HTTP to HTTPS - Secure your Website with SSL for Free from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Understand why ssl is important.
Understand how ssl works.
Migrate an http wordpress website to https
Use autossl if it is enabled on the host.

Setup redirects so google will know the site has moved, and visitors will automatically be redirected to the secure https webpage.
Secure the wordpress dashboard, so those that login always have a secure connection.
Check that ssl is working on all pages on a website.
Find and fix mixed content.

Understand why ssl is important.
Understand how ssl works.
Migrate an http wordpress website to https
Use autossl if it is enabled on the host.
Setup redirects so google will know the site has moved, and visitors will automatically be redirected to the secure https webpage.
Secure the wordpress dashboard, so those that login always have a secure connection.
Check that ssl is working on all pages on a website.
Find and fix mixed content.

Syllabus

Setup an account on Cloudflare and add website(s)

Introduction

In this video, I'll introduce myself, and what you can expect from this course.

SSL, TLS, confused? This lecture explains what SSL is, and why you should implement it on your site.

Since version 58 of cPanel, AutoSSL has been available to web developers. This lecture shows you how to check if your cPanel is up-to-date.

This lecture explains a little bit more about how SSL works.

If your web host has AutoSSL enabled, you may already have an HTTPS version of your site available to you. This video looks at how you can check.

So, with AutoSSL enabled, my sites now have both HTTP and HTTPS versions. This is not a great idea and I'll explain why in this lecture

This lecture quickly goes through the type of web host you need for this course..

Taking backups of your Wordpress website is something we all should be doing on a regular basis. That is especially true before any major work is done on a site.

I am going to ask you to install Cloudflare on your site, so this video explains why. I've been using it for years as a CDN to speed up my web page load times, and lower site downtime, but there are other great reasons to use this free tool.

This lecture will show you a simple view of how Cloudflare works as a proxy.

Let's create a Cloudflare account so we can start benefiting from this free tool.

In this tutorial, we'll add a website that we are going to want to convert to HTTPS.

Some web hosts work closely with CloudFlare. If yours does, then you can access some of Cloudflare's features from within your cPanel. All you need to do is connect your Cloudflare account with your cPanel. We'll do that in this lecture.

To take full advantage of Cloudflare, you need to change the DNS at your registrar so that your site is now served directly from Cloudflare (which communicates with your web host).

We've talked about certificates in this course, and edge certificates in the last lecture. Let me explain what these are and what they are for.

This tutorial should consolidate your understanding of SSL certificates and how they exert levels of security on a website.

For full SSL (strict), you need a certificate on your server. This lecture will show you how you can setup a free certificate using Cloudflare.

For those that have AutoSSL configured on their server, but want to remove AutoSSL, this lecture shows you how to exclude your domain from AutoSSL.

If you have a certificate installed on your server that you want to remove, e.g. the one created by AutoSSL, then this lecture shows how to remove those certificates, so we can generate our own Origin certificate in Cloudflare.

Let's create a free origin certificate for our website using Cloudflare.

Let's install the origin certificate on our web server.

When we log into the Wordpress Dashboard, we want the connection to be secure, so this lecture shows you how to force the secure HTTPS connection.

We want to get rid of the old insecure http version of every page on the site. This lecture will take you through the steps.

If the dashboard does lock you out of a secure login, then this lecture explains how to reinstate the insecure login until you can find the issue.

Just a quick video of the WP Fastest Cache Issue.

With the website conversion largely done, we need to check the site for SSL issues. We will use a few different sites to check for issues, but the most important of these spiders your site to check all pages for SSL.

Mixed content causes problems by making otherwise secure pages, insecure. It is important to find and fix this mixed content, and fortunately it's quite easy. This lecture shows how to find and fix mixed content.

This lecture shows a real example of finding and fixing mixed content on a website. I have attached a text file resource to this lecture that includes the URLs of the free tools I use in the video.

Sometimes it's "impossible" to fix the mixed content. For example, it may come from a plugin that has not been updated, so the resources used by that plugin are insecure. I had this issue on one of my sites with a plugin that I wanted to keep, simply because there was no viable alternative. This is where a plugin can help.

Do you have a robots.txt file?

Have you disavowed links to your site?

Don't forget to check any links you may have hard coded in your site.

