What Is Let’s Encrypt SSL? How to Create a Free SSL Certificate

Security certificates are currently offered in paid and free versions. Let’s Encrypt SSL is one of the free security certificates created for the public benefit by the nonprofit Internet Security Research Group, abbreviated ISRG. Let’s find out Mona Media explains what Let’s Encrypt SSL is, how it works and the benefits of using these Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.

What is Let’s Encrypt SSL?

A Let’s Encrypt SSL digital certificate is a SSL security certificates for websites worldwide. The project was launched on a nonprofit basis to provide free certificates for the “poor web”. About 260 million websites around the world currently use Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. The nonprofit Internet Security Research Group (ISRG) has been backed by many large organizations such as Google, Facebook, Sucuri, Moz and Cisco for its Let’s Encrypt project.

Let’s Encrypt works for the public benefit, helping create an internet that is safer and more respectful of users’ personal privacy. Let’s Encrypt is different from other premium SSL certificates. A Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate is valid for only 90 days. After that, your website needs another free SSL certificate installed.

What are the benefits of using Let’s Encrypt SSL?

• Let’s Encrypt is provided free to all websites that need an SSL certificate.
• Let’s Encrypt certificates are compatible with the plugins used on your site. You can obtain a certificate, then install and reconfigure it quickly.
• Let’s Encrypt can be renewed automatically without many steps.
• Let’s Encrypt builds a safe, healthy online community that respects users.
• All Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates issued and revoked are logged. This issuance protocol ensures transparency and security.
• The basic internet protocol helps control tampering with information by bad actors. Let’s Encrypt is a large effort to protect the community.

How Let’s Encrypt SSL works

Let’s Encrypt works through the “ACME protocol”. The server issues a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate after verifying the domain. The next steps are issuing and revoking the certificate. Once you have a Let’s Encrypt certificate, your domain switches from HTTP to HTTPS. The process works as follows:

1. Verify the website’s domain. Once you have a domain, the management panel connects to Let’s Encrypt, which sends you back a new key pair. You use this key pair to prove you own the domain. Let’s Encrypt checks and cross-verifies that your domain meets the standard before providing free SSL.
2. Issuing the Let’s Encrypt certificate and revoking the Let’s Encrypt SSL. This step uses an online signature to verify and issue the authorized key pair.

Reasons to install Let’s Encrypt SSL

• Supported websites HTTPS display is rated more highly by users. Besides giving users a free certificate, Let’s Encrypt makes the process easy too. You don’t need to ask for verification when you receive the Let’s Encrypt certificate by email.
• Let’s Encrypt is not controlled by any single organization. It is one of the free certificates websites trust. Browsers also rate Let’s Encrypt certificates highly.
• With Let’s Encrypt you become more professional, respect users and protect their information from third-party intrusion.
• If a hacker strikes, Let’s Encrypt also helps keep visiting customers’ information safer.

How to create a free Let’s Encrypt SSL

Let’s Encrypt is fairly easy to install on your website. You can register an SSL certificate for free through the steps below:

Install Let’s Encrypt SSL from the Control Panel

Once you have the Let’s Encrypt SSL key pair, go to the Control Panel, choose the domain to install on and follow these steps:

1. Copy the contents of the fullchain.pem file and paste them into Certificate: (CRT)
2. Copy the contents of the key.pem file and paste them into Private Key: (KEY)

Then click “Install”. Wait a moment for the process to finish. Press F5 to reload the browser and check whether your site now loads over HTTPS. If your domain shows HTTPS, you have succeeded.

To use a Let’s Encrypt certificate safely, avoid risk and not worry about key pairs being stolen, users usually set up a cron job to renew the certificate.

How to renew a Let’s Encrypt certificate.

To renew a Let’s Encrypt security certificate, set up a cron job to renew it automatically.

Log in to your website with an administrator account. Then go to the Control Panel. Choose the feature “Advanced Cron Job”. In Command, enter the following code to run: php acme-client/bin/acme issue –domains.m

Things to note when using a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate

• Let’s Encrypt lasts only 90 days. After that you must renew it, with no exceptions. So set up automatic renewal so you don’t forget when a new Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate needs to be issued. Many sources now recommend renewing a Let’s Encrypt certificate after 60 days of use.
• Let’s Encrypt SSL can still hit errors and behave unreliably. Consider using premium security certificates with longer validity to protect your website.
• One Let’s Encrypt certificate can be used for different domains that are running on different servers.
• Let’s Encrypt certificates are not compatible with devices such as Blackberry below v10.3.3, Android below v2.3.6, Windows XP before SP3… Let’s Encrypt cannot work without a CRL.
• Let’s Encrypt is completely free, so there is no guarantee of compensation for damage if your site runs into trouble while using it. Consider carefully whether to use Let’s Encrypt SSL and research it well before installing.

260 million websites worldwide use an SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt. Before paying for an SSL certificate, you can use this one for 60 to 90 days first.

If you want to understand the groundwork behind this in more depth, the article What is PKI and how to protect customer data explains it in detail and describes how we do it for our clients.