Install Commercial SSL Certificates - Nginx & Apache Complete Guide

Commercial SSL certificates from trusted Certificate Authorities like Sectigo, RapidSSL, DigiCert, and GlobalSign provide enterprise-grade security with extended validation options, warranty protection, and comprehensive browser compatibility. Unlike free certificates, commercial SSL certificates offer organization validation (OV) and extended validation (EV) options with enhanced trust indicators.

This comprehensive guide covers the complete process of purchasing, generating, and installing commercial SSL certificates on both Nginx and Apache web servers.

Understanding Commercial SSL Certificates

Commercial SSL certificates are digital certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs) that provide enhanced security features, validation levels, and business benefits beyond basic domain validation.

Types of Commercial SSL Certificates

Certificate Type	Validation Level	Use Cases	Trust Indicators
Domain Validated (DV)	Basic domain ownership	Personal sites, blogs	Padlock icon
Organization Validated (OV)	Business verification	Corporate websites	Company name in certificate
Extended Validation (EV)	Rigorous business verification	E-commerce, banking	Green address bar, company name
Wildcard SSL	Domain + all subdomains	Multiple subdomains	*.example.com coverage
Multi-Domain SSL	Multiple domains	Multiple websites	SAN (Subject Alternative Names)

Popular Commercial SSL Providers

1. Sectigo (Formerly Comodo)

PositiveSSL: Budget-friendly DV certificates
InstantSSL: OV certificates with business validation
EV SSL: Extended validation certificates
Wildcard SSL: Subdomain coverage options

2. RapidSSL

RapidSSL Certificate: Quick issuance DV certificates
RapidSSL Wildcard: Subdomain protection
Budget-friendly: Cost-effective solutions

3. DigiCert

Standard SSL: Premium DV certificates
OV SSL: Organization validated certificates
EV SSL: Extended validation certificates
Premium support: 24/7 technical support

4. GlobalSign

DomainSSL: Domain validated certificates
OrganizationSSL: Business validated certificates
ExtendedSSL: Extended validation certificates

Benefits of Commercial SSL Certificates

Benefit	Description
Higher Trust Level	Recognized by all major browsers
Warranty Protection	Financial protection against certificate misuse
Customer Support	Dedicated technical support
Business Validation	Enhanced credibility for businesses
Longer Validity	Up to 2 years validity period
Mobile Compatibility	Optimized for mobile devices

Prerequisites

Before installing commercial SSL certificates, ensure you have:

System Requirements

Web Server: Nginx 1.14+ or Apache 2.4+
Operating System: Ubuntu 18.04+, CentOS 7+, or similar
Root Access: Administrative privileges required
Domain Setup: Properly configured domain pointing to your server
Firewall Configuration: Ports 80 and 443 open

Required Files

Certificate Signing Request (CSR): Generated on your server
Private Key: Generated with CSR (keep secure)
SSL Certificate: Issued by the CA
Intermediate Certificate: CA bundle (if separate)
Root Certificate: CA root certificate (if needed)

Domain Validation Requirements

WHOIS Information: Accurate domain registration details
Administrative Email: Access to [email protected] or similar
DNS Control: Ability to add DNS records for validation
HTTP Validation: Web server accessible on port 80

Step 1: Generate Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

The first step is generating a CSR and private key on your server.

Generate CSR Using OpenSSL

Create SSL Directory

bash

# Create directory for SSL files
sudo mkdir -p /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com
sudo mkdir -p /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com

# Set proper permissions
sudo chmod 700 /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com
sudo chmod 755 /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com

Generate Private Key and CSR

bash

# Navigate to SSL directory
cd /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com

# Generate 2048-bit private key
sudo openssl genrsa -out yourdomain.com.key 2048

# Generate CSR
sudo openssl req -new -key yourdomain.com.key -out yourdomain.com.csr

When prompted, provide the following information:

text

Country Name (2 letter code) [XX]: US
State or Province Name (full name) []: California
Locality Name (eg, city) [Default City]: San Francisco
Organization Name (eg, company) [Default Company Ltd]: Your Company Name
Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []: IT Department
Common Name (e.g. server FQDN or YOUR name) []: yourdomain.com
Email Address []: [email protected]

Please enter the following 'extra' attributes
to be sent with your certificate request
A challenge password []: (leave blank)
An optional company name []: (leave blank)

Secure the Private Key

bash

# Set restrictive permissions on private key
sudo chmod 600 /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.key
sudo chown root:root /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.key

