SSL Certificates and HTTPS with ELB

Securing web communications with SSL/TLS and HTTPS is important for the AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) exam. These protocols ensure that data exchanged between web servers and browsers remains private and tamper-proof. Services like Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) and AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) heavily rely on these security measures.

Elastic Load Balancers use SSL/TLS protocols to manage and secure encrypted traffic between clients and our backend services. ELB can handle the encryption and decryption, taking the load off our servers. When a client tries to connect, ELB’s security policies dictate which SSL/TLS protocols and ciphers are allowed, ensuring a secure handshake.

SSL certificate fundamentals

An SSL certificate is a website’s digital identity, allowing browsers and servers to establish an encrypted, secure connection. Each certificate is tied to a specific domain name, ensuring that users are connecting to the authentic site and not an imposter. Certificates are issued and validated by trusted organizations called Certificate Authorities (CAs), such as DigiCert or Let’s Encrypt.

Inside an SSL certificate is a public key. During the TLS handshake, our browser uses this public key to encrypt sensitive data before sending it. Only the server with the corresponding private key can decrypt this information. This public-private key pair is fundamental to secure communication.

SSL certificates also have a validity period. Certificates issued through AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) are generally valid for 13 months and automatically renewed if the domain validation remains. This automation simplifies certificate management for us.

AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)

AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) simplifies the entire life cycle of SSL/TLS certificates by automating their provisioning, deployment, and renewal. This service integrates smoothly with other AWS offerings like Elastic Load ...