What is an ECC SSL Certificate and How Can I get One?

SSL certificates are vital for protecting confidential data between a web browser and a server. But, not all certificates are equal. Some offer better and more secure protection than others. The use of elliptic curve cryptography to provide strong protection with minimal resources has made ECC SSL certificates a proven standout choice for their use. Due to their enhanced performance and strong encryption standards, they’ve been an ideal solution for modern websites and applications.

In this article, you will learn what ECC SSL certificates are, how they work, their features, and the differences between ECC and RSA certificates.

What is an ECC SSL Certificate?

An ECC SSL certificate or Elliptic Curve Cryptography Secure Sockets Layer is a digital certificate that is used to encrypt communications between the browser and a web server using elliptic curve mathematics. Traditional SSL certificates use the RSA encryption method, which requires large keys to protect sensitive data, while ECC SSL certificates provide or give you even more security with much smaller keys. An example is a 256-bit ECC key – it provides the same level of security as a 3072-bit RSA.

ECC SSL certificates are not only faster with increased efficiency but also less resource intensive, giving you faster performance as well as security. In particular, they excel for today’s cutting edge high traffic websites, apps, and all the devices that demand a fast and secure first impression.

ECC works behind the scenes by using the properties of elliptic curves. In the image shown below, the curves are plotted on the graph pointing to certain values such as P, Q, and R, which are used in the cryptographic operations. These points are used to produce a relationship between themselves by which it is possible to securely generate keys. They use mathematical operations like point addition and scalar multiplication.

Graph illustrating an elliptic curve with points P and Q, and their sum resulting in point R. (P+Q=R)
A line connecting P and Q intersects the curve at -R, showcasing point addition in cryptography.

The ECC algorithm works with public and private key pairs during the SSL handshake. The client receives the public key generated on the server and the private key is kept secret by the server for decrypting messages from the client. ECC takes advantage of the efficient use of elliptic curve points, making it faster, and more resource-efficient than traditional methods while providing robust security using smaller key sizes.

How Does ECC SSL Certificate Work?

The encryption process for an ECC SSL certificate revolves around elliptic curve mathematics. These certificates maintain data safety by encrypting it, verifying identities, and ensuring it isn’t changed, all while using smaller keys. Compared to traditional RSA certificates, ECC certificates are more secure and efficient. Here’s an in-depth look at how ECC SSL certificates function:

Step 1: Key Generation

ECC works by using a pair of cryptographic keys: a private key (which is kept secret) and a public key (which is distributed to others). They’re generated with a mathematical elliptic curve over a finite field.

Step 2: Secure Handshake

A handshake occurs between your browser and the server when a user connects to a website that’s secured with an ECC SSL certificate. The objective of this handshake is for both parties to agree on encryption parameters using elliptic curve cryptography.

Step 3: Data Encryption and Decryption

The client uses the server’s public key to encrypt data sent from the browser to the server. To keep communication confidential, only the corresponding private key in the server can decrypt that data.

Step 4: Digital Signatures

ECC also supports digital signatures so that the server can be authenticated and threats such as man-in-the-middle attack can also be prevented.

Features of ECC SSL Certificate

ECC SSL certificates stand out due to their advanced features and capabilities. Here are the key highlights:

Strong Security with Shorter Keys

ECC SSL certificates offer strong security with relatively smaller keys compared to traditional RSA-based SSL certificates. A good example is the 256-bit ECC key, which offers equivalent security to the 3072-bit RSA keys. This computational efficiency keeps overload at minimum while maintaining uncompromising encryption standards making it ideal for modern applications.

Perfect Forward Secrecy with Ephemeral Key Exchange

ECC uses ephemeral key exchange methods such as ECDHE (Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman Ephemeral) during the handshake process. This means that each session uses randomly generated temporary ephemeral keys that are not saved between sessions. As a result, even if a server’s long term private key is compromised, past session data remains secure. This feature provides the best privacy and confidentiality for sensitive communications, such as online transactions or personal data transfers.

