HOW TO INSTALL AN SSL/TLS CERTIFICATE IN APACHE OPEN SSL.
An SSL certificates are small data files whose work is to digitally combine an organization’s details to a cryptographic key of which when installed on a server it activates the HTTPS protocol and the padlock and thereafter allows secure connections from a web server to a browser.
SSL is a very essential part in creating a secure apache of which is a web server that is an open-source web server creation, management software and deployment. SSL certificates allows a user to encrypt all data received and distributed from your Apache web site preventing others from viewing all the data involved and this case it uses public key cryptography to establish secure connections.
Requirements for installing an SSL/TLS certificate.
1. Your server certificate.
This is the certificate that is received from the certificate authority for the domain you own. The certificate may be sent to you via your e-mail and if not, you can make a download of it by visiting your account dashboard and making your order.
2. Your intermediate certificates.
The devices connecting to your server are allowed to identify the issuing certificate authority by the files. The certificates may be more than one. If by any chance you got your certificate under a ZIP folder, it should also contain the intermediate certificate which is at times referred to as the certificate authority bundle. If that is not the case then download the most appropriate CA Bundle for your certificate.
3. Your private key.
The file should be in your server or under your possession if you generated your CSR from any kind of free generator tool. On some platforms like the Microsoft IIS the private key is not visible to you but the server keeps track of it.
Please note that all the above files should be saved in the server directly where all the certificates are stored.
Installation procedure.
1. Locate the Apache configuration file so as to edit.
The main config file is known as the httpd.conf or apache2.config which are located via /etc/httpd or /etc/apache2/.
The SSL config file in another config file in a <VirtualHost> form. You can easily search for the SSL config file on linux distributions using the following grep comman:grep –i-r”SSLCertificateFile” /etc/httpd/
2. Configure the File and enter commands.
Configure the httpd.conf file then enter the commands below so as to successfully enable SSL on your VirtualHost.
<VirtualHost 209.123.546.123:443>
- other config details –
SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile /etc/httpd/conf/ssl.
SSLCertifiateKeyFIle /etc/httpd/config/s
SSLCertificateIntermidiateFile /etc.htt
</VirtualHost>
If you need your site to load under the HTTP and HTTPS, create another HTTP virtual host. It can simply be done by copying the config file before making any during this step.
3. Run a command Test.
Test the new config file by simply running the command :apachectl configtest .
4. Restart Apache.
Restart Apache by running by running the commands :apachectl stop apachectl start if it is successfully tested.
At this point you may be required to enter the password with your RSA key but if you want to be asked for your password then you can re-generate your RSA key file.
At this point you have successfully installed your SSL certificate. Congratulations!