Verify CSR Content

bash

# Display CSR content
sudo openssl req -in /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.csr -text -noout

# Copy CSR content for submission to CA
sudo cat /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.csr

Generate CSR for Wildcard Certificates

For wildcard certificates covering subdomains:

bash

# Generate wildcard CSR
sudo openssl req -new -key yourdomain.com.key -out wildcard.yourdomain.com.csr

# Use *.yourdomain.com as Common Name
Common Name (e.g. server FQDN or YOUR name) []: *.yourdomain.com

Generate CSR for Multi-Domain (SAN) Certificates

For certificates covering multiple domains:

bash

# Create configuration file for SAN certificate
sudo nano /etc/ssl/san.conf

ini

[req]
distinguished_name = req_distinguished_name
req_extensions = v3_req
prompt = no

[req_distinguished_name]
C = US
ST = California
L = San Francisco
O = Your Company Name
OU = IT Department
CN = yourdomain.com

[v3_req]
keyUsage = keyEncipherment, dataEncipherment
extendedKeyUsage = serverAuth
subjectAltName = @alt_names

[alt_names]
DNS.1 = yourdomain.com
DNS.2 = www.yourdomain.com
DNS.3 = api.yourdomain.com
DNS.4 = blog.yourdomain.com

bash

# Generate SAN CSR
sudo openssl req -new -key yourdomain.com.key -out san.yourdomain.com.csr -config /etc/ssl/san.conf

Step 2: Purchase and Validate SSL Certificate

Submit CSR to Certificate Authority

Choose SSL Provider: Select from Sectigo, RapidSSL, DigiCert, etc.
Select Certificate Type: DV, OV, EV, Wildcard, or Multi-Domain
Submit CSR: Paste the CSR content during purchase
Complete Payment: Process payment for the certificate
Domain Validation: Complete the validation process

Domain Validation Methods

Email Validation

Receive validation email at [email protected]
Click validation link in the email
Confirm domain ownership

DNS Validation

bash

# Add DNS CNAME record as specified by CA
# Example:
# _dnsauth.yourdomain.com CNAME 201909191234567890abcdef.comodoca.com

HTTP File Validation

bash

# Create validation file as specified by CA
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/yourdomain.com/.well-known/pki-validation
sudo nano /var/www/yourdomain.com/.well-known/pki-validation/validation-file.txt

# Add required content and ensure it's accessible via HTTP
curl http://yourdomain.com/.well-known/pki-validation/validation-file.txt

Download Certificate Files

After validation, download:

yourdomain.com.crt: Your domain certificate
yourdomain.com.ca-bundle: Intermediate certificates
yourdomain.com.p7b: PKCS#7 format (optional)

Step 3: Install SSL Certificate on Nginx

Prepare Certificate Files

bash

# Upload certificate files to server
sudo cp yourdomain.com.crt /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/
sudo cp yourdomain.com.ca-bundle /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/

# Create combined certificate file (certificate + intermediate)
sudo cat yourdomain.com.crt yourdomain.com.ca-bundle > /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com-combined.crt

# Set proper permissions
sudo chmod 644 /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/*

Configure Nginx Virtual Host

Basic SSL Configuration

bash

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com

nginx

# HTTP to HTTPS redirect
server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

# HTTPS server block
server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    listen [::]:443 ssl http2;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
    root /var/www/yourdomain.com/public_html;
    index index.html index.htm index.php;

    # SSL Configuration
    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com-combined.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.key;

    # Modern SSL configuration
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
    ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
    ssl_session_timeout 10m;
    ssl_session_tickets off;

    # OCSP Stapling
    ssl_stapling on;
    ssl_stapling_verify on;
    ssl_trusted_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.ca-bundle;
    resolver 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4 valid=300s;
    resolver_timeout 5s;

    # Security headers
    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload" always;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff always;
    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY always;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
    add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;

    # Logging
    access_log /var/log/nginx/yourdomain.com-ssl-access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/yourdomain.com-ssl-error.log;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }

    # PHP processing (if needed)
    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.0-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }

    # Deny access to hidden files
    location ~ /\. {
        deny all;
    }

    # Cache static files
    location ~* \.(jpg|jpeg|png|gif|ico|css|js|woff|woff2|ttf|svg)$ {
        expires 1y;
        add_header Cache-Control "public, immutable";
        add_header Vary Accept-Encoding;
    }
}

