Nginx SSL Ubuntu 16.04

What is SSL and Nginx?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a protocol used to encrypt communications over the internet. It is a secure way to transfer data between two or more networks. Nginx is an open source web server. It serves both static and dynamic web pages in a reliable and efficient manner.

SSL allows for the authentication of the web server and the encryption of the data that is being transmitted. It is also used to help protect the data from being stolen or based. SSL is used in any environment where secure communication is needed, whether it be for e-commerce websites, email servers, or any other type of digital interaction.

Nginx is a lightweight web server which is fast and secure. It is designed to be a highly scalable web server with minimal resource usage. It has a modular and events-driven architecture that can easily handle thousands of simultaneous connections. It also supports SSL and TLS, which allows web traffic to be encrypted. This is important for protecting user data and personal information.

What is Ubuntu 16.04?

Ubuntu 16.04 is an operating system that is based on the Linux kernel. It is the latest version of the Ubuntu operating system. It was designed to be used in devices ranging from servers to desktops to mobile devices. Ubuntu 16.04 has a long list of features, such as improved support for high-DPI (High-Density Pixel) displays, improved support for UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), and improved support for secure boot.

Ubuntu 16.04 also introduces “Snap” applications, which makes application installation and updates simpler. Finally, it includes OpenSSH, which is a secure shell protocol for remote access to computers.

Installing Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04

To install Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04, you will need to first update the system packages using the command:

sudo apt-get update

And then install Nginx using the command:

sudo apt-get install nginx

Once installed, you can use the systemctl command to start and stop Nginx:

sudo systemctl start nginx

Or

sudo systemctl stop nginx

Setting up SSL on Ubuntu 16.04

SSL can be setup on Ubuntu 16.04 by using the certbot application. Certbot is a command line application that can be used to generate SSL certificates for domains. To install this application on Ubuntu 16.04, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install certbot

Once it is installed, you can generate certificates for your domain using the command:

certbot certonly –standalone -d yourdomain.com

This will generate the certificate, key and other related files in the /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com directory. You can view the content of this directory to view the specific file names related to your certificate.

Configuring Nginx for SSL

Once you have generated the certificates, you need to configure Nginx with the certificates to enable SSL. To do this, open the Nginx configuration file in a text editor and add the following lines after the server_name directive:

ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/cert.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;
ssl_ciphers EECDH+AESGCM:EDH+AESGCM:AES256+EECDH:AES256+EDH;
ssl_protocols TLSv1 TLSv1.1 TLSv1.2;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;

Save the configuration file and then restart the Nginx service using the command to activate the SSL configuration:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Testing SSL Configuration

Once your SSL configuration is complete, you can check if it is working correctly by using an SSL checker. This can be done by visiting an SSL tool website such as SSL Labs and entering your domain name. This will return the results of your SSL configuration, which you can then review.

Conclusion

Getting SSL certificates and configuring them correctly on Nginx can be a daunting task. However, with the right tools and commands, it can be done relatively easily with Ubuntu 16.04. Certbot makes it easy to generate the certificates, and Nginx makes it easy to configure them for use. With a few simple steps, you can have a secure connection on your web server.

FAQs

1. What is SSL?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a protocol used to encrypt communications over the internet.

2. What is Nginx?

Nginx is an open source web server. It serves both static and dynamic web pages in a reliable and efficient manner.

3. What is Ubuntu 16.04?

Ubuntu 16.04 is an operating system that is based on the Linux kernel. It is the latest version of the Ubuntu operating system.

4. How do you install Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04?

To install Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04, you will need to first update the system packages using the command: sudo apt-get update And then install Nginx using the command: sudo apt-get install nginx

5. How do you set up SSL on Ubuntu 16.04?

SSL can be setup on Ubuntu 16.04 by using the certbot application. To install this application on Ubuntu 16.04, use the following command: sudo apt-get install certbot Once it is installed, you can generate certificates for your domain using the command: certbot certonly –standalone -d yourdomain.com

6. How do you configure Nginx for SSL?

Once you have generated the certificates, you need to configure Nginx with the certificates to enable SSL. To do this, open the Nginx configuration file in a text editor and add the following lines after the server_name directive: ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/cert.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;
ssl_ciphers EECDH+AESGCM:EDH+AESGCM:AES256+EECDH:AES256+EDH;
ssl_protocols TLSv1 TLSv1.1 TLSv1.2;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
Save the configuration file and then restart the Nginx service using the command to activate the SSL configuration: sudo systemctl restart nginx

Conclusion

Configuring SSL and Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04 is relatively easy, with a few commands you can have secure connections for your web server. Certbot makes it easy to generate the certificates, and Nginx makes it easy to configure them for use.

Thank you for reading this article. Please read other articles on similar topics.