Code Signing SSL is a digital certificate that is used to sign software code and scripts to ensure their integrity and authenticity. When a code signing certificate is installed, it adds a digital signature to the code, which verifies that it came from the original author and has not been tampered with in any way. This helps to protect users from malware and other malicious software that may be distributed under the guise of legitimate applications.
In this blog post, we will walk you through the installation process of Code Signing SSL on a Linux Apache server.
Step 1: Purchase a Code Signing SSL certificate
The first step is to purchase a Code Signing SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). There are many CAs available, such as Comodo, DigiCert, and Sectigo. When choosing a CA, make sure to select a reputable one that is recognized by popular web browsers.
Step 2: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
Once you have purchased a Code Signing SSL certificate, you will need to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) on your Apache server. You can do this using the following command:
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout mykey.key -out mycsr.csr
Make sure to replace mykey.key and mycsr.csr with the file names you want to use.
You will then be prompted to enter information about your organization, such as its name and location. Be sure to enter accurate information as it will be used to verify your identity.
Step 3: Submit your CSR to the CA
Once you have generated your CSR, you will need to submit it to the CA to obtain your Code Signing SSL certificate. The process for doing this will vary depending on the CA you have chosen, but typically involves uploading your CSR to their website and completing a verification process.
Step 4: Install your Code Signing SSL certificate
Once you have received your Code Signing SSL certificate from the CA, you can install it on your Apache server. To do this, follow these steps:
Create a directory to store your SSL certificates:
mkdir /etc/ssl/certs
Copy your SSL certificate to the new directory:
cp your_certificate.crt /etc/ssl/certs/
Create a file to store your SSL private key:
sudo nano /etc/ssl/private/your_domain.key
Paste your private key into the file and save it.
Configure your Apache virtual host to use SSL:
<VirtualHost *:443>
ServerName yourdomain.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/html
SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/your_certificate.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/your_domain.key
</VirtualHost>
Make sure to replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name, and /var/www/html with the path to your website’s root directory.
Restart Apache to apply the changes:
sudo systemctl restart apache2
Congratulations! You have successfully installed your Code Signing SSL certificate on your Linux Apache server. Your code will now be signed with a digital signature, ensuring its authenticity and integrity.
