# How do I host secure web pages (https) on a MacOS X 5.8 box

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-host-secure-web-pages-https-on-a-macos-x-5-8-box/577002>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 3, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-host-secure-web-pages-https-on-a-macos-x-5-8-box/577002 "2011-04-03T02:37:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-host-secure-web-pages-https-on-a-macos-x-5-8-box/577002/1 "2011-04-03T02:37:59Z")

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I use a testbed server and host a few low-traffic web pages. I need to set one up as a secure connection. The computer acting as server is running MacOS X 10.5.8 and the web server is the built-in Apache web server that it came with.

Nothing obvious leaps out at me. Is there a prefspane option or a setting that I engage somewhere, or is it a messier process involving installing additional software packages, or what?

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-host-secure-web-pages-https-on-a-macos-x-5-8-box/577002/2 "2011-04-03T05:47:28Z")

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Luckily the stock Apache comes with SSL support, but you’ll have to do a little tweaking in httpd.conf to get it turned on. You’ll also need to generate an RSA keypair, an SSL certificate for your server, and self-sign the cert using your own certificate authority. (Assuming you don’t already have a properly signed SSL certificate. If you do, you can probably use that.)

Apple has a surprisingly [detailed tutorial](http://developer.apple.com/internet/serverside/modssl.html) on setting it up.

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**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-host-secure-web-pages-https-on-a-macos-x-5-8-box/577002/3 "2011-04-04T02:14:52Z")

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Here are [instructions](https://trac.macports.org/wiki/howto/MAMP) for doing the same with Macports, if that’s what you’re using.