Securing communication between your application and its users requires obtaining an HTTPS certificate, also known as an SSL/TLS certificate, which is a simple process.
Steps to Get an HTTPS Certificate
1. Choose a Certificate Authority (CA):
- Free CAs: Consider providers like Let's Encrypt, which offer free, automated SSL certificates.
- Paid CAs: Providers like DigiCert, GoDaddy, or Comodo offer additional features such as extended validation (EV) or wildcard certificates.
2. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR):
- A CSR contains information about your domain and organization and is required by the CA to issue a certificate.
- You can generate a CSR using tools like OpenSSL, Certbot, or web hosting control panels (e.g., cPanel).
Example (using SSL)
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout yourdomain.key -out yourdomain.csr
This creates two files:
- yourdomain.key (private key, keep this secure!)
- yourdomain.csr (CSR to send to the CA)
3. Submit the CSR to the CA:
- For Let's Encrypt: Use an automated client like Certbot to submit the CSR and obtain the certificate.
- For paid CAs: Log in to their portal, upload the CSR, and complete the required domain validation process.
4. Validate Domain Ownership:
Most CAs require proof that you control the domain. Methods include:
- Adding a specific DNS record.
- Uploading a file to your web server.
- Approving a confirmation email sent to the domain's admin email.
5. Download and Install the Certificate:
- Once validated, the CA will issue the SSL certificate.
- Download the certificate files and install them on your web server.
6. Configure Your Web Server for HTTPS:
Using Apache:
<VirtualHost *:443>
ServerName yourdomain.com
SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile /path/to/certificate.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /path/to/private.key
SSLCertificateChainFile /path/to/ca_bundle.crt
</VirtualHost>
Using Nginx:
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name yourdomain.com;
ssl_certificate /path/to/certificate.crt;
ssl_certificate_key /path/to/private.key;
}
7. Test Your Configuration:
Restart your web server and test the HTTPS connection:
systemctl restart apache2 # For Apache
systemctl restart nginx # For Nginx
Use tools like SSL Labs to verify the certificate installation and configuration.
Free vs. Paid Certificates
| Feature |
Free Certificates (e.g., Let's Encrypt) |
Paid Certificates (e.g., DigiCert) |
| Cost |
Free |
Paid |
| Validation Levels |
| Domain Validation (DV) only | |
DV, Organization Validation (OV), Extended Validation (EV) |
| Validity Period |
90 days (auto-renewable) |
1 - 3 Years |
| Support |
Community-Based |
Dedicates Customer Support |
| Wildcard Support |
Limited |
Available |
Tools for Automating HTTPS Certificate Management
1. Certbot (Recommended for Let's Encrypt):
Automates the CSR, validation, and installation process.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com
Automatically renews certificates with:
sudo certbot renew --dry-run
2. Acme.sh:
A lightweight client for Let's Encrypt and other ACME CAs.
acme.sh --issue --webroot -w /var/www/html -d yourdomain.com
3. Web Hosting Panels:
Platforms like cPanel or Plesk have built-in options to request and install certificates.
