Generate a private key. Log into cPanel [4]. FuzzyMonkey customers will need to use their domain name followed by "/cpanel" to log in. Example: http://mydomain.com/cpanel. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the "SSL Manager" link. When the page loads, click the "Private Keys" link. Use the form that is labeled "Generate a New Key" at the bottom of the page to generate a new private key. You will use this key to sign your certificate signing request. When the page loads, click "Go Back" twice, so that you are now on the SSL Manager page.
Generate a certificate signing request. Click on the "Certificate Signing Requests" link. Use the form labeled "Generate a new Certificate Signing Request" to create your CSR. When the page loads, you will see your CSR, which will look like the following.
Choose a certificate authority and purchase a certificate. The two most reputable certificate authorities are VeriSign [2] and GeoTrust [3], but you can also find many other companies selling certificates. You must be careful to purchase your certificate from a reputable and trusted authority. We recommend purchasing your certificate from VeriSign or GeoTrust. The authority that you choose will have a page that will ask you to either copy and paste or upload your certificate and public key to their site. You will probably receive your new certificate within a couple of minutes of completing the purchase process. Usually certificates are delivered via email.
Install your certificate. Your new certificate will be a paragraph of text that will look similar to this example.
If your certificate arrives as a text file attached to an email, save the text file on your computer and open it. If it arrives in the body of the email or if it is displayed on a web page, you will not need to do anything. Make sure you are still logged onto cPanel, and go to the SSL Manager. Click the "Certificates" link. Copy the certificate text from the text file or from your email. Paste it into the textbox in cPanel in the form labeled "Upload a New Certificate," and click the "upload" button.
To begin using SSL on your website, simply change the links on your site from "http" to "https." Any portions of your site that are accessed by https are automatically encrypted. Your visitors' browsers tells them that your website is secure. In Firefox, the background of the address bar turns yellow and a lock icon appears.
1. OpenSSL is located at openssl.org.
2. VeriSign's SSL store is located at verisign.com/ssl.
3. GeoTrust's SSL store is located here.
4. For more information about cPanel, visit cpanel.net.
NOTE: In order to complete this tutorial, you'll need an existing website with a unique domain name and access to your website's cPanel.
To begin using SSL on your website, simply change the links on your site from "http" to "https." Any portions of your site that are accessed by https are automatically encrypted. Your visitors' browsers tells them that your website is secure. In Firefox, the background of the address bar turns yellow and a lock icon appears.
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