SSL Statistics By Cipher Usage, Industry, Certificate and Facts

Introduction

SSL Statistics: SSL, or Secure Socket Layer, is the most common security method used online. You may not notice it, but you may visit sites with SSL certificates every day, and you don’t need to be a tech expert to spot it. If a website address starts with “HTTPS,” the “S” means it’s secure. This shows SSL protects the site.

Most popular websites now use SSL to keep them safe. Learning about SSL certificates can help you understand website security better and keep you safer while browsing. We shall shed more light on SSL Statistics through this article.

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• Gartner predicts that cyberattacks will rise by 45% by the end of 2025.
• Companies will face more threats to their supply chains, meaning security experts and risk teams must work closely with other departments to ensure safe operations.
• Supply chain risks are a big concern for many businesses and should be part of your cybersecurity plan.
• A Fortinet survey found that big companies manage over 23,000 certificate keys, but 54% of IT leaders need to know where they are stored. This is a major issue in managing SSL certificates securely.
• According to MarketsandMarkets, the global certificate authority (CA) market was worth USD 127 million in 2021 and is expected to grow at 12.3% per year, reaching USD 226 million by 2026. This shows that businesses are spending more on digital certificates.
• Mobile phones are a major target for phishing attacks, with 85% of these attacks coming through links sent via mobile. Many people fall for phishing attacks by clicking on these dangerous links.
• Even though TLS 1.3 is now available, 95.8% of websites still use the older TLS 1.2. Many browsers, like Mozilla, have stopped supporting the outdated TLS 1.0 and 1.1, which has improved security.

What is An SSL Certificate?

SSL is a protocol that helps create secure, encrypted connections between a client and a server over a network. Its main job is to protect important information, like personal details and credit card data, from being stolen or changed by unauthorized users. SSL keeps this data safe by making it unreadable to bad actors through encryption. It uses encryption methods like EIGamal, RSA, DSA, Elliptic, and PKCS to secure the information.

An SSL certificate is a digital file that verifies a website’s identity and protects its data. It helps keep information safe by encrypting it so that no one else can read it.

Websites with an SSL certificate have “HTTPS” in their web address. You can check the URL to see if the site is secured. The certificate contains a public key and other details about the website owner, like the business name, domain, and server information.

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General SSL Statistics

• Even though they’re outdated, 8% of top websites still use SSL 3.0 and SSL 2.0 protocols.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 2% of Chrome users spend their time browsing secure HTTPS websites.
• However, 21% of the leading websites still don’t use HTTPS, showing room for improvement.
• As of January 2021, 89% of Chrome pages were loaded securely using HTTPS.
• More than 156,000 SSL certificates are tracked online.
• Over 50% of websites have some form of weak security.

(Reference: serpwatch.io)

• Nine certificate authorities are responsible for 77% of all SSL certificates.
• Let’s Encrypt is the most popular authority, issuing 58.21% of certificates.
• 1 in 10 URLs on the Internet are a security risk.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 68% of websites still support the old TLS 1.0 protocol.
• The Certificate Authority market is expected to reach $114 million by the end of 2024.
• 85% of online shoppers avoid websites that need to be more secure.
• By the end of 2023, over 292 million SSL certificates were found online.
• The Certificate Authority market is predicted to grow to $282 million by 2028.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 3% of SSL Certificates are Domain Validation certificates, the most common type.
• Despite the use of SSL certificates, 36.3% of websites need better security practices.
• 1% of surveyed websites have adopted the current TLS 1.3 protocol.
• Over 90% of phishing websites now use HTTPS with SSL certificates.
• IdenTrust has the largest share in the paid SSL certificate market at 53.5%.
• Many major companies fail SSL/TLS standards, with 32% of U.S. companies and 16% of European companies failing to meet the security requirements.

SSL Cipher Usage Statistics

(Reference: centminmod.com)

• As of 2024, about 40% of websites are still using older SSL cyphers, which can be a security threat. Meanwhile, around 60% of websites have switched to stronger, safer cyphers.
• TLS 1.2 is still the most commonly used protocol, with over 80% of websites using it. However, TLS 1.3 is becoming more popular, with 45% of websites now adopting it in 2024.
• The use of weak cyphers like RC4 has dropped to under 2%. AES, the most common cypher, now protects about 70% of websites.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 30% of websites now use ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) to improve their security.

