Boost Website Security with CloudFlare's Free SSL

Learn how to easily secure your website with CloudFlare's free SSL certificate. Discover the benefits, limitations, and steps to enable Flexible SSL or upgrade to Full Encryption for maximum protection.

What You'll Get

CloudFlare offers a convenient way to add an SSL certificate to your website and enhance security. Here’s what you receive:

  • Free Universal SSL: CloudFlare automatically issues a free, shared SSL certificate to all websites added to their platform.
  • Flexible SSL Mode: This mode encrypts traffic between your visitors and CloudFlare's servers, providing a basic level of security.

Limitations

  • Shared Certificate: The free certificate is not unique to your website and is shared among other CloudFlare users.
  • Not End-to-End Encryption: While data is encrypted between visitors and CloudFlare, the communication from CloudFlare to your origin server (hosting provider) remains unencrypted in Flexible mode.

Enabling Flexible SSL

  1. Create a free CloudFlare account and add your website.
  2. Login to your CloudFlare dashboard and select your website.
  3. Navigate to the "Crypto" tab.
  4. Under "SSL," select "Flexible" from the dropdown menu.

For Full End-to-End Encryption

CloudFlare offers two options for full encryption:

  • CloudFlare Origin Certificate: This is a free, self-signed certificate issued by CloudFlare for encrypting the connection between CloudFlare and your server. You'll need to install the certificate on your hosting server.
  • Dedicated SSL Certificate: You can purchase a dedicated SSL certificate from CloudFlare or a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) for a higher level of trust and validation.

Generating a CloudFlare Origin Certificate

  1. In the "Crypto" tab, under "Origin Certificates," click "Create Certificate."
  2. Keep the default settings (unless you have a private key and CSR).
  3. Click "Next" to view the generated CSR and private key.
  4. Save the certificate (.crt) and private key (.key) files.
  5. Install these files on your hosting server to enable full encryption.

Important Notes

  • Installing the CloudFlare Origin certificate requires technical expertise on your hosting server.
  • Consider the limitations of a self-signed certificate (browser may display warnings).
  • For a more trusted solution and complete browser compatibility, explore dedicated SSL certificates.

Additional Resources