Your SSL certificate is like a secret handshake between your website and visitors. When it works, data stays encrypted and safe. When it breaks, browsers throw scary warnings and visitors leave.
SpeedTest Pro’s SSL checker tells you exactly where you stand.
What This Tool Does
The SSL Security Checker connects to SSL Labs and runs a comprehensive scan of your certificate. You’ll get:
- An overall security grade (A+ to F)
- Vulnerability scan results
- Protocol and cipher analysis
- Browser compatibility check
- Certificate expiration warnings
The test takes 2-3 minutes because it’s thorough. Grab a coffee while it runs.
Running Your First SSL Test
Step 1: Open the SSL Checker
- Go to your WordPress admin panel.
- Navigate to Speedtest Pro > SSL Testing.
- You’ll see your site URL already filled in. The plugin tests your own site by default.
Step 2: Start the Test
- Click Start SSL Test.
- Wait for the scan to complete. A progress message shows it’s working. Testing can take up to 3 minutes.
- Review your results. They appear automatically when the test finishes.
The results are cached for 72 hours, so you won’t hit rate limits running repeated tests.
Understanding Your Grade
SSL Labs grades your certificate from A+ (best) to F (worst). Here’s what each grade means:
A+ Grade
Your security is excellent. You’ve got:
- Valid certificate from a trusted authority
- Modern protocols only (TLS 1.2 and 1.3)
- Strong ciphers
- Perfect forward secrecy
- HSTS enabled
Nothing to do here. You’re golden.
A Grade
Very good security. You meet all the important requirements but might be missing some extras like HSTS or have minor configuration tweaks available.
For most websites, an A is perfectly fine.
B Grade
Okay security, but there’s room for improvement. Common causes:
- Supporting older TLS versions (1.0 or 1.1)
- Using some weaker cipher suites
- Missing security headers
Contact your hosting provider about updating your SSL configuration.
C Grade or Lower
Security concerns exist. Possible issues:
- Outdated protocols enabled
- Weak encryption allowed
- Certificate chain problems
- Vulnerability to known attacks
You should address these issues soon. Talk to your host or SSL provider.
F Grade
Something is seriously wrong. Common causes:
- Expired certificate
- Self-signed certificate
- Vulnerable to critical exploits
- Certificate doesn’t match domain
Fix this immediately. Visitors see security warnings in their browsers.
Reading the Detailed Results
Click through the tabs to see specific findings:
Root Stores Tab
Shows which browsers and systems trust your certificate:
- Mozilla (Firefox)
- Apple (Safari, iOS)
- Android
- Java
- Windows
Green checkmarks mean trusted. Red X means problems. If any major root store doesn’t trust your certificate, some visitors can’t access your site securely.
Certificate Tab
Technical details about your SSL certificate:
| Field | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Subject | Who the certificate is issued to |
| Valid From/Until | When the certificate works |
| Key | Encryption strength (2048-bit or higher is good) |
| Issuer | Who issued the certificate |
| Signature Algorithm | How the certificate is signed |
Pay attention to: The expiration date. Certificates typically last 1 year. Set a reminder to renew before it expires.
Protocols Tab
Lists which encryption protocols your server supports:
| Protocol | Status |
|---|---|
| TLS 1.3 | Excellent (newest, fastest, most secure) |
| TLS 1.2 | Good (widely supported, secure) |
| TLS 1.1 | Outdated (should be disabled) |
| TLS 1.0 | Outdated (should be disabled) |
| SSL 3.0 | Dangerous (must be disabled) |
| SSL 2.0 | Dangerous (must be disabled) |
Modern servers should only support TLS 1.2 and 1.3.
Cipher Suites Tab
Shows the encryption algorithms your server uses. You’ll see technical names like:
- TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 (excellent)
- TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256 (excellent)
- TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 (good)
Green checkmarks are good. Red X marks indicate weak ciphers that should be disabled.
Vulnerabilities Tab
This is the important one. It checks for known security holes:
| Vulnerability | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Heartbleed | Critical bug in older OpenSSL versions |
| POODLE | Attack on SSL 3.0 (why you shouldn’t use it) |
| FREAK | Export cipher vulnerability |
| Logjam | Weak Diffie-Hellman key exchange |
All should show “Not Vulnerable” in green.
How Often to Check
Monthly: Run the SSL test once a month as a routine check.
After Changes: Test whenever you:
- Renew your certificate
- Change hosting providers
- Update server software
- Modify SSL settings
Before Expiration: Test 2 weeks before your certificate expires to make sure renewal worked.
Fixing Common Issues
Certificate Expired
Problem: Your certificate is past its valid date.
Fix: Renew through your SSL provider or hosting control panel. Most hosts offer free SSL through Let’s Encrypt with auto-renewal.
Wrong Domain
Problem: Certificate was issued for a different domain.
Fix: Get a new certificate that matches your exact domain (including www or without www, depending on your setup).
Intermediate Certificate Missing
Problem: Your server isn’t sending the full certificate chain.
Fix: Contact your host. They need to install the intermediate certificates along with your main certificate.
Weak Protocols Enabled
Problem: Your server supports TLS 1.0 or 1.1.
Fix: Ask your host to disable older TLS versions. Most can do this quickly.
Vulnerability Detected
Problem: One of the vulnerability tests failed.
Fix: This usually requires server updates. Contact your hosting support immediately and share the specific vulnerability name.
Tips for Better SSL Scores
- Use a reputable Certificate Authority – Let’s Encrypt, DigiCert, Sectigo, and Comodo are solid choices.
- Enable HSTS – Tells browsers to always use HTTPS. Most caching plugins can add this header.
- Disable old protocols – Only allow TLS 1.2 and 1.3.
- Use strong ciphers – Let your host know you want modern cipher suites only.
- Set up auto-renewal – Never let your certificate expire accidentally.
What the Results Don’t Show
The SSL checker focuses on your certificate and encryption. It doesn’t test:
- Whether all your content loads over HTTPS
- Mixed content warnings
- HTTP to HTTPS redirects
- Other security headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options, etc.)
For those, you’ll need other tools or browser developer tools.