Updating SSL Certificates

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)

SSL is a protocol that establishes a secure connection between a web server and a browser. It uses a small data file, known as an SSL certificate, which binds a cryptographic key to an organization's details.

This enables secure transactions, data transfers, and logins by encrypting the communication, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential and protected from interception.

How to check SSL expiration date

You can check the SSL expiration date directly in the browser by clicking the icon before the website address - Connection is secure - Show certificate

Here you can check the issue date and the expiration date of your certificate:

If your SSL-certificate has expired, the browser typically warns you that the website is not secure

SSL - Management & Responsibility

We would like to clarify the responsibilities concerning certificate management in our services.

There are two types of certificates in use:

1. IMC-owned certificates

2. Customer-owned certificates

For each type, the renewal responsibility lies with the respective owner. Certificate authorities typically notify the owner when a certificate is nearing expiration.

1. IMC-owned Certificates

At IMC, we run monitoring scripts that regularly check the validity status of IMC-owned certificates. These scripts help us identify, if a certificate is approaching its expiry and we start the renewal process.

2. Customer-owned Certificates

Without this, we cannot ensure a timely update on our systems and the browser will show a message that your website is not secure.

IMC does not issue SSL certificates, but updates them on servers, requiring you to generate and provide new certificates.

The SSL certificate is being issued for your domain(s). Your IT department or the person who manages the domain should have access to the tools that allow generating a new certificate.

Ways of Providing Certificates to IMC

There are three common ways of providing certificates to IMC:

1. CSR file
   IMC’s hosting department can generate a CSR File on demand, that the customer can use for certificate generation.

2. PFX (Personal Information Exchange) file
   you can upload the certificate as one file in PFX-format (including a private key) or specifying a password

3. Certificate files with private keys
   you can provide a certificate with the private key (in .crt, .cer, .cert, .pem format)

1. CSR (Certificate Signing Request) File

A CSR file is the file that’s being generated by IMC’s hosting department. It provides all the information needed for a certificate generation on customer’s side.

For imc to create a CSR, the following information is required:

• Country (C) e.g., Germany

• State or Province Name (ST) e.g., Bavaria

• Locality (L) e.g., Munich

• Organisational Unit: e.g., IT

• Organisation Name (O) e.g., Customer Name

• Common Name (CN) e.g., lms.customer.com

• Root Length

• Signature Algorithm

We are referring to the following fields that do not change if you simply updating the expired certificate:

2. PFX (Personal Information Exchange) file

Providing a certificate in PFX format is another way of providing the updated certificate. This way of providing the certificate can be considered as faster because you do not need to contact support team that contacts hosting team in order to get a CSR file required for a certificate generation.

At the same time, it is less secure as you need to provide a password for PFX file.

You can simply provide a certificate in PFX format along with the password and our hosting team will update the certificate on the server.

The PFX file should be generated by your IT administrator or appropriate person who manages domains/certificates in your organization.

3. Certificate files with private keys (in .crt, .cer, .cert, .pem format)

In this case the customer (customer’s IT department or appropriate person) provides certificate files with the private keys required for this certificate to the Support Team via Service Desk Request ticket.

After that the request is being forwarded to the hosting team, who´s responsible for the installation of updated certificates.

Typically, customers send several files in a zipped file. The structure/file names can be different, however at least one file should contain a certificate and another file should have a private key.

How to request the renewal of your SSL certificate?

• Please submit a Service Desk Ticket of type Request with the required SSL certificates (CSR File, PFX file with a password, or certificate files with private keys)

• Support Team will ask our Hosting Department to update the certificates on the servers. This will be done directly and implies no downtime.

• As soon as the certificates were updated, our Support Team will get back to you within the Service Desk Ticket and the Status of the ticket will be updated to “RESOLVED”.