SSL Industry Statistics

• As of December 19, 2023, there are over 292 million SSL certificates on the Internet, a rise of 40 million in just two years.
• The U.S. leads with 34,197,686 certificates, while Germany has 13,940,701. Eritrea has only 43 SSL certificates.
• Six main companies provide 90% of all SSL certificates.
• IdenTrust has 51.1% of the market, Sectigo has 11.9%, and GlobalSign has 10.4%. Most other companies, like Amazon, have less than 0.1%.
• The market for Certificate Authorities is expected to grow from $167 million in 2023 to $282 million by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 11%.

  (Source: sslinsights.com)

• Most SSL certificates (94.3%) are Domain Validation (DV) certificates. Organization Validation (OV) certificates make up 5.5%, and Extended Validation (EV) certificates are 0.1%. DV certificates handle 60% of all web traffic.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 36.3% of the most popular websites have poor security. Many of these sites need proper SSL setups, such as missing certificate chains or weak encryption.
• 1% of websites now use TLS 1.3, the latest version of the encryption protocol. Only 2% still use the older, outdated SSL protocol.
• More than 90% of phishing websites now use SSL certificates to appear secure, making it harder for users to detect fake sites. This is a 40% increase from 2019.
• Around 21% of the top 100,000 websites still do not use HTTPS, meaning they send data unprotected. About 20,911 websites are sending data in plain text.

(Reference: sslinsights.com)

• Mobile devices now account for 35.4% of unencrypted traffic, a huge improvement from last year, when they were responsible for more than 70% of unprotected traffic.
• Breaking SSL encryption is virtually impossible. Even with a supercomputer using power from 30% of the world’s nuclear plants, it would take an unimaginably long time.
• In 2023, 82.9% of websites use valid SSL certificates, up from just 18.5% five years ago. However, the remaining 17.8% of sites are still a security risk.
• According to Google’s Transparency Report, 93.2% of Chrome users’ browsing time is spent on secure HTTPS sites.
• Users tend to leave websites quickly if they need to be more secure, with small differences in browsing time across platforms.

SSL Statistics By Traffic Source

(Reference: sci-tech today.com)

• In 2024, most traffic to ssl.com came from organic searches, making up 61.28%. Direct traffic accounted for 29.73%, while referrals brought in 6.4%. Smaller amounts came from paid searches (0.2%), social media (1.92%), email (0.1%), and display ads (0.37%).
• This shows that organic and direct traffic are the major drivers, while paid and social channels contribute less to the website’s overall traffic.

SSL Implementation Statistics

• More than 2 million SSL certificates are given out every day.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 56% of businesses worldwide said they use encryption to protect their online communication.

(Source: fastercapital.com)

• SSL Statistics stated that around 32% of websites in the U.S. received an “F” grade for their SSL settings, meaning their security is weak and vulnerable to attacks.
• In 2023, 1 in every 10 websites was harmful, highlighting the growing problem of insecure sites. Over 50,000 websites are hacked each year.
• As awareness of online dangers grows, people are becoming more careful about sharing their personal information on websites.
• In 2023, more than 90% of phishing websites used SSL certificates, making them look trustworthy. This is a 40% rise since 2019, as free SSL certificates make it easier for scammers to appear safe.

(Source: fastercapital.com)

• In 2023, 82.9% of websites used valid SSL certificates, up from 18.5% five years ago. However, the remaining 17.8% of websites still pose potential security risks.
• SSL certificates are key to online safety and trust. As the Internet continues to evolve, it will remain essential for web security in 2024.

Rate of Breakdown of SSL Certificate Type

(Reference: clickssl.net)

A report from SSL Statistics shows that domain validation SSL certificates are the most commonly used by organizations. Other types, like organization validation certificates, make up 17.5% of the market, while extended validation certificates represent 2% of the total usage.

SSL Certificate Market

• Between June 2017 and June 2018, the number of SSL certificates grew by over 13.2 million, a 68% increase from the previous year.
• Although Extended Validation (EV) certificates grew by 21.1%, Domain Validation (DV) certificates still made up 80% of the market.
• Currently, DV certificates dominate, making up 94.3% of all certificates.
• Organization Validation (OV) certificates account for 5%, while EV certificates are only 0.7%.
• However, 49% of traffic comes from OV websites, 37.9% from DV websites, and 13.2% from EV websites.
• The global Certificate Authority (CA) market, which was valued at $57 million in 2017, is expected to grow at a rate of 10.18% annually, reaching $114 million by 2024.
• This growth is expected even with the rise of free certificate providers like Let’s Encrypt.
• IdenTrust is the leader in paid SSL certificates, with 53.5% of the market share in 2021, a small increase from the previous year.
• While Let’s Encrypt is widely used for free certificates, IdenTrust leads in paid services.
• DigiCert Group is in second place with a 19.3% market share, followed by Sectigo at 16.8%.
• According to W3Techs, 36.9% of websites use IdenTrust, while 11.6% still don’t use encryption.

