Contents
1. Obtain a certificate (Let's Encrypt)
1.1 advance preparation
1.Enable mod_ssl
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# a2enmod ssl |
2.Package management system Snappy installed
Since the SSL certificate issuing tool "certbot" of Let's Encrypt is recommended to be installed using "snap" after 2021, install Snapd first
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# apt -y install snapd |
Bring snapd version up to date
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# snap install core core 16-2.61.4-20250626 from Canonical✓ installed # snap refresh core snap "core" has no updates available |
Version Check
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# snap --version snap 2.68.3-3+b2 snapd 2.68.3-3+b2 series 16 debian 13 kernel 6.12.57+deb13-amd64 |
1.2.certbot package install
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# snap install --classic certbot certbot 5.1.0 from Certbot Project (certbot-eff✓) installed |
Create symbolic link to /snap/bin/certbot
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# ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot |
Confirmation
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# ls -la /usr/bin/certbot lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 17 Nov 22 12:05 /usr/bin/certbot -> /snap/bin/certbot # ls -la /snap/bin/certbot lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 Nov 22 12:05 /snap/bin/certbot -> /usr/bin/snap |
1.3 Obtain a Let's Encrypt Certificate
It is assumed that a web server such as Apache httpd or Nginx is running.
If the web server is not running on the server where the work is to be performed, follow the procedure below under "Obtaining a Let's Encrypt certificate when the web server is not running".
It is also assumed that the server on which the work is to be performed (the server with the FQDN of the server from which you want to obtain the certificate) is accessible from the Internet at port 80.
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# certbot certonly --webroot -w /var/www/html/[FQDN] -d [FQDN] |
#First time only, you must register your e-mail address and agree to the Terms of Use Specify an e-mail address that can receive your messages.
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Saving debug log to /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log Enter email address or hit Enter to skip. (Enter 'c' to cancel): [mail address] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please read the Terms of Service at: https://letsencrypt.org/documents/LE-SA-v1.5-February-24-2025.pdf You must agree in order to register with the ACME server. Do you agree? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Y)es/(N)o: y - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Would you be willing, once your first certificate is successfully issued, to share your email address with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a founding partner of the Let's Encrypt project and the non-profit organization that develops Certbot? We'd like to send you email about our work encrypting the web, EFF news, campaigns, and ways to support digital freedom. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Y)es/(N)o: y Account registered. Requesting a certificate for [FQDN] Successfully received certificate. Certificate is saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/[FQDN]/fullchain.pem Key is saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/[FQDN]/privkey.pem This certificate expires on 2026-02-20. These files will be updated when the certificate renews. Certbot has set up a scheduled task to automatically renew this certificate in the background. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you like Certbot, please consider supporting our work by: * Donating to ISRG / Let's Encrypt: https://letsencrypt.org/donate * Donating to EFF: https://eff.org/donate-le - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
「Successfully received certificate.」
The following certificate is obtained under [/etc/letsencrypt/live/[FQDN]/] as described in the message
# cert.pem
#chain.pem
# fullchain.pem
# privkey.pem
Obtaining a Let's Encrypt certificate when the web server is not running
It is a prerequisite that the server on which the work is to be performed is accessible from the Internet at port 80.
#Use the simple Web server function by specifying [--standalone].
# -d [FQDN from which you want to obtain a certificate]
FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) : Hostname. Domain name without abbreviation
# If there are multiple FQDNs for which you want to obtain certificates, specify multiple -d [FQDNs for which you want to obtain certificates]
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# certbot certonly --standalone -d [FQDN] |
1.4 Automatic renewal of certificates (Let's Encrypt)
①Pre-registration testing
First, test the automatic renewal using the following --dry-run option. With this option, the certificate is not renewed, but only the operation is tested, so there is no need to worry about being caught by the limit on the number of times a certificate can be obtained.
