Configuring Apache to use SSL: Difference between revisions

Transport Layer Security (TLS) and formerly Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) are both often referred to as SSL and allow encrypted communications over computer networks. This page describes the procedure for creating a self-signed SSL certificate as apposed to one signed by a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_authority Certificate Authority] (CA) and configuring Apache to use it to encrypt communications. Having a certificate signed by a CA allows visitors of the site to verify by a third party (the CA) that the website is the expected website, avoiding [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack man-in-the-middle-attacks]. Self signed certificates should not be used for production sites, though they are useful for small locally used sites and for testing as they are free, as apposed to getting a certificate signed by a CA which usually coats something like $100 a year.