Manually install an SSL certificate on my Apache server (CentOS)

1. Find the directory on your server where certificate and key files are stored, then upload your intermediate certificate (gd_bundle.crt or similar) and primary certificate (.crt file with randomized name) into that folder.
• For security, you should make these files readable by root only.
2. Find your Apache configuration file.
• On default configurations, you can find a file named httpd.conf in the /etc/httpd folder.
• If you have configured your server differently, you may be able to find the file with the following command:

grep -i -r "SSLCertificateFile" /etc/httpd/

• /etc/httpd/ may be replaced with the base directory of your Apache installation.
1. Open this file with your favorite text editor.
2. Inside your httpd.conf file, find the <VirtualHost> block.
3. To have your site available on both secure (https) and non-secure (http) connections, make a copy of this block and paste it directly below the existing <VirtualHost> block.
4. You can now customize this copy of the <VirtualHost> block for secure connections. Here is an example configuration:

<VirtualHost xxx.xxx.x.x:443>
	DocumentRoot /var/www/coolexample
	ServerName coolexample.com www.coolexample.com
		SSLEngine on
		SSLCertificateFile /path/to/coolexample.crt
		SSLCertificateKeyFile /path/to/privatekey.key
		SSLCertificateChainFile /path/to/intermediate.crt
</VirtualHost>

• Don't forget the added 443 port at the end of your server IP.
• DocumentRoot and ServerName should match your original <VirtualHost> block.
• The remaining/path/to/... file locations can be replaced with your custom directory and file names.
1. First, run the following command to check your Apache configuration file for errors:

apachectl configtest

1. Confirm that the test returns a Syntax OK response. If it does not, review your configuration files.

Warning: The Apache service will not start again if your config files have syntax errors.

1. After confirming a Syntax OK response, run the following command to restart Apache:

apachectl restart

Note: As a courtesy, we provide information about how to use certain third-party products, but we do not endorse or directly support third-party products and we are not responsible for the functions or reliability of such products. Third-party marks and logos are registered trademarks of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Article ID: 1389
Created On: Wed, Dec 2, 2020 at 6:10 PM
Last Updated On: Wed, Dec 2, 2020 at 9:34 PM

Online URL: https://www.heartinternet.uk/support/article/manually-install-an-ssl-certificate-on-my-apache-server-centos.html