DVsertifikaatti

DVsertifikaatti, or Domain‑Validated certificate, is a type of SSL/TLS certificate used to secure communications between a web server and a browser. The certificate confirms that the applicant controls the domain for which the certificate is issued, but it does not perform any additional identity checks on the certificate holder. Verification typically occurs through methods such as email to a domain‑specific address, adding a specific DNS record, or uploading a file to the web server. Once a verification method is successfully completed, the certificate authority issues the certificate, which can be used to enable HTTPS.

Because the validation process is automated and quick, DV certificates can be obtained within minutes or hours and are particularly popular for small websites, blogs, and internal pages that require encryption but not robust authentication. They support the same encryption algorithms and protocols as other TLS certificates, such as RSA and ECDSA keys, and can be configured for multi‑domain or wildcard use. Many free certificate authorities, notably Let’s Encrypt, provide DV certificates and include automatic renewal mechanisms to encourage year‑long coverage.

The main limitation of a DVsertifikaatti is that it provides no assurance about the organization’s legitimacy. Consequently, it is generally unsuitable for payment processing, legal documentation, or any scenario where user trust is critical. For higher assurance, organizations typically use Organization‑Validated (OV) or Extended‑Validation (EV) certificates, which incorporate more extensive vetting of the applicant’s legal and operational status.