If you use Google Analytics, you might want to go in and change properties to the HTTPS prefix, but it is not essential.

If you use Google Search Console, you need to go in and add the HTTPS version of your site. Google sees the HTTP and HTTPS versions as separate sites. By adding it to search console, you'll be making sure Google knows about your "move".

This lecture shows a complete run-through of the entire process, from adding the site to Cloudflare, to installing certificates and creating redirects.

If you decide to use AutoSSL, you may find that you get emails suggesting a problem with certificate renewal. I get this on some domains constantly. Although it usually does finally auto-update, it can be a stressful time. This lecture shows you how easy it is to "upgrade" to a different certificate.

This lecture is a list of all resources mentioned in this course.

Career center

Learners who complete HTTP to HTTPS - Secure your Website with SSL for Free will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Web Developer

A Web Developer is responsible for building, maintaining, and updating websites, ensuring they are functional, secure, and user-friendly. This course provides crucial, hands-on knowledge for any aspiring or practicing Web Developer, focusing on a fundamental aspect of modern web security. It details the process of migrating a website from HTTP to HTTPS, including setting up SSL certificates, managing DNS with Cloudflare, and resolving mixed content issues. By mastering these skills, a Web Developer can significantly enhance website trust, improve search engine rankings, and protect visitor data, making them highly effective in delivering secure web solutions.

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Full-Stack Developer

A Full Stack Developer possesses expertise across both front-end and back-end web development, designing, building, and maintaining entire web applications. This course strengthens a Full Stack Developer's understanding of foundational security layers, particularly the implementation of SSL/TLS. It walks through practical steps like integrating Cloudflare for content delivery and security, installing origin certificates, and managing DNS, all vital components of a robust web infrastructure. Mastering these details in securing websites from HTTP to HTTPS is integral to delivering comprehensive, secure, and high-performing web solutions.

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SEO Specialist

An SEO Specialist focuses on optimizing websites to rank higher in search engine results, driving organic traffic and improving online visibility. The course directly addresses a critical ranking factor: website security via HTTPS. An SEO Specialist will learn the importance of SSL for Google rankings and how to implement it effectively, including setting up redirects and updating Google Search Console properties after an HTTPS migration. This ensures that a site maintains its search equity and signal to search engines that it is a secure and trustworthy resource, which is paramount for achieving top search engine optimization performance.

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Ecommerce Specialist

An Ecommerce Specialist manages and optimizes online stores, focusing on maximizing sales, customer experience, and transactional security. For an Ecommerce Specialist, the course content is vital, as securing an online store with HTTPS is non-negotiable for building customer trust and protecting sensitive payment information. This course equips learners with the practical skills to migrate an ecommerce site to HTTPS, set up SSL certificates, and troubleshoot security issues. This knowledge is essential for ensuring that customers feel safe making purchases, thereby reducing cart abandonment and fostering loyalty in the competitive world of online retail.

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Website Administrator

A Website Administrator oversees the operational health, performance, and security of websites, ensuring continuous availability and a trusted user experience. For a Website Administrator, this course is highly relevant, providing a practical, step-by-step guide to securing websites with SSL. Learners will gain expertise in identifying and resolving “Not Secure” warnings, implementing free SSL certificates, configuring Cloudflare for enhanced security and speed, and updating crucial elements like Google Analytics and Search Console. This comprehensive understanding of HTTPS migration and ongoing security maintenance is indispensable for safeguarding websites and their visitors.

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Internet Marketing Consultant

An Internet Marketing Consultant advises businesses on their online strategies, focusing on improving web presence, visibility, and customer acquisition. This course is exceptionally relevant for an Internet Marketing Consultant as it provides a deep dive into website security, a critical factor for online credibility and search engine performance. The ability to guide clients through securing their websites with SSL, addressing “Not Secure” warnings, and leveraging services like Cloudflare significantly enhances a consultant's value proposition, ensuring clients' online platforms are trustworthy, performant, and optimized for strategic growth.

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Digital Marketing Specialist

A Digital Marketing Specialist plans and executes online marketing campaigns, focusing on user engagement, lead generation, and brand reputation. This course is highly beneficial for a Digital Marketing Specialist because website security directly impacts user trust and conversion rates, and HTTPS is now a foundational element of a credible online presence. Understanding how to secure a website with SSL, leveraging Cloudflare for performance, and addressing security warnings ensures that marketing efforts land on a trustworthy platform, preventing potential customers from being deterred by security alerts and enhancing overall campaign effectiveness.

