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Setup SSL certificate for MiaRec Web portal on Centos

In order to enable HTTPS (SSL) in MiaRec Web server, it is necessary to install SSL certificate. The certificate should be issued from a trusted Certificate Authority (like Verisign/Symantec, Comodo, GlobalSign, Digicert, GoDaddy etc).

The certificate is issued per domain name and can be used only with particular name. For example, if you install MiaRec on server and access it with address https://rec.my-company.com, then the SSL certificate should be issued to “rec.my-company.com” domain name.

Alternatively, the certificate can be self-signed. This means that instead of signing the certificate by Trusted Authority, you will sign it by your own certificate. In this case you will see in browser warning message that certificate is not trusted (means that it is not signed by trusted Certificate Authority), although the connection between client’s web-browser and MiaRec server will be secure and encrypted:

You can generate the self-signed certificate using the following command line:

openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -days 3650 -nodes -x509 -keyout server.key -out server.crt

This command will generate key/certificate pair and then sign it.

1. Install mod_ssl module for Apache

yum install mod_ssl

The module will automatically be enabled during installation, and Apache will be able to start using an SSL certificate after it is restarted. You don't need to take any additional steps for mod_ssl to be ready for use.

2. Install SSL private key and certificate

Copy your SSL private key to directory:

/etc/pki/tls/private/

Copy your SSL certificate to directory:

/etc/pki/tls/certs/

In some case you may need to copy also intermediary certificate of the company, which signed your certificate. Check their official instructions for Apache server.

3. Edit Apache configuration file (ssl.conf)

Edit file /etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf and make sure that:

  • SSLCertificateFile points to your certificate
  • SSLCertificateKeyFile points to your private certificate
  • SSLCertificateChainFile points to your certificate authority intermediary certificate (check your authority instructions)
#   Server Certificate:
SSLCertificateFile /etc/pki/tls/certs/miarec.example.com.crt

#   Server Private Key:
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/pki/tls/private/miarec.example.com.key

#   Server Certificate Chain:
SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/pki/tls/certs/CA.crt

4. Disable SSL protocol, allow TLS v1.2 only

It is recommended to disable SSL version 3.0 protocol, and force clients to use more secure TLS v1.2

Edit file /etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf, locate the SSLProtocol line, if its commented out with a #, remove the hash (#) symbol and change it to the following:

SSLProtocol TLSv1.2

Now to increase the security strength we can also disable the weaker ciphers, located the SSLCipherSuite line, uncomment it and make it:

SSLCipherSuite HIGH:MEDIUM:!SSLv3:!kRSA:!RC4:!3DES

5 Disable TRACE method

Add the following line to the end of file /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf:

TraceEnable off

6. Open port 443 on firewall

Add exclusion rule to firewall:

iptables -I INPUT 5 -i eth0 -p tcp --dport 443 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

Save all rules into iptables configuration file:

service iptables save

Restart iptables service:

service iptables restart

7. [Optional] Force HTTPS for all traffic except internal call events

Create file /etc/httpd/conf.d/miarec-ssl.conf:

vi /etc/httpd/conf.d/miarec-ssl.conf

Copy/paste the following content into this file:

NameVirtualHost *:80
<VirtualHost *:80>
    RewriteEngine on
    RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} !^127.0.0.1/notify
    RewriteRule ^/(.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [NC,R=301,L]
</VirtualHost>

Reload Apache:

service httpd reload

What is "127.0.0.1/notify" in the rewrite rule? MiaRec uses internally the HTTP protocol for sending call event notifications from recorder engine to a web portal. The above rewrite rule will force HTTPS for all web traffic except internal communication between recorder and web portal.

8. Restart Apache

service httpd restart