Local SSL
Introduction to Local SSL
Many of today’s plugins require you to have SSL enabled in order to function. This can create issues in local environments because a registered certificate with the domain name is required in order to for a site to have true SSL security.
With the local SSL plugin enabled, web browsers will see the local site as secure allowing for all functionality of plugins that require SSL to be installed.
Installing Local SSL
The Local SSL plugin will ONLY work with versions 3.9.1 and above. It is included in the install package for both Limited and Premium versions. However, the latest release can be downloaded here. Once downloaded, decompress and place the “local-ssl” directory and files in the ds-plugins directory (On Windows, you will find this under c:\xampplite, and on Mac, “Applications\xampp) To activate it:
- Select “Stop or restart the web and database services.” [ Next > ]
- Under the Enable Developer Plugins, check the Local SSL checkbox
- Select “Restart the web and database services.” [ Next > ]
- [ Next > ] to return to the main menu.
Using Local SSL
With Local SSL enabled as a plugin, your site will now open up as an encrypted page with the “lock” depicted next to the URL to indicate that the page is secure.
On some browsers (such as Firefox) the key is not stored in the operating system but in their own storage. You will be presented with a “Your connection is not secure”.
Click the Open Menu button on the far right of the browser. Click the Preferences link on Mac or the Options menu on Windows.
Next click the Privacy & Security link.
Next click the Privacy & Security link.
Click the [ View Certificates… ] button
Click the [ Import… ] button and browse to your ds-plugins folder
Then the local-ssl folder
Select the ServerPressCA.crt file and [ Open ]
Check the box for “Trust this CA to identify websites.” [ OK ]
You will only have to do this one time.