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Online Business Manager

An Online Business Manager handles the day-to-day operations of an internet-based business, including its technical infrastructure, marketing, and customer service. For an Online Business Manager, this course is highly valuable as website security is paramount for maintaining customer trust and operational integrity. The course provides the practical skills to ensure their business's website is secure with HTTPS, explaining how to install SSL, utilize Cloudflare for performance and protection, and manage the technical aspects of migration. This knowledge empowers them to safeguard their online assets and ensure a reliable, trustworthy platform for their customers.

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User Experience Designer

A User Experience Designer focuses on making products and services easy, enjoyable, and efficient for users. This course is especially helpful for a User Experience Designer because website security directly impacts a user's perception of trustworthiness and safety. A site displaying “Not Secure” warnings creates significant friction and distrust, undermining the entire user experience. Understanding the technicalities of SSL implementation and how to ensure a secure connection means a designer can advocate for and implement design choices that uphold user confidence and seamlessly integrate security, contributing to a superior overall user journey.

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Web Content Manager

A Web Content Manager is responsible for the content strategy, creation, and publication on websites, ensuring information is accurate, engaging, and accessible. For a Web Content Manager, this course is beneficial because the security status of a website directly impacts how users perceive and interact with its content. A “Not Secure” warning can deter visitors, regardless of content quality. Understanding the process of migrating to HTTPS, how SSL works, and fixing mixed content issues, ensures that the content they manage is always delivered on a trusted and secure platform, which is crucial for maintaining audience engagement and the website's overall reputation.

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Technical Project Manager

A Technical Project Manager oversees the planning, execution, and delivery of technical projects, coordinating teams and ensuring project goals are met. This course may be helpful for a Technical Project Manager by providing a clearer understanding of the technical intricacies involved in website security projects, specifically migrating sites to HTTPS. Knowing the steps for SSL certificate installation, Cloudflare integration, and common challenges like mixed content detection allows a project manager to better define scope, estimate timelines, and anticipate potential roadblocks, leading to more efficient project execution and informed decision-making for web-related initiatives.

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DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer bridges development and operations, automating software delivery and infrastructure management, often with a focus on reliability and security. This course may be useful for a DevOps Engineer to understand the practical, hands-on aspects of secure socket layer implementation for web applications. While a DevOps role typically involves more complex infrastructure, the principles of certificate management, DNS configuration via Cloudflare, and ensuring secure communication channels are fundamental. The course provides a solid, accessible foundation in managing external CDN services and configuring application-level security, which can inform broader system architecture decisions.

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IT Support Specialist

An IT Support Specialist provides technical assistance and troubleshooting for computer systems, networks, and software applications. This course may be useful for an IT Support Specialist who frequently encounters website-related issues, particularly those concerning security warnings and website accessibility. Understanding how HTTP to HTTPS migrations are performed, how SSL certificates function, and how to identify and fix common problems like “mixed content” provides an IT Support Specialist with specific, actionable knowledge. This allows them to more effectively diagnose and resolve user or client complaints related to website security and performance.

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Junior System Administrator

A Junior System Administrator supports the maintenance, configuration, and reliable operation of computer systems and servers. This course may be useful for a Junior System Administrator as it provides practical experience with essential website security and performance configurations, particularly regarding SSL certificates and CDN integration with Cloudflare. While not covering the full breadth of system administration, the hands-on process of setting up and troubleshooting HTTPS, managing server certificates, and understanding DNS changes are valuable skills that directly contribute to ensuring the secure and efficient operation of web-facing systems under their purview.

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Cyber Security Analyst

A Cyber Security Analyst protects an organization's computer systems and networks from cyber threats, detecting vulnerabilities and responding to incidents. This course may be useful for a Cyber Security Analyst as it provides a practical, real-world understanding of a fundamental application-layer security protocol: SSL/TLS. While the role typically encompasses a much broader range of security domains, understanding the mechanics of how websites secure their connections from HTTP to HTTPS, including certificate management and CDN integration like Cloudflare, can enhance one's ability to assess web application security postures and identify common misconfigurations or vulnerabilities within web environments.

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