Certificados SSL con Let’s Encrypt para seguridad en producción

Why is it important to use an SSL certificate?

Nowadays, maintaining security when visiting websites is essential. Using port 80 with the HTTP protocol is no longer secure, which is why most sites have migrated to port 443 using an SSL certificate. This allows an encrypted connection between the user's browser and the server, protecting information from interception. Here we will show you how to set up a certificate with Let's Encrypt on your server using Servbot.

How to install Servbot and its dependencies?

To generate an SSL certificate, you must first install Servbot, an automation tool that facilitates this process. Along with Servbot, you also need to install some dependencies, especially if your server is Nginx.

1. Open your server's terminal.

2. Run the following command to install Servbot and Python 3:

   sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

3. Once installed, make a note of all the packages installed for future reference.

What is the process for generating an SSL certificate?

Setting up the certificate is a critical step. Once the necessary tools are installed, follow these steps:

1. Run the Servbot command, specifying the web server you are using:

   sudo certbot --nginx

2. Enter a valid email address. This will be used for notifications about certificate expiration or security issues.

3. Accept the terms and conditions.

4. Decide if you want to notify Servbot once your certificate is successfully created, which is useful for statistics.

It is important to select the correct domain to which you want to apply the certificate. If there are several configured on your server, you will need to choose the right one. The system will show you the available domains for you to select yours.

How to verify that the SSL certificate was generated and configured correctly?

After generating the certificate, Servbot will inform you in which directories the configuration files were created. You can check and verify the modification of these files to make sure that everything is configured correctly:

1. Open the configuration file with a text editor such as vim.
2. Check the servers defined in your site configuration. There should be a new entry created by Servbot that handles redirects to HTTPS.
3. Visit your website using https:// to confirm that the certificate is valid and working.

You can check the certificate details and validity directly from the browser.

How to automatically renew an SSL certificate?

Automatic certificate renewal is crucial to avoid service interruptions. Configure your server for automatic renewals by simulating the process:

1. On your server, exit the configuration file and run the following command:

   sudo certbot renew --dry-run

This command performs a certificate renewal simulation, ensuring that when the time comes, the process will run smoothly.

An SSL certificate not only protects the integrity of the data between the browser and the server, but also builds trust among your users. Be sure to continually test and review your settings to always maintain the highest level of security. We invite you to install Servbot and generate a new certificate on your server right now!