Securing your website with an SSL certificate is essential in today’s digital environment. SSL certificates encrypt data transmitted between a user’s browser and the web server, ensuring that sensitive information such as personal details, login credentials, and payment information remains secure from eavesdroppers and cybercriminals.
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) is not just a web server; it’s a flexible, secure, and manageable Platform for hosting anything on the Web. It can host web applications and static content and offers a wide range of features, including security, performance, and extensibility.
When you operate a website on a Windows VPS using IIS, installing an SSL certificate involves several critical steps. These steps include generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), submitting the CSR to a Certificate Authority (CA) to obtain the SSL certificate, and installing and configuring the SSL certificate on your IIS server.
In this comprehensive guide, we aim to walk you through installing an SSL certificate on Microsoft IIS in a Windows VPS environment, ensuring you have all the information you need at your fingertips.
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What are the Prerequisites?
1. A Windows VPS with IIS Installed
Ensure you have a Windows VPS with the Internet Information Services (IIS) installed.
2. Administrative Access to the Server
You must have administrative privileges to install and configure the SSL certificate. Ensure you have access to an account with sufficient permissions to make changes to the IIS configuration.
3. Domain Name
You must have a domain name you intend to secure with the SSL certificate.
4. An SSL Certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA)
Purchase an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Ensure you have access to the account used to purchase the certificate, as you will need to submit your Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and download the certificate once it’s issued.
Once downloaded, you should have a ZIP file containing the following certificate files:
- certificate.crt
- ca_bundle.crt
- private.key
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Steps to Install the SSL in Microsoft IIS on Windows VPS
★ Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
➔ Press ‘Windows + R’, type ‘inetmgr’, and press ‘Enter.’
➔ In the left-hand Connections pane, select the server name.
➔ Double-click the ‘Server Certificates’ feature in the middle pane.
➔ In the ‘Actions’ pane on the right, click ‘Create Certificate Request.’
➔ Fill Out the Request Details:
- Common Name: Your domain name (e.g., www.yourdomain.com).
- Organization: Your company’s legal name.
- Organizational Unit: Your department (e.g., IT).
- City/Locality: The city where your organization is located.
- State/Province: The state/province where your organization is located.
- Country/Region: The two-letter country code (e.g., US for the United States).
➔ Click ‘Next’ & choose ‘Microsoft RSA SChannel Cryptographic Provider.’
➔ Set the bit length to ‘2048.’
➔ Once done, click ‘Next’ & specify a file name and location to save the CSR file.
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★ Obtain the SSL Certificate
➔ It’s time to submit the CSR to your Certificate Authority (CA). The CA will validate your request and issue the SSL certificate files.
★ Install the SSL Certificate
➔ Return to the IIS Manager to continue the process.
➔ Open Server Certificates & Click on ‘Server Certificates’ again.
➔ In the Actions pane, you have to click on ‘Complete Certificate Request.’
➔ Browse to the location of the certificate file provided by the CA & enter a friendly name for the certificate (Note: This is for internal reference).
➔ Choose ‘Personal’ as the certificate store.
➔ Once done, click ‘OK’ to complete the certificate import.
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★ Bind the SSL Certificate to Your Website
➔ In IIS Manager, you need to expand the server node and select the site to which you want to bind the certificate.
➔ In the Actions pane, click ‘Bindings.’
➔ In that, click ‘Add’ to create a new binding.
➔ Set the type to ‘https.’
➔ Specify the IP address and port (default is 443 for HTTPS).
➔ Select the SSL certificate you just installed from the SSL certificate drop-down list.
➔ Click ‘OK’ to save the binding.
➔ Click ‘Close’ to exit the Site Bindings window.
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★ Verify the Installation
➔ To verify the Installation, in the Actions pane, click ‘Restart’ to restart IIS.
➔ Open your preferred web browser and navigate to your website using ‘https://.’
You need to ensure that the browser shows a secure connection (a padlock icon).
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Conclusion
Installing an SSL certificate on Microsoft IIS on a Windows VPS is important to ensure secure and encrypted communication between your web server and its users.
By following this detailed guide, you can successfully generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), obtain an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority, install it on your server, and bind it to your website. This not only secures data transmission but also builds trust with your users, showcasing your commitment to their privacy and security.