AWS Certificate Manager (ACM): Elastic Load Balancing, Amazon CloudFront, Amazon API Gateway, and other integrated AWS services are used to install ACM certificates. The most common application for this type is a secure public website with high traffic demands. ACM also facilitates security administration by automating certificate renewal. You have arrived at the correct location for this service.
In this blog, we are going to cover one of the important AWS security services for data protection .ie. AWS Certificate Manager ACM which provides free SSL/TLS Certificates.
Topics we will cover :
- Overview of SSL/TLS Certificates
- How SSL/TLS Works
- What is AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)?
- Why AWS Certificate Manager?
- Demo: Requesting SSL/TLS Certificates Using AWS Certificate Manager
Before deploying a web application we should understand the basic concept of Secure Socket Layer (SSL), what are they, and how to request them for free using Amazon Certificate Manager.
Overview of SSL/TLS Certificates
An SSL certificate is like an ID card or a badge that proves someone is who they say they are. SSL certificates are stored and displayed on the Web by a website’s or application’s server.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) is a must-have whenever sensitive data is moved to and from a website. For instance, sites that require to fulfil compliance requirements such as PCI-DSS, FedRAMP, and HIPAA make extensive use of SSL/TLS. Unfortunately, provisioning and managing SSL/TLS certificates can entail a lot of work that is usually manual and not easily automated.
Are SSL and TLS identical?
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the successor protocol to SSL. TLS is an improved version of SSL. It works in much the same way as the SSL, using encryption to protect the transfer of data and information. The two terms are often used interchangeably in the industry although SSL is still widely used.
Read about: Amazon Elastic Load Balancing (ELB). Its overview, features, and types.
How SSL/TLS works
- A server attempts to connect to a website (i.e. a web server) secured with SSL. The server requests the web server to identify itself.
- The web server sends the server a copy of its SSL certificate.
- The server checks to see whether or not it trusts the SSL certificate. If so, it sends a message to the web server.
- The web server sends back a digitally signed acknowledgment to start an SSL-encrypted session.
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What is AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)?
AWS Certificate Manager is a service that allows you to easily issue, manage, and deploy public and private Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) certificates for usage with AWS services and internally connected resources. SSL/TLS certificates are used to protect network connections and establish the identity of websites on the Internet as well as resources on private networks. AWS Certificate Manager automates the time-consuming manual process of purchasing, uploading, and renewing SSL/TLS certificates.
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Why AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)?
ACM simplifies the process of enabling SSL/TLS for a website or application on the AWS infrastructure. Many of the manual processes formerly connected with using and managing SSL/TLS certificates are eliminated by ACM. By managing renewals, ACM can also help you minimize downtime caused by misconfigured, revoked, or expired certificates. You receive SSL/TLS security and simple AWS certificate administration. Certificate private keys are safely safeguarded and maintained when you use ACM to handle certificates, thanks to strong encryption and key management best practices. ACM allows you to centrally manage all SSL/TLS ACM certificates in an AWS Region by using the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or AWS Certificate Manager APIs.
With AWS Certificate Manager, you will be able to quickly request a certificate, deploy it on ACM-integrated AWS resources, like Elastic Load Balancers, Amazon CloudFront distributions, and APIs on API Gateway, and let AWS Certificate Manager handle certificate renewals.
To Know More About SDLC Automation click here
Demo: Requesting SSL/TLS Certificates Using Certificate Manager in AWS
We will be performing 6 steps to request an SSL/TLS Certificate using AWS Certificate Manager.
Step 1: Provision Certificates
To get started, sign in to the AWS Management Console and navigate to the ACM console. Choose to Get started to request a certificate.
Step 2: Request a Certificate
Now, choose Request a certificate to request a new certificate.
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Step 3: Provide Domain Names
Provide your domain name and don’t forget to add a wildcard before your domain name.
Step 4: Select the Validation Method
With DNS validation, you write a CNAME record to your DNS configuration to establish control of your domain name. Choose DNS validation, and then click on Next.
Step 5: Create a Record in Route53
Click on Create a record in Route53, then it automatically creates a CNAME record in Route53 hosted zone.
Step 6: Certificate Issued
Refresh, and once the validation is completed the status of the certificate will become issued.
Now, we have successfully issued an SSL/TLS Certificate that we can attach with ACM integrated services.
Related/References
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03 Exam
- Overview of Amazon Web Services & Concept
- AWS CloudFormation
- AWS Elastic Beanstalk
- AWS Fargate
- AWS Management Console Walkthrough
- AWS CodeCommit Overview & Its Benefits
- Deploy Web App On AWS Using CodePipeline
- AWS Free Tier Account Services
- AWS re:Invent 2020: Get A FREE AWS Practice Exam & FREE Training
- AWS EFS, EBS and S3: Best AWS Storage Option
- AWS Route 53 Introduction
Next Task For You
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