Configuring Internet Information Services (IIS) SSL Certificates in Server 2022
Posted on 19th June 2023
Introduction
Internet Information Services (IIS) is a powerful web server from Microsoft that can be used to host websites and other web-based applications. IIS can be configured to use SSL certificates to provide secure, encrypted connections for web traffic. In this article, we will show you how to configure IIS to use an SSL certificate in Server 2022.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, you will need to have the following:
- A Server 2022 installation with IIS installed
- An SSL certificate
If you do not have an SSL certificate, you can generate a self-signed certificate or purchase a certificate from a trusted certificate authority.
Configuring IIS to Use SSL
Once you have your SSL certificate, you can configure IIS to use it. To do this, open the IIS Manager console and select the server you want to configure. In the center pane, double-click on the “Server Certificates” icon.
In the “Actions” pane, click on “Complete Certificate Request…”
In the “Complete Certificate Request” wizard, enter the path to your SSL certificate and give it a friendly name. Then, click “OK” to complete the wizard.
Your SSL certificate should now be imported and visible in the “Server Certificates” list.
Next, you need to bind your SSL certificate to the default website. To do this, open the IIS Manager console and select the server you want to configure. In the left pane, expand the “Sites” node and select the “Default Website”.
In the center pane, double-click on the “Bindings” icon.
In the “Bindings” dialog box, click on the “Add…” button.
In the “Add Site Binding” dialog box, select “https” from the “Type” drop-down list and select the SSL certificate you imported earlier from the “SSL Certificate” drop-down list. Then, click “OK” to save the binding.
Your SSL certificate is now successfully configured and you can use it to provide secure, encrypted connections for your web traffic.
If you want to configure SSL for a site that isn’t using IIS, you’ll need to obtain and install a certificate. SSL certificates can be bought from a variety of companies, but we recommend using a company that’s a member of the CA/Browser Forum.
Once you’ve obtained your certificate, you need to install it on your server. The process for doing this will vary depending on your server software, but you’ll generally need to add the certificate to your server’s list of trusted certificates.
Once you’ve installed your certificate, you need to configure IIS to use it. To do this, open the IIS Manager and select the site you want to configure. In the site’s properties, select the “Security” tab and click the “Edit” button in the “Secure communications” section.
In the “Secure communications” dialog, select the “Require SSL” option and select the certificate you installed from the “SSL Certificate” drop-down. Click “OK” to save your changes.
Your site is now configured to use SSL. You can test this by visiting your site using https:// instead of http://. You should see a padlock icon in your browser’s address bar, indicating that your connection is secure.
If you want to force all traffic to your site to be redirected to the HTTPS version, you can do this by setting up a URL Rewrite rule. For more information on how to do this, see our article on configuring URL Rewrite rules in IIS.
Configuring Internet Information Services (IIS) SSL Certificates in Server 2022
Server 2022 uses Internet Information Services (IIS) 10.0, which includes support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3. TLS is a cryptographic protocol that provides communication security over the Internet. It is the successor to SSL, and is more secure and efficient.
IIS 10.0 in Server 2022 supports two types of SSL certificates: self-signed and CA-signed. Self-signed certificates are free to create, but are not as trusted as CA-signed certificates. CA-signed certificates are more expensive, but are more trusted by browsers and clients.
In order to configure IIS to use SSL certificates, you will need to install the certificates into the Local Computer certificate store. You can do this using the Certificate Manager snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console.
Once the certificates are installed, you can bind them to your websites in IIS. To do this, open the IIS Manager and select the website that you want to bind the certificate to. In the Actions pane, click Bindings.
In the Site Bindings dialog box, click Add. In the Add Site Binding dialog box, select https in the Type drop-down list, select the certificate that you want to use in the SSL Certificate drop-down list, and then click OK.
Your website is now configured to use SSL. You can test this by visiting your website using https:// in the URL. You should see a lock icon in the browser bar, indicating that the connection is secure.
If you want to force all connections to your website to use SSL, you can do this by setting the Require SSL option in IIS. To do this, open the IIS Manager and select the website that you want to configure. In the Actions pane, click SSL Settings.
In the SSL Settings dialog box, select the Require SSL option, and then click OK.
Now, any attempt to connect to your website using http:// will be automatically redirected to https://.
You can also configure IIS to require client certificates. Client certificates are used to authenticate the client to the server. They are typically used in conjunction with SSL, but can also be used without SSL.
To require client certificates, open the IIS Manager and select the website that you want to configure. In the Actions pane, click SSL Settings.
In the SSL Settings dialog box, select the Require Client Certificates option, and then click OK.
Now, clients will be required to present a valid client certificate in order to connect to your website. If they do not have a valid certificate, they will receive an error message.
Configuring IIS to use SSL certificates is a relatively simple process. By using SSL, you can ensure that communications between your server and clients are secure. You can also choose to require client certificates, which adds an additional layer of security.
