SSL Certificates for Web Developers (2018)

Course details

All websites should be using secure connections over HTTPS by default. Web browsers have evolved and warn users whenever sites allow insecure connections. At the same time, the Let's Encrypt project has made it easy to install SSL certificates for free. In this course, instructor Kevin Skoglund explains what an SSL certificate is, how it is used to encrypt communications between a server and a browser, and how to choose the domain scope and validation type. He demonstrates how to install free certificates from Let's Encrypt using Certbot or install purchased certificates from a traditional certificate authority. He shows how to configure the web server to default to HTTPS and how HSTS directives can tell browsers to always use HTTPS.

Learning objectives
What are SSL certificates?
Choosing a certificate
Installing a certificate
Configuring a web server to require HTTPS
Using HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
Renewing certificates

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Why SSL certificates are essential for every website
02 - What you need

1. SSL and HTTPS

03 - What are SSL certificates
04 - Handshakes and cryptography
05 - The urgent need for HTTPS

2. Choose a Certificate

06 - Certificate authorities (CAs)
07 - Free certificates with Let's Encrypt
08 - Self-signed certificates
09 - Certificate types

3. Install a Certificate with Let's Encrypt

10 - Certbot
11 - Install using Certbot
12 - Install using a hosting provider

4. Install a Purchased Certificate

13 - Certificate signing request (CSR)
14 - Sign up for an SSL certificate
15 - Install on Apache
16 - Install on NGINX
17 - Install on hosted web servers

5. Configure a Web Server to Require HTTPS

18 - Redirect requests to HTTPS
19 - HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
20 - HSTS preloading

6. Manage Certificates

21 - Expiration dates
22 - Renew Let's Encrypt certificates

Conclusion

23 - Next steps

SSL Certificates for Web Developers (2018)

Authors

Kevin Skoglund