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# certbot renew --dry-run Saving debug log to /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Processing /etc/letsencrypt/renewal/[FQDN].conf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Account registered. Simulating renewal of an existing certificate for [FQDN] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Congratulations, all simulated renewals succeeded: /etc/letsencrypt/live/[FQDN]/fullchain.pem (success) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
②When you install the snap version of certbot, the automatic certificate renewal function is also installed.
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# systemctl list-timers | less NEXT LEFT LAST PASSED UNIT ACTIVATES Sat 2025-11-22 12:39:00 JST 27min Sat 2025-11-22 12:09:20 JST 2min 14s ago phpsessionclean.timer phpsessionclean.service Sat 2025-11-22 13:09:00 JST 57min - - snap.certbot.renew.timer snap.certbot.renew.service Sun 2025-11-23 00:00:00 JST 11h Sat 2025-11-22 09:16:58 JST 2h 54min ago dpkg-db-backup.timer dpkg-db-backup.service Sun 2025-11-23 00:00:00 JST 11h Sat 2025-11-22 09:16:58 JST 2h 54min ago locate.timer locate.service Sun 2025-11-23 00:14:07 JST 12h Sat 2025-11-22 09:41:37 JST 2h 29min ago logrotate.timer logrotate.service Sun 2025-11-23 01:16:10 JST 13h Sat 2025-11-22 10:05:07 JST 2h 6min ago apt-daily.timer apt-daily.service Sun 2025-11-23 01:38:27 JST 13h Sat 2025-11-22 10:05:07 JST 2h 6min ago man-db.timer man-db.service Sun 2025-11-23 03:10:45 JST 14h Fri 2025-11-21 11:40:17 JST - e2scrub_all.timer e2scrub_all.service Sun 2025-11-23 06:58:14 JST 18h Sat 2025-11-22 09:48:37 JST 2h 22min ago apt-daily-upgrade.timer apt-daily-upgrade.service Sun 2025-11-23 09:32:37 JST 21h Sat 2025-11-22 09:32:37 JST 2h 38min ago systemd-tmpfiles-clean.timer systemd-tmpfiles-clean.service Mon 2025-11-24 00:35:39 JST 1 day 12h Fri 2025-11-21 11:40:17 JST - fstrim.timer fstrim.service |
snap.certbot.renew.timer is registered
Check the unit file for snap.certbot.renew.timer
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# vi /etc/systemd/system/snap.certbot.renew.timer [Unit] # Auto-generated, DO NOT EDIT Description=Timer renew for snap application certbot.renew Requires=snap-certbot-5057.mount After=snap-certbot-5057.mount X-Snappy=yes [Timer] Unit=snap.certbot.renew.service OnCalendar=*-*-* 11:50 OnCalendar=*-*-* 13:09 [Install] WantedBy=timers.target |
According to the above settings, it will attempt to update at 11:50 and 13:09 every day as specified in the OnCalender parameter (however, the set time will change randomly for each update).