Other findings include:

• 9% of sites had invalid domain certificates.
• 6% of sites had expired certificates.
• 2% used certificates from unknown authorities.
• 1% used self-signed certificates.

A survey shows that 91% of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) have full control and visibility over the TLS certificates in their systems. In large IT systems, it’s common to manage over 10,000 certificates.

(Source: marketsandmarkets.com)

• SSL Statistics stated that around 79% of CIOs know how many certificates they have, and 9 out of 10 CIOs can see every certificate in their system. However, some studies suggest that they might be overestimating their understanding of certificate management.
• Website owners often search for affordable SSL certificates.
• According to the latest data, services like GoDaddy and Comodo offer cheap SSL packages, usually ranging from $50 to $200 per year.
• The most popular SSL certificates are often free, which is why Let’s Encrypt is so popular. However, paid certificates often offer better security and more advanced features.

Need of SSL Certificate for Website

• As of October 2022, there are more than 231 million SSL certificates on the Internet, nearly a 50% increase from 157 million in February 2021.
• The United States has the most SSL certificates, with over 32 million. Germany is second with over 13 million certificates.
• On the other hand, the Union of Comoros has the fewest SSL certificates, with just 21 in total.
• The growth in SSL certificates is due to website owners realizing the importance of online security.
• Data breaches can cause businesses to lose millions of dollars, and search engines block sites that aren’t secure. Not having an SSL certificate is one of the main reasons for being flagged.
• Website owners are now more aware of how SSL certificates protect their sites, so they are using them more to secure their domains and subdomains.

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Why Your Website Needs an SSL Certificate

#1. Secure Connection Between Server and Browser

•  SSL certificates create a secure connection between the server and the browser. This makes it impossible for attackers to intercept the data being transferred, keeping business communications safe.

#2. Encrypts Data During Transfer

• SL certificates encrypt all the data being sent, making it unreadable to anyone who isn’t authorized to see it. This protects your data from tampering or theft while it’s being transferred.

#3. Confirms Your Website’s Identity

• To get an SSL certificate, you must prove your business’s identity, except for Domain Validation (DV) SSL certificates, which only require proof of domain ownership. This helps prevent fraud and ensures your site’s credibility.

#4. Builds Trust with Customers

• SSL certificates prevent “Not Secure” warnings on your website. This boosts customer trust, which can increase conversion rates. E-commerce websites with SSL certificates have seen conversion rates increase from 18% to 87%.

#5. Helps Improve Search Engine Rankings

• Search engines prefer secure websites. Using SSL certificates can help your website rank higher in search results, which helps drive more traffic.

#6. Keeps You Compliant with Regulations

• Many regulations, such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS, require websites to use SSL certificates. To stay compliant, businesses need to use the latest SSL certificates and follow security best practices.

SSL Pulse Statistics

(Source: sci-tech today.com)

• SSL statistics show that SSL Pulse tracks the security of SSL/TLS on 150,000 top websites, revealing several security issues.
• In a report from May 2, 2024, nearly 134,495 websites were reviewed, showing a small drop of 0.2% compared to previous data.
• SSL Statistics stated that around 45,693 websites had weak security, down by 0.5%. Meanwhile, 88,802 websites were considered secure, showing a slight increase of 0.5%.
• The table below outlines the data from May 2024 and provides more details on the SSL grades and total site numbers.

Conclusion

SSL certificates are key to internet security, helping protect user data, improve search rankings, and ensure compliance with regulations. They also build trust and protect websites from new threats. As the Internet becomes more central to both personal and professional life, SSL certificates (especially HTTPS) work quietly behind the scenes to keep online activities secure.

Whether you’re a business owner, site administrator, or everyday user, these certificates play a crucial role in maintaining privacy and safety online.

Saisuman Revankar

Saisuman is a talented content writer with a keen interest in mobile tech, new gadgets, law, and science. She writes articles for websites and newsletters, conducting thorough research for medical professionals. Fluent in five languages, her love for reading and languages led her to a writing career. With a Master’s in Business Administration focusing on Human Resources, Saisuman has worked in HR and with a French international company. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and singing classical songs. At Coolest Gadgets, Saisuman reviews gadgets and analyzes their statistics, making complex information easy for readers to understand.

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