{"id":2442,"date":"2025-07-22T09:07:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T09:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cheapsslsecurity.com\/p\/?p=2442"},"modified":"2025-07-22T18:04:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T18:04:37","slug":"how-to-enable-ecdsa-signature-algorithm-for-better-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cheapsslsecurity.com\/p\/how-to-enable-ecdsa-signature-algorithm-for-better-security\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Enable ECDSA Signature Algorithm for Better Security"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) is a Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) that uses keys generated using elliptic curve cryptography (ECC).<\/h2>\n

In order not to be confused about these terms, let’s look at everything in detail and understand what their connections and differences are.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is a type of public-key cryptography based on the algebraic structure of elliptic curves over finite fields. ECC requires smaller keys than keys generated by other cryptographic methods, such as RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), while providing the equivalent protection level.
\nIn an ECDSA SSL\/TLS certificate, both the public key and private key are derived from Elliptic Curve Cryptography.<\/p>\n

\"ECDSA\"<\/p>\n

ECDSA Offers Several Advantages Over RSA:<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Stronger Security with Smaller Keys: ECDSA achieves equivalent security with much shorter key lengths. For example, a 256-bit key in ECDSA provides a level of security comparable to a 3072-bit RSA key. This efficiency not only enhances security but also reduces the computational load on servers.<\/li>\n
  2. Faster Performance: Smaller keys mean quicker handshakes and lower latency in secure connections.<\/li>\n
  3. Future-Proofing: As computational power increases, traditional algorithms like RSA may become vulnerable. For example, for quantum computing advances, algorithms like ECDSA are considered more resistant to potential future threats than traditional methods (although they will still need to be replaced with quantum-safe algorithms).<\/li>\n
  4. Widely Supported: All modern web browsers and servers support ECDSA, making it a practical option for securing websites.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    RSA vs ECC Security Levels<\/h2>\n

    This table shows the ECC key size needed to achieve the same level of security as RSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    RSA (Key Size in bits)<\/td>\nECC (Key Size in bits)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    512<\/td>\n112<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    1024<\/td>\n160<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    2048<\/td>\n224<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    3072<\/td>\n256<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    7680<\/td>\n384<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    15360<\/td>\n512<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    How to Enable ECDSA for Your SSL\/TLS Certificates<\/h2>\n

    For the average user, there are two key points to focus on: the correct product should be selected and an ECC key pair should be generated.<\/p>\n

    1. Choose the product<\/h3>\n

    The first step is to select a product you would like to obtain. Almost all the SSL certificates offered by CheapSSLSecurity support ECDSA. In case you need any assistance, our Sales Team is always glad to help you find the best option depending on your needs. To contact the Sales Team<\/a><\/p>\n

    2. Generate a Key Pair<\/h3>\n

    You will need to generate an ECC key pair (CSR and Private Key). This can be done using tools like OpenSSL. Here\u2019s a command to generate a 256-bit ECDSA key:
    \nTo generate a Private Key:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    openssl ecparam -out private.key -name prime256v1 -genkey<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    IMPORTANT! You may use any Private Key name with .key extension instead of \u201cprivate.key\u201d. Please save it securely, as you will need this file later for the certificate installation.
    \nPlease also note that the recommended and CheapSSLSecurity-acceptable ECC key size is 256-bit (so, prime256v1 is used).<\/p>\n

    To generate ECC CSR:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    openssl req -new -key private.key -out certificatesigningrequest.csr<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    You may use any name for the CSR instead of \u201ccertificatesigningrequest.csr<\/strong>\u201d (it should be .csr file).<\/p>\n

    On the next step, you will be prompted to enter the following information:<\/p>\n