Wildcard SSL Configuration

nginx

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    listen [::]:443 ssl http2;
    server_name *.yourdomain.com yourdomain.com;
    
    # Wildcard SSL certificate
    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/wildcard.yourdomain.com-combined.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/wildcard.yourdomain.com.key;
    
    # SSL configuration (same as above)
    # ... SSL settings ...
    
    # Subdomain routing
    location / {
        if ($host = api.yourdomain.com) {
            root /var/www/api;
        }
        if ($host = blog.yourdomain.com) {
            root /var/www/blog;
        }
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Enable and Test Nginx Configuration

bash

# Enable the site
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

# Test configuration
sudo nginx -t

# Reload Nginx
sudo systemctl reload nginx

# Check SSL certificate
openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com

Step 4: Install SSL Certificate on Apache

Prepare Certificate Files

bash

# Upload certificate files to Apache SSL directory
sudo cp yourdomain.com.crt /etc/ssl/certs/
sudo cp yourdomain.com.ca-bundle /etc/ssl/certs/
sudo cp yourdomain.com.key /etc/ssl/private/

# Set proper permissions
sudo chmod 644 /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com.*
sudo chmod 600 /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com.key

Enable SSL Module

bash

# Enable SSL module
sudo a2enmod ssl
sudo a2enmod headers
sudo a2enmod rewrite

# Restart Apache
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Configure Apache Virtual Host

Create SSL Virtual Host

bash

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/yourdomain.com-ssl.conf

apache

<IfModule mod_ssl.c>
<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/yourdomain.com/public_html

    # SSL Configuration
    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com.crt
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com.key
    SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com.ca-bundle

    # Modern SSL Configuration
    SSLProtocol all -SSLv3 -TLSv1 -TLSv1.1
    SSLCipherSuite ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
    SSLHonorCipherOrder off
    SSLCompression off
    SSLSessionTickets off

    # OCSP Stapling
    SSLUseStapling On
    SSLStaplingCache "shmcb:logs/ssl_stapling(32768)"

    # Security Headers
    Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload"
    Header always set X-Content-Type-Options nosniff
    Header always set X-Frame-Options DENY
    Header always set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block"
    Header always set Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin"

    # Logging
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/yourdomain.com-ssl-error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/yourdomain.com-ssl-access.log combined

    <Directory /var/www/yourdomain.com/public_html>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>
</IfModule>

Configure HTTP to HTTPS Redirect

bash

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/yourdomain.com.conf

apache

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
    
    # Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</VirtualHost>

Enable Sites and Test

bash

# Enable SSL site
sudo a2ensite yourdomain.com-ssl.conf

# Enable redirect site
sudo a2ensite yourdomain.com.conf

# Test configuration
sudo apache2ctl configtest

# Reload Apache
sudo systemctl reload apache2

# Test SSL certificate
openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com

Step 5: Configure Firewall

Ubuntu/Debian (UFW)

bash

# Allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic
sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'
# or for Nginx
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'

# Allow specific ports
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

# Check status
sudo ufw status

CentOS/RHEL/AlmaLinux (Firewalld)

bash

# Allow HTTP and HTTPS services
sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=https

# Reload firewall
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

# Check status
sudo firewall-cmd --list-all

Advanced SSL Configurations

Perfect Forward Secrecy

Generate DH Parameters

bash

# Generate strong DH parameters (this may take a while)
sudo openssl dhparam -out /etc/ssl/certs/dhparam.pem 2048

Nginx DH Configuration

nginx

# Add to server block
ssl_dhparam /etc/ssl/certs/dhparam.pem;
ssl_ecdh_curve secp384r1;

Apache DH Configuration

apache

# Add to virtual host
SSLOpenSSLConfCmd DHParameters /etc/ssl/certs/dhparam.pem

Certificate Transparency

Nginx CT Configuration

nginx

# Enable Certificate Transparency
ssl_ct on;
ssl_ct_static_scts /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/scts;

Apache CT Configuration

apache

# Load CT module
LoadModule ssl_ct_module modules/mod_ssl_ct.so

# Enable CT in virtual host
SSLSRPVerifierFile /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com/scts

HTTP Public Key Pinning (HPKP)

bash

# Generate backup key
openssl genrsa -out /etc/ssl/private/backup.key 2048
openssl rsa -in /etc/ssl/private/backup.key -pubout -outform der | openssl dgst -sha256 -binary | base64

