HTTPS is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) used for secure communication over a computer network, typically the internet. It adds a layer of security by using encryption protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). This encryption ensures that the data exchanged between the user's web browser and the website's server is encrypted and secure from potential eavesdroppers.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are digital certificates that provide authentication for a website and enable encrypted communication between the user's browser and the web server. These certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs), which are trusted third-party entities responsible for verifying the identity of the certificate holder.
The process of signing an SSL certificate involves you or the Certificate Authority digitally signing the certificate with its private key. In this tutorial, we show how to self sign the certificate but it is recommended to use a Certificate Authority as it is more secure. Web browsers are also likely to throw warning messages when certificates are self signed so for a production web server, use a Certificate Authority to sign the certificate or even completely generate it for you. This creates a digital signature that can be verified using the CA's public key. The act of signing serves several crucial purposes: