Real-time security indicators enabled through various micro-interactions alert visitors that the seal is actively present on the page, the site has been validated, and the site is protected by an active certificate from a trusted certificate authority.

When site visitors roll over the Digicert Smart Seal, they see the company’s logo, which has been verified by Digicert. They also view usable information about the site’s security delivered right to the seal, so users do not have to leave the page to verify a site’s legitimate identity.

“HTTPS has changed in recent years, and consumers can no longer rely on just looking for the lock — they need to look beyond the lock for assurance and trust that they are visiting the legitimate website,” said Digicert Senior Director of Business Development Dean Coclin. “The Digicert Smart Seal takes site seals into a modern era in a way that helps organisations demonstrate that they take security seriously, and that gives their end-customers peace of mind.”

The Digicert Smart Seal is the first seal to visually display the site owner’s brand via a verified brand logo. It also is the first to bring information previously trapped inside the digital certificate and provide it in terms that users can understand. The Digicert Smart Seal enables consumers to take an active role in safeguarding their online activity.

Trust is fundamental for online transactions, and consumers need assurance that sites are secure and authentic. Traditional trust seals are subject to spoofing, lapses or general misuse that can undermine trust. With browser UI trust indicators shifting, the Digicert Smart Seal is an innovative way for enterprises to instill real-time confidence in users that their site identity is verified, their certificate is up-to-date and the site is reliable. A 2020 study by Digicert found that 71% of consumers look for security seals before proceeding with transactions. Another study from Crazyegg found that sites that display site seals or trust marks perform 48% better than sites that don’t, thus increasing conversion rates and ROI.

Continued Coclin, “With the web now enforcing HTTPS by default and cyber criminals using TLS certificates, users need additional ways to protect themselves online. The Digicert Smart Seal may not prevent all web spoofing and fraud, but it’s an important step forward in providing a powerful trust indicator that brands can control for their customers.”