CSR Generation for Ubuntu with Apache2 (OpenSSL)

A Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is a block of encoded text that is generated on the server where the certificate will be installed. It contains information that will be included in the certificate such as the organization name, common name (domain name), locality, and country. The CSR is then used to request a signed certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA).

Generating a CSR for Ubuntu with Apache2 (OpenSSL) is a straightforward process. This guide will walk you through the steps to generate a CSR and install an SSL certificate on your Ubuntu server.

Step-by-Step Guide to CSR Generation for Ubuntu with Apache2 (OpenSSL)

Before you begin, make sure you have the following information:

  • The fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) of the server where the certificate will be installed.
  • The organization name and address.
  • The email address of the technical contact.

Once you have the required information, you can begin the CSR generation process:

  1. Log in to your Ubuntu server via SSH.
  2. Create a directory to store the CSR and private key: 
    mkDIR /etc/apache2/ssl
  3. Change to the new directory: 
    CD /etc/apache2/ssl
  4. Generate a private key: 
    openssl genrsa -out server.key 2048
  5. Generate a CSR: 
    openssl req -new -key server.key -out server.csr
  6. When prompted, enter the required information. Make sure to enter the correct FQDN for the “Common Name” field.
  7. Submit the CSR to eSSL SSL Certificates and follow their instructions to obtain a signed certificate.
  8. Once you have received the signed certificate, install it on your server.

Security Recommendations for Ubuntu with Apache2 (OpenSSL)

Once you have generated the CSR and installed the SSL certificate, there are a few security recommendations you should follow to ensure your server is secure:

  • Enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to ensure that all requests to your server are sent over HTTPS.
  • Enable OCSP Stapling to reduce the overhead of certificate revocation checks.
  • Enable TLS 1.2 or higher to ensure the highest level of encryption.
  • Disable weak ciphers and protocols to prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities.
  • Enable server-side protection such as mod_security to protect against malicious requests.

By following these security recommendations, you can ensure that your server is secure and your data is protected.

Generating a CSR and installing an SSL certificate on your Ubuntu server with Apache2 (OpenSSL) is a straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can quickly and easily generate a CSR and install an SSL certificate on your server. For more information on how to generate CSR for different server types, please visit eSSL SSL Certificates.