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SSL & Web Security Learning Center

Expert guides and tutorials on SSL/TLS certificates, encryption, PKI, and digital security. Explore the bylines, dates and sources in each guide before applying it to your environment.

199

Guides published

Oct 2, 2026

Last guide updated

Daniel Rehak

Contributor articles

Primary sources

CA/B Forum, RFCs, vendor docs

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199 articles found

X.509 Certificates Explained: Fields, Extensions, and Structure

The object behind every SSL/TLS, code signing and S/MIME certificate, opened up field by field. What the tbsCertificate holds, which v3 extensions do the real work, why browsers ignore the Common Name entirely — and the four things a public CA must add in 2026 that RFC 5280 never asked for.

My-SSL TeamAug 3, 202615 min

Code Signing

How to Verify a Code Signature (Windows, Linux & Java)

One verdict, three separate checks — integrity, trust chain, and time. The exact commands for SignTool, PowerShell, osslsigncode and jarsigner, what each status value means, why /pa decides the answer on Windows, and how to gate a build on the exit code instead of the log text.

My-SSL TeamAug 2, 202615 min

Security

What Is Certificate Transparency? CT Logs and SCTs Explained

Every publicly trusted certificate is published in append-only logs before it works in a browser. How CT logs, SCTs and precertificates fit together, why Chrome wants two SCTs on short certificates and three on long ones, what Firefox 135 changed, and the hostname leak nobody warns you about.

My-SSL TeamAug 1, 202614 min

Code Signing

How Long Does Code Signing Validation Take?

Individual certificates validate in about a business day, Standard (OV) in 1–3 business days, and EV in roughly 1–7 — then key delivery adds its own wait. What the CA checks at each tier, why a shipped USB token can outlast validation itself, and the three stalls that hold up most orders.

My-SSL TeamAug 1, 202612 min

Guides

How to Sign a ClickOnce Application (Step by Step)

Signing a ClickOnce app means signing its two manifests with mage, not the EXE. The three-command order, how to reach a key on a hardware token, timestamping, and the certificate-renewal trap that forces every user to reinstall — now that 460-day certificates make renewals annual.

My-SSL TeamJul 31, 202612 min

Security

Shor's Algorithm Explained: How It Breaks RSA and ECC

Shor's algorithm factors large integers and solves discrete logarithms in polynomial time, which breaks RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and ECC/ECDSA. How it actually works, why AES and SHA-2 survive, how many qubits it would really need, and what it means for the certificates you run today.

Daniel RehakJul 31, 202614 min

Guides

Multi-Domain SSL Certificate Price: What It Costs in 2026

DV multi-domain (SAN) SSL runs about $18–$100/year, OV about $70–$300, EV about $75–$400 in 2026. How the base-plus-per-SAN price works, why an EV multi-domain exists when an EV wildcard doesn't, and multi-domain vs wildcard cost.

My-SSL TeamJul 30, 202612 min

Code Signing

Do I Need a Code Signing Certificate?

You need a code signing certificate if you distribute Windows software people download and run — apps, installers, drivers, scripts, or JARs — to remove the 'Unknown Publisher' warning and prove the code is untampered. When you need one, when you don't, and what macOS and mobile use instead.

My-SSL TeamJul 29, 202611 min

Comparisons

S/MIME vs PGP: Which Email Encryption Should You Use?

S/MIME and PGP both sign and encrypt email, but they trust keys in opposite ways. S/MIME uses a CA-issued certificate your mail app already runs; PGP uses a web of trust and usually an add-on. How the two standards differ on trust, client support, and deployment — and which one fits your situation.

My-SSL TeamJul 28, 202612 min

Guides

EV SSL Certificate Price: What It Costs in 2026

EV SSL runs about $70–$400 a year in 2026, with My-SSL's from $49. What the deepest validation level buys now that browsers dropped the green bar, how EV compares to OV, the levers that move the price, and when the premium is actually worth paying.

My-SSL TeamJul 27, 202612 min

Guides

OV SSL Certificate Price: What It Costs in 2026

OV SSL runs about $30–$300 a year in 2026, with My-SSL's from $29 and an OV wildcard from $89. What the premium over DV actually buys, how OV compares to DV and EV, the four levers that move the price, and why the 199-day cap changes your calendar but not your invoice.

My-SSL TeamJul 26, 202612 min

Guides

What Is an SSL Certificate Warranty? What It Really Covers

An SSL certificate warranty reimburses the relying party — your customer, not you — if the CA mis-issues your certificate. What it actually covers, why hacks and breaches never qualify, the warranty amounts behind DV, OV, and EV, and whether the figure should sway your purchase.

My-SSL TeamJul 25, 202611 min

All guides by topic

Every guide in the Learning Hub, grouped by subject. 199 articles covering SSL/TLS certificates, code signing, S/MIME, PKI and server configuration.

Code Signing

26 guides

SSL Basics

16 guides

Guides

61 guides

Security

55 guides

Comparisons

12 guides

Installation

25 guides

SSL Configuration

4 guides

How these guides are written and reviewed

Guides are written by Daniel Rehak and other contributors. Check each guide’s sources and date against the current issuer or platform documentation. My-SSL also sells certificates; product recommendations have a commercial relationship to this site. Send corrections with the page URL and supporting source.

Where a rule has a future effective date, the guide states what applies today and marks the future change separately. The most recently updated guide in this library was updated on Oct 2, 2026.

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