Phone Validation (Extended Validation) is where the CA checks the right of the applicant to use a specific domain name PLUS it conducts a THOROUGH vetting of the organisation. The issuance process of EV SSL Certificates is strictly defined in the EV Guidelines, as formally ratified by the CA/Browser forum in 2007, that specify all the steps required for a CA before issuing a certificate, and includes:
- Verifying the legal, physical and operational existence of the entity
- Verifying that the identity of the entity matches official records
- Verifying that the entity has exclusive right to use the domain specified in the EV SSL Certificate
- Verifying that the entity has properly authorised the issuance of the EV SSL Certificate
EV SSL Certificates are available for all types of businesses, including government entities and both incorporated and unincorporated businesses. A second set of guidelines, the EV Audit Guidelines, specify the criteria under which a CA needs to be successfully audited before issuing EV SSL Certificates. The audits are repeated yearly to ensure the integrity of the issuance process.
EV SSL Certificates are the latest, and possibly most significant, advancement in SSL technology since its initial inception follows the standardised Extended Validation guidelines. New high security browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 7+, Opera 9.5+, Firefox 3+, Google Chrome, Apple Safari 3.2+ and iPhone Safari 3.0+ identify ExtendedSSL Certificates as EV Certificates and activate the browser interface security enhancements, such as the Green Bar. For customers who wish to assert the highest levels of authenticity, ExtendedSSL is the ideal solution.