How to apply for and generate an HTTPS certificate? A must-read guide for beginners

Website security has become a key criterion for determining a website's trustworthiness, and the widespread adoption of the HTTPS protocol provides users with even greater security when accessing websites. Many novice webmasters face a common challenge when building a website: how to apply for and generate an HTTPS certificate. While it may sound technical, understanding the principles and steps makes the entire process easy, even without extensive operational experience.

To understand the importance of HTTPS certificates, you must first understand the difference between HTTPS and HTTP. HTTP uses plain text transmission, making data potentially intercepted, tampered with, or eavesdropped on by third parties. HTTPS, on the other hand, adds the SSL/TLS encryption layer to HTTP, making data transmission impenetrable. In other words, an HTTPS certificate is essentially a "digital ID," issued by an authoritative organization, proving the website's authenticity and providing the key foundation for data encryption.

Applying for an HTTPS certificate is more complex than simply registering an account. It involves multiple steps, including domain name verification, selecting a certificate type, and configuring the server. First, you need to decide which type of SSL certificate you want to use. Generally speaking, SSL certificates can be divided into three categories based on their level of verification: DV (Domain Validation), OV (Organization Validation), and EV (Extended Validation). DV certificates are the easiest to apply for and are suitable for personal websites or blogs, as they only verify domain ownership. OV certificates are suitable for small and medium-sized business websites and verify the company's identity in addition to the domain name. EV certificates are the highest level of verification, with a strict application process that includes review of company qualifications, registration information, and legal representative identity. They are suitable for websites in the financial, e-commerce, and government sectors with extremely high security requirements. For most individual webmasters just starting out, DV certificates can fully meet basic needs.

After deciding on the certificate type, you'll need to choose an issuing authority. Common certificate authorities (CAs) worldwide include Let's Encrypt, DigiCert, GlobalSign, Sectigo, GeoTrust, and RapidSSL. For beginners, Let's Encrypt is highly recommended because it's completely free and offers automated generation and renewal, making it ideal for personal websites and small businesses. Let's Encrypt certificates are valid for 90 days, but can be automatically renewed through a tool, eliminating manual work. If you're looking for a higher level of trust or brand visibility, you can also consider purchasing a paid certificate. Cloud service providers often offer official application channels and user-friendly installation and management interfaces.

The first step in applying for a certificate is usually to generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request). This file contains the website domain name, public key, and organization information, and is used to submit the application to the CA. The method for generating a CSR depends on the server environment. For example, in Linux, it can be generated using the OpenSSL command. The general command format is:

openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout yourdomain.key -out yourdomain.csr

After executing, the system will prompt you to enter information such as country, province, city, organization name, and domain name. The most critical field is the Common Name, which must match the domain name for which you are applying for the certificate. For example, if you are applying for a certificate for www.example.com, you cannot enter example.com, otherwise verification will fail. After the generation is complete, you will receive two files: a private key file (.key) and a CSR file (.csr). The private key file must be kept secure and not disclosed, as it is the core of the website's decrypted communications.

After receiving the CSR file, the next step is to submit it to the certificate authority. With automated platforms like these, you don't even need to upload it manually; simply run a simple command using tools like Certbot to automatically complete domain name verification and certificate issuance. For example, on a Linux server, execute:

sudo apt install certbot
sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

The system will automatically connect to the server and verify that you own the domain name through HTTP or DNS authentication. Once verification is successful, the system will generate the certificate and private key files in the specified directory, typically located at /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/.

When deploying the certificate on the server, you need to bind the private key and certificate files to the HTTPS port. For example, in Nginx, you can add the following to the configuration file:

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;
    location / {
        root /var/www/html;
        index index.html;
    }
}

After the configuration is complete, restart the Nginx service, and the website will be securely accessible via HTTPS. It's important to note that if your website supports both HTTP and HTTPS, it's recommended to add a 301 redirect to automatically redirect all HTTP requests to the HTTPS version. This not only improves security but also boosts SEO rankings, as search engines prefer to index HTTPS sites.

After deploying the certificate, you need to verify that the HTTPS configuration is correct. You can visit the website directly in a browser to see if the lock icon appears in the address bar, or you can use a tool like SSL Labs' SSL Test, which comprehensively analyzes the certificate chain, encryption algorithms, protocol versions, and other aspects, and provides a security score. If you see errors like "Missing intermediate certificate" or "Unsafe protocol," you can adjust your configuration based on the report, such as completing the intermediate certificate chain or disabling older TLS protocols.

From understanding certificate types to selecting the right CA, generating a CSR to installing and configuring HTTPS, and then automatically renewing and maintaining it, the entire process may seem tedious, but once successfully completed, subsequent maintenance can be largely automated. Modern website security is more than just encryption; it represents respect for user privacy, a commitment to data security, and a commitment to brand image. Regardless of the size of your website, if you want to provide users with a trustworthy access experience, then starting today, apply for an HTTPS certificate for it to ensure encrypted communications, trusted identities, and constant security. This is the starting point for a truly qualified website.