It’s super easy to install and manage SSL certificates in cPanel & WHM. Certificate requests and installations happen automatically with  AutoSSL and an  integration such as the cPanel Let’s Encrypt™ plugin. SSL automation saves web hosting providers time and eliminates the deluge of support requests that traditionally accompany SSL certificate issues.

AutoSSL includes a default certificate provider, which we chose for its reliability, usability, and generous domain and rate limits. However, we also made it easy to switch providers. In this article, we will show you how to configure AutoSSL to use Let’s Encrypt™,  which provides free SSL certificates that are valid for 90 days.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL certificates are files that contain information to verify a server’s identity and encrypt data before it’s sent over the internet. Their most important job is securing HTTPS connections, which enhance the web’s standard HTTP protocol with identity verification and encryption.

When you see a padlock in your browser’s address bar, it means that the domain has an SSL certificate the browser trusts and that communication between it and the server is encrypted.

How does the browser know it can trust the certificate? After all, anyone can create one; you could make your own right now with the OpenSSL software on your server or in cPanel’s SSL management interface.

This is where certificate authorities (CA) come in. A CA verifies that a person or company has legitimate control over a domain. They then sign the certificate with a digital signature. When a browser sees a CA signature, it knows it can trust the server to which it is connected.

All SSL certificates work in the same way, but there is one important difference that affects how much they cost: the amount of effort the CA puts into investigating and verifying organizations.

• Domain-validation (DV): The applicant has to demonstrate that they control the domain, usually by uploading a file to the server or adding a special DNS record.
• Organization-validation (OV): The appliIt’s super easy to install and manage SSL certificates in cPanel & WHM. Certificate requests and installations happen automatically with  AutoSSL and an  integration such as the cPanel Let’s Encrypt™ plugin. SSL automation saves web hosting providers time and eliminates the deluge of support requests that traditionally accompany SSL certificate issues.AutoSSL includes a default certificate provider, which we chose for its reliability, usability, and generous domain and rate limits. However, we also made it easy to switch providers. In this article, we will show you how to configure AutoSSL to use Let’s Encrypt™,  which provides free SSL certificates that are valid for 90 days.
  

  What is an SSL Certificate?

  SSL certificates are files that contain information to verify a server’s identity and encrypt data before it’s sent over the internet. Their most important job is securing HTTPS connections, which enhance the web’s standard HTTP protocol with identity verification and encryption.

  When you see a padlock in your browser’s address bar, it means that the domain has an SSL certificate the browser trusts and that communication between it and the server is encrypted.

  How does the browser know it can trust the certificate? After all, anyone can create one; you could make your own right now with the OpenSSL software on your server or in cPanel’s SSL management interface.

  This is where certificate authorities (CA) come in. A CA verifies that a person or company has legitimate control over a domain. They then sign the certificate with a digital signature. When a browser sees a CA signature, it knows it can trust the server to which it is connected.

  All SSL certificates work in the same way, but there is one important difference that affects how much they cost: the amount of effort the CA puts into investigating and verifying organizations.

  • Domain-validation (DV): The applicant has to demonstrate that they control the domain, usually by uploading a file to the server or adding a special DNS record.
  • Organization-validation (OV): The applicant must prove they own the domain and are a legally registered business.
  • Extended-validation (EV): The applicant owns the domain, is a legally registered business, and the CA spends more time investigating and authenticating the organization.

  As you might expect, EV certificates are the most expensive because they take the most time. OV certs are less expensive, and DV certs are often free.   Still have questions? Visit our past blog for more information on  “Which SSL is right for me?”.

  cPanel Let’s Encrypt Plugin’s Free SSL Certificates 

  Let’s Encrypt is a certificate authority specializing in free DV SSL certificates. It was a free SSL pioneer and one of the first to develop infrastructure and software to automate the request and installation process.

  In 2020, several CAs offer DV certs for free, including cPanel-partner Sectigo, the default SSL provider in cPanel’s AutoSSL feature. However, if you would like to use Let’s Encrypt instead, it’s straightforward to switch.

  To use Let’s Encrypt in AutoSSL, the first step is to install the cPanel Let’s Encrypt plugin.  Log in to your server as the root user with SSH and enter the following command:

  /scripts/install_lets_encrypt_autossl_provider

  The script installs the plugin and a handful of dependencies. If you change your mind, it can be removed by running the uninstall script as root:

  /scripts/uninstall_lets_encrypt_autossl_provider

  cant must prove they own the domain and are a legally registered business.

• Extended-validation (EV): The applicant owns the domain, is a legally registered business, and the CA spends more time investigating and authenticating the organization.

As you might expect, EV certificates are the most expensive because they take the most time. OV certs are less expensive, and DV certs are often free.   Still have questions? Visit our past blog for more information on  “Which SSL is right for me?”.

cPanel Let’s Encrypt Plugin’s Free SSL Certificates 

Let’s Encrypt is a certificate authority specializing in free DV SSL certificates. It was a free SSL pioneer and one of the first to develop infrastructure and software to automate the request and installation process.

In 2020, several CAs offer DV certs for free, including cPanel-partner Sectigo, the default SSL provider in cPanel’s AutoSSL feature. However, if you would like to use Let’s Encrypt instead, it’s straightforward to switch.

To use Let’s Encrypt in AutoSSL, the first step is to install the cPanel Let’s Encrypt plugin.  Log in to your server as the root user with SSH and enter the following command:

/scripts/install_lets_encrypt_autossl_provider

The script installs the plugin and a handful of dependencies. If you change your mind, it can be removed by running the uninstall script as root:

/scripts/uninstall_lets_encrypt_autossl_provider