# Get current certificate hash
openssl x509 -in /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com.crt -pubkey -noout | openssl rsa -pubin -outform der | openssl dgst -sha256 -binary | base64

Add HPKP header (use with extreme caution):

nginx

# Nginx
add_header Public-Key-Pins 'pin-sha256="current-cert-hash"; pin-sha256="backup-key-hash"; max-age=2592000; includeSubDomains';

apache

# Apache
Header always set Public-Key-Pins 'pin-sha256="current-cert-hash"; pin-sha256="backup-key-hash"; max-age=2592000; includeSubDomains'

SSL Certificate Management

Monitor Certificate Expiration

bash

#!/bin/bash
# SSL Certificate Expiration Monitor

DOMAIN="yourdomain.com"
THRESHOLD=30  # Days before expiration to alert

# Get certificate expiration date
EXPIRY_DATE=$(echo | openssl s_client -servername $DOMAIN -connect $DOMAIN:443 2>/dev/null | openssl x509 -noout -dates | grep notAfter | cut -d= -f2)

# Calculate days until expiration
EXPIRY_EPOCH=$(date -d "$EXPIRY_DATE" +%s)
CURRENT_EPOCH=$(date +%s)
DAYS_UNTIL_EXPIRY=$(( ($EXPIRY_EPOCH - $CURRENT_EPOCH) / 86400 ))

if [ $DAYS_UNTIL_EXPIRY -lt $THRESHOLD ]; then
    echo "WARNING: SSL certificate for $DOMAIN expires in $DAYS_UNTIL_EXPIRY days"
    # Send alert email
    # echo "SSL certificate expiring soon" | mail -s "SSL Alert" [email protected]
fi

Certificate Backup

bash

#!/bin/bash
# SSL Certificate Backup Script

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/ssl/$(date +%Y%m%d)"
mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Backup certificate files
cp -r /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com $BACKUP_DIR/
cp -r /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com $BACKUP_DIR/

# Create archive
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/ssl-certificates-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz -C $BACKUP_DIR .

echo "SSL certificates backed up to $BACKUP_DIR"

Certificate Renewal Process

bash

# 1. Generate new CSR (reuse existing private key)
sudo openssl req -new -key /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.key -out /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com-renewal.csr

# 2. Submit CSR to CA for renewal
# 3. Download new certificate
# 4. Replace old certificate files
# 5. Test and reload web server

Testing SSL Installation

Online SSL Testing Tools

SSL Labs Test: https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/
DigiCert SSL Checker: https://www.digicert.com/help/
Qualys SSL Test: https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html

Command Line Testing

bash

# Test SSL handshake
openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com

# Check certificate details
echo | openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com 2>/dev/null | openssl x509 -noout -text

# Test certificate chain
openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com -showcerts

# Verify certificate matches private key
openssl x509 -noout -modulus -in /etc/ssl/certs/yourdomain.com.crt | openssl md5
openssl rsa -noout -modulus -in /etc/ssl/private/yourdomain.com/yourdomain.com.key | openssl md5

Browser Testing

Visual Indicators: Check for padlock icon and certificate details
Certificate Information: Click padlock to view certificate details
Mixed Content: Ensure no mixed content warnings
Cross-Browser Testing: Test on multiple browsers and devices

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Certificate Chain Incomplete

Symptoms: Browser warnings about untrusted certificate

Solutions:

bash

# Verify certificate chain
openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com

# Rebuild certificate chain
cat yourdomain.com.crt intermediate.crt root.crt > combined.crt

# Use SSL Labs to verify chain

Issue 2: Mixed Content Warnings

Symptoms: Some content loading over HTTP on HTTPS pages

Solutions:

bash

# Find mixed content
grep -r "http://" /var/www/yourdomain.com/

# Update internal links
sed -i 's/http:\/\/yourdomain\.com/https:\/\/yourdomain\.com/g' /var/www/yourdomain.com/public_html/*.html

# Use Content Security Policy
add_header Content-Security-Policy "upgrade-insecure-requests;";

Issue 3: Private Key Mismatch

Symptoms: SSL certificate not working after installation

Solutions:

bash

# Verify certificate and key match
openssl x509 -noout -modulus -in certificate.crt | openssl md5
openssl rsa -noout -modulus -in private.key | openssl md5

