{"id":57109,"date":"2020-09-11T12:19:29","date_gmt":"2020-09-11T17:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cpanel.com\/?p=57109"},"modified":"2020-09-11T12:19:29","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T17:19:29","slug":"how-to-configure-and-manage-lets-encrypt-in-cpanel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devel.www.cpanel.net\/blog\/tips-and-tricks\/how-to-configure-and-manage-lets-encrypt-in-cpanel\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Configure and Manage Let’s Encrypt in cPanel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
It\u2019s super easy to install and manage SSL certificates in cPanel & WHM. Certificate requests and installations happen automatically with AutoSSL and an integration such as the cPanel Let\u2019s Encrypt™ plugin. SSL automation saves web hosting providers time and eliminates the deluge of support requests that traditionally accompany SSL certificate issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
AutoSSL includes a default certificate provider, which we chose for its reliability, usability, and generous domain and rate limits. However, we also made it easy to switch providers. In this article, we will show you how to configure AutoSSL to use Let\u2019s Encrypt<\/a>™, which provides free SSL certificates that are valid for 90 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n SSL certificates are files that contain information to verify a server\u2019s identity and encrypt data before it\u2019s sent over the internet. Their most important job is securing HTTPS connections, which enhance the web\u2019s standard HTTP protocol with identity verification and encryption. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you see a padlock in your browser\u2019s address bar, it means that the domain has an SSL certificate the browser trusts and that communication between it and the server is encrypted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n How does the browser know it can trust the certificate? After all, anyone can create one; you could make your own right now with the OpenSSL software on your server or in cPanel\u2019s SSL management interface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where certificate authorities (CA) come in. A CA verifies that a person or company has legitimate control over a domain. They then sign the certificate with a digital signature. When a browser sees a CA signature, it knows it can trust the server to which it is connected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All SSL certificates work in the same way, but there is one important difference that affects how much they cost: the amount of effort the CA puts into investigating and verifying organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you might expect, EV certificates are the most expensive because they take the most time. OV certs are less expensive, and DV certs are often free. Still have questions? Visit our past blog for more information on \u201cWhich SSL is right for me?<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s Encrypt is a certificate authority specializing in free DV SSL certificates. It was a free SSL pioneer and one of the first to develop infrastructure and software to automate the request and installation process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2020, several CAs offer DV certs for free, including cPanel-partner Sectigo<\/a>, the default SSL provider in cPanel\u2019s AutoSSL feature. However, if you would like to use Let\u2019s Encrypt instead, it\u2019s straightforward to switch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To use Let\u2019s Encrypt in AutoSSL, the first step is to install the cPanel Let\u2019s Encrypt plugin. Log in to your server as the root user with SSH and enter the following command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/scripts\/install_lets_encrypt_autossl_provider<\/p>\n\n\n\n The script installs the plugin and a handful of dependencies. If you change your mind, it can be removed by running the uninstall script as root:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/scripts\/uninstall_lets_encrypt_autossl_provider<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, we\u2019ll activate the Let\u2019s Encrypt AutoSSL provider in WHM. Open WHM and navigate to the Manage AutoSSL <\/em>page, which you\u2019ll find under SSL\/TLS<\/em> in the sidebar menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Select Let\u2019s Encrypt <\/em>under AutoSSL Providers<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you can use Let\u2019s Encrypt, you will have to agree to the provider\u2019s terms of service. There is also an option to \u201cRecreate my current registration with Let\u2019s Encrypt.\u201d This is only necessary if your license has expired or been corrupted, so there is no need to select it now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Click Save<\/em> and cPanel will switch to Let\u2019s Encrypt. The next time AutoSSL <\/em>replaces a certificate, it will use Let\u2019s Encrypt instead of the default provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you would like to immediately replace the server\u2019s existing certs with new ones from Let\u2019s Encrypt, manually remove the old ones by navigating to Manage SSL Hosts <\/em>under SSL\/TLS <\/em>in the sidebar menu. Be aware that when you remove certificates, their associated sites will not be available at a secure HTTPS URL until they are replaced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Return to Manage AutoSSL<\/em> and click Run AutoSSL For All Users. <\/em>cPanel will regenerate the removed certificates with replacements from the Let\u2019s Encrypt provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n AutoSSL is a considerable improvement on earlier SSL management systems because it is largely automatic. The complexities of dealing with the CA, deploying validation tokens, and installing certificates are handled without user intervention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there are some cPanel Let\u2019s Encrypt plugin configurations you may want to adjust. You will find them under the Options <\/em>tab in Manage AutoSSL. <\/em>Here, you can configure user and administrator notifications for AutoSSL events, including request failures and other issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the bottom of the page is the \u201cAllow AutoSSL to replace invalid or expiring non-AutoSSL certificates\u201d option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This option gives AutoSSL permission to replace certificates that it did not issue and does not manage. It\u2019s useful for transitioning users who sourced their certs from a different CA. However, it will replace any expiring OV or EV certificates with a DV, which may not be what your users want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, under the Manage Users <\/em>tab, you can configure which cPanel users benefit from AutoSSL. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here you can enable or disable AutoSSL for individual cPanel users, and reset to the default configured in the Feature List Settings<\/em>. AutoSSL is turned on for all users by default, but you can change that in the Feature Manager<\/em>, which you can find under Packages <\/em>in the WHM sidebar menu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n AutoSSL is an incredibly low-maintenance system for providing domain-validated certificates to your users, but domain validation isn\u2019t suitable for many sites. Owners of business sites, web applications, and ecommerce stores may prefer organization and extended validation certificates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sectigo<\/a> is one of the world\u2019s largest and most well-respected CAs. It offers a wide range of OV and EV SSL certificates, including multi-domain and wildcard SSL certificates, all of which are straightforward to install with cPanel\u2019s SSL\/TLS <\/em>interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we introduced AutoSSL in cPanel, SSL certificate installation and unexpected certificate expiry were among the most common causes of frustrating issues for web hosts and their clients. Today, every cPanel user benefits from hassle-free DV certificates from Sectigo or Let\u2019s Encrypt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As always, if you have any feedback or comments, please let us know. We are here to help in the best ways we can. You\u2019ll find us on Discord<\/a>, the cPanel forums<\/a>, and Reddit<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s super easy to install and manage SSL certificates in cPanel & WHM. Certificate requests and installations happen automatically with AutoSSL and an integration such as the cPanel Let\u2019s Encrypt™ plugin. SSL automation saves web hosting providers time and eliminates the deluge of support requests that traditionally accompany SSL certificate issues. AutoSSL includes a default […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":65509,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-and-tricks"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is an SSL Certificate?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
cPanel Let\u2019s Encrypt Plugin\u2019s Free SSL Certificates <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Configuring the Let\u2019s Encrypt Plugin in cPanel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Managing Certificates with the Let\u2019s Encrypt Plugin in cPanel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Premium SSL Certificate Options in cPanel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n