What is a self signed SSL?

A self‑signed SSL certificate is an identity certificate that is signed by its own creator rather than a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). While it can technically encrypt data, a self‑signed SSL is generally considered less trustworthy because it lacks third‑party validation.

One major security concern is that self‑signed certificates cannot be revoked. This limitation increases risk in the event of a private key compromise, because an attacker who obtains the key may be able to spoof an identity without any mechanism to revoke the certificate. In contrast, CA‑signed certificates—such as the ones provided by HostGator—include the ability to revoke compromised SSL certificates, preventing further unauthorized use.

Because of these SSL security risks, we strongly recommend purchasing a secure CA‑signed SSL certificate instead of relying on a self‑signed option. If you are using a VPS or dedicated server, you are free to install your own self‑signed SSL certificate; however, even in these cases, a trusted CA‑signed SSL certificate remains the more secure and reliable choice.