Domain Validation (DV) SSL certificates are a basic type of SSL certificate that are used to secure communication between a browser and a server using encryption. The main purpose of these certificates is to confirm that the person or organization applying for the certificate has control over the domain for which the certificate is being issued. The verification process for DV certificates is relatively simple and quick, as it mainly consists of confirming the right to manage a given domain, which is usually done by responding to an email sent to the standard domain administration addresses, adding a specific file on the server, or verifying DNS records.

DV certificates are popular among website owners due to their availability, low cost, and speed of issuance, which is often a few minutes to a few hours. However, it is worth noting that DV certificates only offer a basic level of trust, as they do not verify the identity of the website owner – they only confirm that the domain owner is authorized to manage the site. In a browser, DV certificates are recognizable by a padlock icon next to the URL, but they do not contain any company or organization information, which distinguishes them from Organization Validation (OV) or Extended Validation (EV) certificates.