# Both should produce the same hash

Issue 4: Weak SSL Configuration

Symptoms: Low SSL rating or security warnings

Solutions:

bash

# Update SSL protocols
ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;

# Use strong ciphers
ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512;

# Disable compression
ssl_compression off;

Best Practices

Security Best Practices

Use Strong Private Keys: Minimum 2048-bit RSA keys
Disable Weak Protocols: Only TLS 1.2 and 1.3
Implement HSTS: Force HTTPS connections
Regular Updates: Keep web servers updated
Monitor Certificates: Set up expiration alerts

Performance Best Practices

Enable HTTP/2: Improve performance over HTTPS
OCSP Stapling: Reduce SSL handshake time
Session Resumption: Cache SSL sessions
Compression: Enable gzip/brotli for content
CDN Integration: Use CDN with SSL support

Management Best Practices

Certificate Inventory: Maintain list of all certificates
Renewal Calendar: Track expiration dates
Backup Strategy: Regular backups of certificates and keys
Testing Schedule: Regular SSL configuration testing
Documentation: Detailed installation procedures

Conclusion

Commercial SSL certificates provide enhanced security, trust, and business validation compared to free alternatives. With proper installation and configuration on Nginx or Apache, they deliver enterprise-grade protection for websites and applications.

Key Benefits Achieved

Enhanced Trust: Organization and extended validation options
Business Credibility: Professional appearance and user confidence
Warranty Protection: Financial coverage against certificate misuse
Premium Support: Dedicated technical assistance
Mobile Optimization: Excellent compatibility across devices

Certificate Provider Comparison

Provider	Strengths	Best For
Sectigo	Cost-effective, quick issuance	Small to medium businesses
RapidSSL	Budget-friendly, fast validation	Personal and small business sites
DigiCert	Premium features, excellent support	Enterprise and high-traffic sites
GlobalSign	Strong reputation, IoT certificates	Corporate and specialized applications

Performance Impact

Commercial SSL certificates typically provide:

Faster Validation: Quicker issuance than EV alternatives
Better Performance: Optimized for modern browsers
Mobile Compatibility: Enhanced mobile device support
Global Recognition: Trusted worldwide

Regular monitoring, proper configuration, and timely renewal ensure your commercial SSL certificates continue to provide optimal security and performance for your web applications and business operations.

Whether you choose Sectigo PositiveSSL for cost-effectiveness, RapidSSL for quick deployment, or DigiCert for premium features, following this guide ensures professional SSL implementation on both Nginx and Apache web servers.

Understanding Commercial SSL Certificates

Types of Commercial SSL Certificates

Popular Commercial SSL Providers

1. Sectigo (Formerly Comodo)

2. RapidSSL

3. DigiCert

4. GlobalSign

Benefits of Commercial SSL Certificates

Prerequisites

System Requirements

Required Files

Domain Validation Requirements

Step 1: Generate Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

Generate CSR Using OpenSSL

Create SSL Directory

Generate Private Key and CSR

Secure the Private Key

Verify CSR Content

Generate CSR for Wildcard Certificates

Generate CSR for Multi-Domain (SAN) Certificates

Step 2: Purchase and Validate SSL Certificate

Submit CSR to Certificate Authority

Domain Validation Methods

Email Validation

DNS Validation

HTTP File Validation

Download Certificate Files

Step 3: Install SSL Certificate on Nginx

Prepare Certificate Files

Configure Nginx Virtual Host

Basic SSL Configuration

Wildcard SSL Configuration

Enable and Test Nginx Configuration

Step 4: Install SSL Certificate on Apache

Prepare Certificate Files

Enable SSL Module

Configure Apache Virtual Host

Create SSL Virtual Host

Configure HTTP to HTTPS Redirect

Enable Sites and Test

Step 5: Configure Firewall

Ubuntu/Debian (UFW)

CentOS/RHEL/AlmaLinux (Firewalld)

Advanced SSL Configurations

Perfect Forward Secrecy

Generate DH Parameters

Nginx DH Configuration

Apache DH Configuration

Certificate Transparency

Nginx CT Configuration

Apache CT Configuration

HTTP Public Key Pinning (HPKP)

SSL Certificate Management

Monitor Certificate Expiration

Certificate Backup

Certificate Renewal Process

Testing SSL Installation

Online SSL Testing Tools

Command Line Testing

Browser Testing

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Certificate Chain Incomplete

Issue 2: Mixed Content Warnings

Issue 3: Private Key Mismatch

Issue 4: Weak SSL Configuration

Best Practices

Security Best Practices

Performance Best Practices

Management Best Practices

Conclusion

Key Benefits Achieved

Certificate Provider Comparison

Performance Impact

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