There are many times I have needed a secure SSL/TLS connection to access web resources but do not want to buy a SSL/TLS certificate. Creating a self-signed SSL/TLS certificate helps streamline the process of accessing the secure resource by removing the annoying security message on your browser. When you connect to a self-signed SSL/TLS connection you will be given to option to allow the certificate for all future sessions. Now when you connect to your secure resource there will be no extra steps to gain access.
To create a self-signed SSL/TLS certificate for secure HTTPS connections with Apache there are four steps:
The following steps outline how to create a self-signed SSL certificate and use it to secure an OpenLDAP LDAP installation. The OpenLDAP server is configured to allow only SSL connections for increased security.