Faster Encryption & Decryption

ECC encryption and decryption is faster because it has a shorter key size and uses less processing power than RSA, so the handshake process is faster, and servers run more efficiently. Because it is so effective, ECC SSL certificates are particularly good for websites with large amounts of traffic or those requiring low latency.

Energy Efficient

ECC is very well-suited for devices with low computing capabilities, including a broad spectrum of IoT devices and smartphones. With its minimal resource requirements, robust encryption is guaranteed without burdening the hardware, making it a great choice for a lightweight system.

Future Proof

As computing power increases, traditional encryption methods like RSA could become more vulnerable to brute-force attacks. These threats are well within the range where ECC with its advanced mathematical foundations will be strong enough to resist for years to come.

How is ECC SSL Different from RSA SSL?

ECC and RSA are both used in SSL/TLS certificates. They both perform encryption of data between the browser and the server. But they work very differently.

ECC is very helpful for websites with large volumes of traffic, mobile applications, and IoT devices, where performance and resource efficiency play a major role.

Where to Get the ECC SSL Certificate?

When it comes to purchasing an ECC SSL certificate, choosing a trusted and low-price SSL Certificate provider is crucial to ensure both security and compatibility. For high-quality ECC SSL certificates, SSL2BUY is a trusted distributor offering unbeatable value and service. Here’s what SSL2BUY offers:

How to Buy an ECC SSL Certificate from SSL2BUY?

Obtaining an ECC SSL certificate is straightforward, but it’s essential to choose a reliable certificate authority (CA) to ensure quality and compatibility. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Visit SSL2BUY.com

Browse through the wide selection of ECC SSL certificates available on the SSL2BUY website. Filter certificates by validation level, pricing, or your specific needs.

Step 2: Choose a Trusted Certificate Authority (CA)

Look for reputable CAs like DigiCert, GlobalSign, or Sectigo. Many of these providers offer ECC SSL certificates tailored to your needs.

Step 3: Select the Right Type of Certificate

SSL certificates come in different validation levels, so choose according to your requirements:

• Domain Validation (DV): It validates only the domain ownership.
• Organization Validation (OV): Verifies domain ownership and its organizational identity.
• Extended Validation (EV): The highest level of validation is provided, confirming that the certificate holder has revealed background verification and their identity to prove their authenticity.

Step 4: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

Next, you’ll need to generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) file on your server. Make sure to specify ECC as the encryption algorithm during CSR generation. If you are using an Apache server you can use the following command on your server:

• Generating ECC private key

  openssl ecparam -out server.key -name prime256v1 -genkey

  This command will generate a private key. It will use the elliptic curve prime256v1, a common ECC curve.

  Replace “server.key” with the name of your domain (For e.g.: yourdomainname.com)

• Generating the CSR

  openssl req -new -key server.key -out server.csr -sha256

  With the above command, you will generate the CSR using the ECC private key created in the above command. This command will follow up by asking you to provide details such as domain name, organization to which this belongs to, location, and so on.

Step 5: Submit Your CSR to the CA

After the CSR is ready, submit it to the CA you have chosen and any required documentation along with that.

Step 6: Complete the Validation Process

The CA may check your domain or organization, depending on the certificate type. This is done to complete the validation process.

Step 7: Receive and Install the Certificate

On validation, your ECC SSL certificate will be issued by the CA. Make sure it’s installed properly and is working on your server.

Conclusion

An ECC SSL certificate represents a modern and highly secure solution to encrypt online communications. It employs elliptic curve cryptography, which offers strong security with minimal computational overhead. Thus, it becomes a better choice than an RSA-based SSL certificate. ECC uses a small key size hence making its performance better as well as providing strong security. While it is not yet supported on all platforms, most of them are quickly adopting it. So, to get an ECC SSL, choose a reputable CA and follow the steps to install the certificate on your server. Adopting ECC encryption not only helps keep users’ data safe but can also future-proof your servers and web applications.

Related Post:

• ECC Algorithm to Enhance Security with Better Key Strength
• RSA vs ECC – Which is Better Algorithm for Security?