hero-faq-1

Wildcard

All Business Validation Certificate Authorities Certificate Key Matcher Changes Code Signing Configuration CPAC CSR Code CSR Decoder CSR Generation Tutorials CSR Generator DigiCert Domain Validation Extended Validation General Install SSL Certificates Installation IP Address LEI Multi Domain Payments Private Key Renewal S/MIME Types Updates Wildcard
Are Wildcard SSL Certificates Less Secure?

Not in their encryption, which is the same as any other certificate’s. The risk is the shared private key: every server that uses the certificate holds it, so a leak on one server affects every subdomain it covers. Install it on as few servers as you need and protect each copy.

Copy Link

Are Wildcard Certificates Deprecated or Going Away?

No. Wildcard certificates are still defined and issued under the CA/Browser Forum’s Baseline Requirements. What’s changing is how you manage them: shorter maximum validity, more frequent domain validation, and the end of email validation on March 15, 2028, which leaves DNS validation for wildcards.

Copy Link

Does a Wildcard Certificate Cover the Bare Domain (example.com)?

Yes, on SSL Dragon’s wildcard certificates. The asterisk in *.example.com doesn’t match example.com on its own, so the base domain is added to the certificate as a second name. One wildcard certificate then secures example.com, www.example.com, and every other first-level subdomain.

Copy Link

How Much Does a Wildcard SSL Certificate Cost?

A wildcard SSL certificate costs $56.33 to $246.66 per year for DV and $120 to $3,333.33 per year for OV, on a 3-year plan. Brand and warranty set the price within each range; shorter terms cost more per year. The cheapest wildcard costs $69 for 1 year.

Copy Link

How do Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificates work?

A Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate is specifically created to allow users to secure multiple domains and sub-domains using one single SSL Certificate.

NOTE #1: Any Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate should start with a non-Wildcard domain. This means that anytime you configure and request a Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate, you need to generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) for a single domain (such as: example.com), without any asterisk sign “*”. This is a requirement that comes from the Certificate Authorities. All the additional SANs (2nd, 3rd, 4th domains) can be Wildcard domains.

For example, a Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate that has 3 SAN (4 domains) by default, allows you to secure the following:

  1. One main domain and multiple Wildcard domains:
    1. example.com – included in the CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
    2. *.example.com
    3. *.mysite.com
    4. *.abcxyz.com
  2. One main domain and multiple Wildcard domains (with both, 1st level and 2nd level sub-domains):
    1. example.com – included in the CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
    2. *.example.com
    3. *.mob.example.com
    4. *.mysite.com
  3. Several domains and multiple Wildcard domains (with both, 1st level and 2nd level sub-domains):
    1. example.com – included in the CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
    2. *.example.com
    3. mysite.com
    4. *.mob.mysite.com

NOTE #2: If you add a SAN item like *.domain.com, you will protect its unlimited sub-domains but not the main domain. For example, if you want to secure secure two domains and all their sub-domains, you have to configure your SSL in the following format:

  1. domain.com – included in the CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
  2. *.domain.com
  3. mysite.com
  4. *.mysite.com

You can add sub-domains to your server and they will be covered by your Wildcard SSL Certificate automatically. You do not need to re-issue your Wildcard SSL Certificate each and every time when you add sub-domains to it. The newly added sub-domains will be automatically covered by your Wildcard SSL Certificate.

Copy Link

Are there any Wildcard EV SSL Certificates?

Unfortunately, there are no Wildcard EV SSL Certificates on the market. The Certificate Authorities refuse to issue EV Wildcard SSL Certificates because of the security reasons, so as they want to have complete control over the subdomains that they issue an EV SSL to. That is why, your only solution is to buy a Multi-Domain EV SSL Certificate that secures multiple domains and subdomains.

Copy Link

What subdomains can I secure with a Wildcard SSL Certificate?

A Wildcard SSL Certificate is specifically created to allow users to secure one single domain name and all its sub-domains. In other words, you can secure one single domain name and an unlimited number of sub-domains belonging to that domain name with one single Wildcard SSL Certificate.

You can add sub-domains to your server and they will be covered by your Wildcard SSL Certificate automatically. You do not need to re-issue your Wildcard SSL Certificate each and every time when you add sub-domains to it. The newly added sub-domains will be automatically covered by your Wildcard SSL Certificate.

NOTE: The subdomains that you can secure with one Wildcard SSL Certificate have to be either 1st level sub-domains (e.g.: *.example.com) or 2nd level sub-domains (*.mob.example.com). You cannot secure 1st and 2nd level sub-domains with one regular Wildcard SSL Certificate.  If you want to secure 1st level sub-domains and 2nd level sub-domains, you have to get a Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate or 2 separate Wildcard SSL Certificates.

For example, a regular Wildcard SSL Certificate allows you to secure:

  1. One main domain name (example.com) and all its 1st level subdomains (*.example.com):
    1. my.example.com
    2. test.example.com
    3. dev.example.com
    4. mail.example.com
    5. (etc)
  2. Or, one subdomain (mob.example.com) and all 2nd level sub-domains (*.mob.example.com):
    1. my.mob.example.com
    2. test.mob.example.com
    3. dev.mob.example.com
    4. mail.mob.example.com
    5. (etc)

In order to secure one domain and all its sub-domains as shown in the first example, you have to include *.example.com as a common name (domain name) when creating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request). If you want to secure 2nd level sub-domains, then you have to enter *.mob.example.com as a common name (domain name) when creating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request).

Copy Link

Do I have to reissue my Wildcard cert to add new subdomains?

You can add sub-domains to your server and they will be covered by your Wildcard SSL Certificate automatically. You do not need to re-issue your Wildcard SSL Certificate each and every time when you add sub-domains to it. The newly added sub-domains will be automatically covered by your Wildcard SSL Certificate.

Copy Link

Can a Wildcard SSL secure 1st & 2nd level subdomains?

The subdomains that you can secure with one Wildcard SSL Certificate have to be either 1st level sub-domains (e.g.: *.example.com) or 2nd level sub-domains (*.mob.example.com). You cannot secure 1st and 2nd level sub-domains with one regular Wildcard SSL Certificate.

If you want to secure 1st level sub-domains and 2nd level sub-domains, you have to get a Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate, or 2 separate Wildcard SSL Certificates.

For example, a regular Wildcard SSL Certificate allows you to secure:

  1. One main domain name (example.com) and all its 1st level sub-domains (*.example.com):
    1. my.example.com
    2. test.example.com
    3. dev.example.com
    4. mail.example.com
    5. (etc)
  2. Or, one sub-domain (mob.example.com) and all 2nd level sub-domains (*.mob.example.com):
    1. my.mob.example.com
    2. test.mob.example.com
    3. dev.mob.example.com
    4. mail.mob.example.com
    5. (etc)

In order to secure one domain and all its sub-domains as shown in the first example, you have to include *.example.com as a common name (domain name) when creating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request). If you want to secure 2nd level sub-domains, then you have to enter *.mob.example.com as a common name (domain name) when creating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request).

Copy Link