Install Lets Encrypt on Ubuntu Server

What is Lets Encrypt

Let’s Encrypt is a certificate authority that provides free SSL/TLS certificates for securing websites. These certificates enable HTTPS encryption, which helps to protect the privacy and security of data transmitted between a website and its visitors. Let’s Encrypt automates the process of certificate issuance, renewal, and installation, making it easier for website owners to implement secure connections.

  1. What is Let’s Encrypt?
    Let’s Encrypt gives your website a special “lock” to keep information secure when people visit it.

  2. Why do we need it?
    It helps protect sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers, from bad guys who might try to steal it.

  3. How do we install it on Ubuntu?
    We’ll run some commands on your server to get the special “lock” for your website.

  4. Step 1: Connect to your server
    Open a program called Terminal on your computer and type in a few commands to talk to your server.

  5. Step 2: Install Certbot
    Certbot is a tool that helps get the special “lock” from Let’s Encrypt. We’ll download it onto your server.

  6. Step 3: Run Certbot
    We’ll use Certbot to ask Let’s Encrypt for the special “lock” for your website. Certbot will do some magic behind the scenes.

  7. Step 4: Follow the instructions
    Certbot will ask you a few questions. Just answer them and it’ll do the rest!

  8. Step 5: Celebrate!
    Once Certbot finishes, your website will have the special “lock” from Let’s Encrypt. Now, visitors can browse your site securely!

What you get and how you use that

When you install Let’s Encrypt on your Ubuntu server, you get SSL/TLS certificates that encrypt the communication between your server and visitors’ web browsers.
These certificates provide several benefits:

  1. Secure Communication: Let’s Encrypt certificates encrypt data transmitted between your server and visitors’ browsers, ensuring that sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, and personal data remains private and protected from eavesdroppers.

  2. Trust and Credibility: Websites with HTTPS (secured with SSL/TLS certificates) are perceived as more trustworthy and credible by visitors.
    Seeing the padlock icon in the browser’s address bar indicates to users that their connection is secure.

  3. Improved SEO: Search engines like Google prioritize websites with HTTPS in their search results, providing a slight ranking boost to encourage website owners to adopt HTTPS.

  4. Compliance: Many regulations and industry standards, such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), require websites to secure sensitive data with SSL/TLS encryption.

You use Let’s Encrypt certificates primarily on web servers to secure websites and web applications hosted on those servers. After installing Let’s Encrypt, your website will be accessible via HTTPS, ensuring secure communication between your server and its visitors.

Installation

Update Package Lists:

sudo apt update

This ensures your server has the latest information about available packages.

Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

This command installs Certbot and the Nginx plugin, which helps automate the process for Nginx web servers.
If you’re using Apache, replace nginx with apache.

Run Certbot:

sudo certbot --nginx

This command tells Certbot to automatically configure SSL for your Nginx server.
If you’re using Apache, replace –nginx with –apache.

Follow the Prompts: Certbot will guide you through the process.
It will ask for your email address for renewal notices and prompt you to agree to the terms of service.
Follow the instructions on the screen.

Choose Domains: Certbot will detect the domains configured on your server and ask which ones you want to secure.
Select the appropriate domains by typing their numbers separated by commas.

Choose Redirect Options (Nginx Only): If you’re using Nginx, Certbot will ask if you want to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS. Choose an option that suits your needs.

Verify Configuration: Certbot will test your Nginx or Apache configuration to ensure everything is set up correctly.

Restart Your Web Server: If everything went smoothly, Certbot will prompt you to reload your web server to apply the changes.

Type

sudo systemctl reload nginx 
#for Nginx 
#or 
sudo systemctl reload apache2
# for Apache.

Bibliography

How to Install Let’s Encrypt SSL on Ubuntu with Certbot \