Adding SSL for secure connections

Adding SSL for secure connections

By default, Portfolio uses a self-signed certificate for secure client connections. You can request and add a signed certificate in Portfolio Administration, without resorting to the command line.

This certificate allows secure (i.e., https) connections from Portfolio Web, Desktop, and NetPublish users.

Tip:

With an SSL certificate installed, visitors can access NetPublish sites using either the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.

When a user publishes a site, Portfolio returns the non-secure (HTTP) URL for the site; to connect using a secure connection, visitors can use the same URL, with the HTTPS protocol and port 8095.

Example:

Be sure to let Portfolio users that may publish NetPublish sites know if you have installed an SSL certificate.

Certificate Status

In Portfolio Administration, click SSL Certificate. This shows the certificate status. Initially this will be invalid because the certificate is self-signed.

You can replace the self-signed certificate with one provided by a certificate authority such as DigiCert, GlobalSign, or CAcert.org. Your IT department may also be able to provide you with a certificate.

Certificate Request

The process of getting a certificate involves creating a request file, sending the request to a Certificate Authority, receiving a certificate file in return, then importing the certificate file.

To create the request file:

  1. Click Global Settings, then click SSL Certificate.

  2. Click Create Certificate Request.

  3. Fill in the basic information:

    • Fully Qualified Domain Name: For the Portfolio server system (such as portfolio.example.com)

    • Organization Name: The name of your organization. This may be displayed on the server, but does not need to be a legal entity (“ExampleCorp” is OK, you don’t need to use “Example Corporation LLC”).

    • Organizational Unit: The name of the group within your organization responsible for the Portfolio server. This could be the same as the Organization Name.

    • City or Locality

    • State or Province

    • Two-letter Country Code

    • Subject Alternative Names: List here any additional hosts that you want to be covered by the same certificate. If you have multiple servers (Portfolio or any other web server), you can add their names here. You can also add different ways to address one server (IP address, DNS name, or LDAP Distinguished Name [dn] or Common Name [cn]). Separate individual entries with commas.

  4. Click Create. This will generate a .CSR file; when prompted to download the file, click OK.

    You can download the file at any time; click Download in the Certificate Status panel.

Overriding an outstanding request

If you need to use a certificate other than the one requested, you can generate a new request, which will override the previous request; or you can click Delete in the Certificate Status panel to delete the outstanding request.

Importing your certificate

The Certificate Authority will return a certificate file to you that you can import into Portfolio.

To import the certificate file:

  1. Click Global Settings, then click SSL Certificate.

  2. Click Import Certificate.

  3. Click Select and select your certificate file, then click Import.

When the import is complete, the Certificate Status page will update to show the new certificate.

Note: This method of importing a certificate relies on the certificate request; you will not be able to import a certificate that does not match an outstanding certificate request.

Replacing an existing certificate

To replace a certificate, generate a new request and import the new certificate.

You will need to do this when your existing certificate expires.

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