How to Install a Free SSL Certificate using Let's Encrypt

In the modern internet age, delivering web content over a secure protocol has become essential.



Since January 2017, Google attaches a warning label to any website that does not secure sensitive web page content by delivering it using HTTPS. This includes web pages that contain forms asking for usernames, passwords, credit cards and other sensitive information.



In the near future Google plans to roll out a requirement for all web pages to be secured. Warning labels will become progressively more aggressive, and eventually highlighted in red, bold colors on the address bar.



It is easy to see the consequences of not complying with this new requirement. You invest time, money and energy to drive traffic to your website. Your users expect a secure browsing experience and will likely be deterred from using your page when they see such warning labels attached.



There is a common misconception that securing a webpage over HTTPS requires expert server knowledge and is a costly and cumbersome process.



The purpose of this course is designed to teach you everything you need to know about HTTPS and SSL certificates. We start with the basics. Exploring the theory and definitions that will be useful in developing your understanding.



From there, we dive into configuring a server on Digital Ocean and installing a free SSL certificate known as Let's Encrypt. We also explore setting up Cron Jobs on an Ubuntu server, to automatically renew your certificate periodically.



After completing this course, you will easily be able to secure any web page using HTTPS and free SSL certificates.