Securing Communication to Server with SSL Encryption
For security reasons, you can access your control panel only through a secure connection provided by Secure Sockets Layer-enabled hypertext transfer protocol. All data you exchange with the Plesk managed server are encrypted, thus preventing interception of sensitive information. The SSL certificate used in the data encryption process is automatically generated and installed on the server during installation of the control panel. This is the so-called self-signed certificate: it is not signed by a recognized certification authority (CA), therefore, upon attempt to connect to your control panel, you and your customers will see warning messages in Web browsers.
To gain customer confidence, you should purchase an SSL certificate from a reputable certification authority, and install it to the control panel.
You can either:
To purchase an SSL certificate from GeoTrust, Inc. through MyPleskCom online store and secure your control panel:
- Click the Server shortcut in the navigation pane.
- Click the
Certificates icon in the Services group. A list of SSL certificates that you have in your repository will be displayed. - Click
Add New Certificate. - Specify the certificate properties:
- Certificate name. This will help you identify this certificate in the repository.
- Encryption level. Choose the encryption level of your SSL certificate. We recommend that you choose a value more than 1024 bit.
- Specify your location and organization name. The values you enter should not exceed the length of 64 symbols.
- Specify the host name for which you wish to purchase an SSL certificate. For example: your-domain.com
- Enter your e-mail address.
- Make sure that all the provided information is correct and accurate, as it will be used to generate your private key.
- Click the Buy Certificate button.
Your private key and certificate signing request will be generated — do not delete them. MyPlesk.com login page will open in a new browser window.
- Register or login to an existing MyPlesk.com account and you will be taken step by step through the certificate purchase procedure.
- Choose the type of certificate that you wish to purchase.
- Click Proceed to Buy and order the certificate. In the Approver E-Mail drop-down box, please select the correct Approver e-mail.
The approver e-mail is an e-mail address that can confirm that certificate for specific domain name was requested by an authorized person.
- Once your certificate request is processed, GeoTrust, Inc. will send you a confirmation e-mail. After they receive the confirmation from you, they will send the certificate to your e-mail.
- When you receive your SSL certificate, save it on your local machine or network.
- Return to the SSL Certificates repository (Server > Certificates).
- Click the Browse button in the middle of the page and navigate to the location of the saved certificate. Select it, and then click Send File. This will upload the certificate to the repository.
- Select the check box corresponding to the certificate you just added, and click the
Setup icon.
To secure your control panel with an SSL certificate from other certificate authorities:
- Click the Server shortcut in the navigation pane.
- Click the
Certificates icon in the Services group. A list of SSL certificates that you have in your repository will be displayed. - Click
Add New Certificate. - Specify the certificate properties:
- Certificate name. This will help you identify this certificate in the repository.
- Encryption level. Choose the encryption level of your SSL certificate. We recommend that you choose a value more than 1024 bit.
- Specify your location and organization name. The values you enter should not exceed the length of 64 symbols.
- Specify the host name for which you wish to purchase an SSL certificate. For example: your-domain.com
- Enter your e-mail address.
- Make sure that all the provided information is correct and accurate, as it will be used to generate your private key.
- Click the Request button. Your private key and certificate signing request will be generated and stored in the repository.
- Download the certificate signing request (CSR) file and save it on your machine. To do this, click the respective
icon. - Once downloaded, open the file in a text editor, copy the text enclosed in lines -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST----- and -----END CERTIFICATE REQUEST----- to the clipboard.
- Using your favorite mail client software, create a new e-mail message and paste the text from the clipboard. Send this message to the Certification Authority that will create an SSL certificate in accordance with the information you supplied.
- When you receive your SSL certificate, save it on your local machine or network.
- Return to the SSL Certificates repository (Server > Certificates).
- Click the Browse button in the middle of the page and navigate to the location of the saved certificate. Select it, and then click Send File. This will upload the certificate to the repository.
- Select the check box corresponding to the certificate you just added, and click the
Setup icon.