Check the unit file snap.certbot.renew.service
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# vi /etc/systemd/system/snap.certbot.renew.service [Unit] # Auto-generated, DO NOT EDIT Description=Service for snap application certbot.renew Requires=snap-certbot-5057.mount Wants=network.target After=snap-certbot-5057.mount network.target snapd.apparmor.service X-Snappy=yes [Service] EnvironmentFile=-/etc/environment ExecStart=/usr/bin/snap run --timer="00:00~24:00/2" certbot.renew SyslogIdentifier=certbot.renew Restart=no WorkingDirectory=/var/snap/certbot/5057 TimeoutStopSec=30 Type=oneshot |
However, the web server that uses the certificate will not be restarted, so set up a script that will run automatically after the update
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# vi /etc/letsencrypt/renewal-hooks/post/web_restart.sh #!/bin/bash systemctl restart apache2 |
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# chmod 755 /etc/letsencrypt/renewal-hooks/post/web_restart.sh |
2. SSL/TLS (Let's Encrypt) configuration for Apache2
①Edit Apache2 SSL-related configuration files
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# cd /etc/apache2/sites-available/ # cp default-ssl.conf vhost-ssl.conf ← vhost-ssl can be any name # vi vhost-ssl.conf # Line 2:Administrator address change ServerAdmin [Administrator Email Address] # Line 4:change DocumentRoot /var/www/html/[FQDN]/ # Line 12,13:change ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/<FQDN>.error.log CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/<FQDN>.access.log combined # Lines 31,32: comment out and add below SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/<FQDN>/cert.pem SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/<FQDN>/privkey.pem # Line 43:Uncomment and change to the chain file SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/<FQDN>/chain.pem |
②Reflecting and activating the configuration file
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# a2ensite vhost-ssl.conf Enabling site vhost-ssl. To activate the new configuration, you need to run: systemctl reload apache2 # Default Disable # a2dissite default-ssl.conf # systemctl restart apache2 |
③http to https redirect
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# a2enmod rewrite |
Add to the virtual host configuration file "vhost.conf"
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# cd /etc/apache2/sites-available/ |
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# vi vhost.conf <VirtualHost *:80> RewriteEngine on ←Add RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off ←Add RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L] ←Add ~omission~ ServerName <FQDN> ServerAdmin <administrator E-mail address> DocumentRoot /var/www/html/<FQDN>/ ~omission~ ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/<FQDN>.error.log CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/<FQDN>.access.log combined ~omission~ </VirtualHost> |
④Reflection of settings and startup
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Restart Apache # systemctl restart apache2 |
https port open with ufw
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# ufw allow https # ufw reload |
3. SSL/TLS (Let's Encrypt) settings on the mail server
3.1 Obtaining a certificate for the mail server
Obtain a certificate for the mail server, but it cannot be obtained in the same way as above, so the following with the "--standalone" option fails.
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# certbot certonly --standalone -d mail.<domain name> |
If I stop the web server once and then do it, it succeeds as follows
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# systemctl stop apache2.service # certbot certonly --standalone -d mail.<domain name> |
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Saving debug log to /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log Requesting a certificate for mail.[domain] Successfully received certificate. Certificate is saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.[domain]/fullchain.pem Key is saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.[domain]/privkey.pem This certificate expires on 22026-02-20. These files will be updated when the certificate renews. Certbot has set up a scheduled task to automatically renew this certificate in the background. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you like Certbot, please consider supporting our work by: * Donating to ISRG / Let's Encrypt: https://letsencrypt.org/donate * Donating to EFF: https://eff.org/donate-le - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
3.2 Postfix Configuration
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# vi /etc/postfix/main.cf # Add to the last line smtpd_use_tls = yes smtp_tls_mandatory_protocols = !SSLv2, !SSLv3 smtpd_tls_mandatory_protocols = !SSLv2, !SSLv3 smtpd_tls_cert_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.<domain name>/fullchain.pem smtpd_tls_key_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.<domain name>/privkey.pem smtpd_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtpd_scache |
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# vi /etc/postfix/master.cf # Per Line 19-22 : Some comments removed submission inet n - y - - smtpd -o syslog_name=postfix/submission # -o smtpd_forbid_unauth_pipelining=no # -o smtpd_tls_security_level=encrypt -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes # Add to last line smtps inet n - y - - smtpd -o syslog_name=postfix/smtps -o smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes |
3.3 Dovecot Configuration
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# vi /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-ssl.conf # Line 6:confirmation ssl = yes # Line 18,20:Change (certificate/key file specification) ssl_server_cert_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.[domain]/fullchain.pem ssl_server_key_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.[domain]/privkey.pem |
※Please note that starting with Dovecot 2.4.1, the format for specifying certificate paths has changed, and the previous "<" symbol is no longer used.
Allow Port 587
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# ufw allow 587/tcp # ufw reload |
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# systemctl restart postfix dovecot |
3.4 Thunderbird Settings
Incoming server
Port : 143
Connection security : STARTTLS
Authentication method : Normal password

Sending server
Port : 587
Connection security : STARTTLS
Authentication method : Normal password


