is Wildcard SSL Certificate?

Single Wildcard SSL Certificate for Sub-Domains Security

To secure a domain and its sub-domains, user needs to apply SSL for *.domain-name.com; here * carries unlimited sub-domain security feature which is called ‘First level wildcard domain security’.

A Wildcard SSL can be availed with domain validated (DV) and organization validated (OV) SSL certificates. It can secure both www and non-www domains. Wildcard SSL with domain validation can only validate and secure domain name & unlimited number of sub-domains. Whereas the wildcard SSL certificate with organization validation can also validate the business along with the domain name & sub-domains.

In case of DV Wildcard SSL certificate, no business documents are required and it can be issued quickly within minutes, but in case of OV wildcard SSL certificate, business documents are necessary and verification process can take up to 1-3 days. Here’s the list of wildcard SSL certificate documents required for business verification process.

Domain & Sub domains types Wildcard SSL can secure

Wildcard SSL Certificate Key Features

• Can secure unlimited number of sub-domains with a single SSL certificate
• 2048-bit future proof SSL Certificates
• Works with almost all browsers, mobile phones and devices
• Unlimited server licensing
• SHA-2 signed certificates with 256-bit encryption
• Available with both DV and OV SSL

Drawbacks of Wildcard SSL Certificate

• Not available with EV- A user wishing to get EV SSL certificate cannot opt for the wildcard option as it is not available with EV.
• No support of Multi-domain- During SSL management, a user can add a wildcard SSL domain as a Multi domain, but he/she cannot add a multi-domain as a wildcard SSL domain.

Most Frequently Asked Questions About Wildcard SSL/TLS Certificates

What if I don’t have a sub-domain yet, but have plans to add it later?

Well, you can add as many sub-domains as you want to as long as the certificate isn’t expired.

What if I want to switch my server in future?

You don’t need to worry about that either. Most of the Wildcard SSL certificates feature unlimited server licensing. It means that you can add a server or add multiple servers whenever you want to.

What if I want to secure multiple domains as well as sub-domains?

If you want to secure multiple domains along with sub-domains, you must install a Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificates.

Can a Wildcard SSL certificate secure a second-level sub-domain?

Yes, it can. But then you won’t be able to secure your first-level sub-domain. Simply put, a Wildcard SSL certificate can secure sub-domains of a single level sub-domain only. For example,

• *.secure.example.com
• *.blog.example.com

What is the difference between a Wildcard SSL certificate and Multi-Domain SSL Certificate?

A Wildcard certificate secures sub-domain, whereas a Multi-Domain certificate secures multiple domains as well as sub-domains. Click here to learn more about the difference.

Compare Low-Cost Wildcard SSL Certificate Price & Features from Top SSL Brands

Know the Different Types of SSL Certificates

Wildcard SSL Certificate Installation Guide & Tools

• Install Wildcard SSL on your Server
• Generate CSR for Wildcard SSL
• Wildcard SSL Checker
• Wildcard SSL Converter

Top Wildcard SSL Brands & Comparison

• DigiCert
• RapidSSL
• GeoTrust
• Thawte
• Comodo
• Wildcard SSL Comparison