How to Install an SSL Certificate on Outlook Web Access (OWA)?

Microsoft’s Internet Information Services (IIS), is a web server that is responsible for handling traffic of Outlook Web Access (OWA). Hence, if you desire or want to install Secure Sockets Layer certificates on Outlook Web Access, you need to install them on the Internet Information Services web server. Follow the step-by-step process!

What is an SSL Certificate & Why It is Needed?

A Secure Sockets Layers, a.k.a SSL certificate, is an encoded block of text (hosted within the webpage’s origin server) that digitally ties a cryptographic key to an organization’s details.

An SSL cert is issued by a trusted CA (Certificate Authority), once it has successfully and thoroughly validated and verified the CSR.

Using an SSL cert, a website can activate the HTTPS protocol. This protocol is needed to secure the transmission of data between web servers and clients’ browsers. An SSL certificate comes with trust indicators like a padlock icon and an additional “S” in the URL address bar. These trust indicators boost the website’s visitors’ trust.

The details that are typically included within SSL certificates are:

• Public key 
• Certificate Authority’s digital signature
• Associated subdomains
• The issuance date of the certificate
• Domain name for which the SSL cert was issued
• Name of Certificate Authority that issued it
• The expiry date of the SSL cert
• Name of the institution, device, or individual it was allocated to, etc.

How to Install Certificates on Outlook Web Access?

Follow the steps mentioned below to install certificates on Outlook Web Access:

• From Administrative Tools, open Internet Services Manager.
• Expand Properties for the site hosting Outlook Web Access.
• Click on the Directory Security tab.
• Click on the Server Certificates option.
• The Pending Certificate Request page will appear.
• On the Pending Certificate Request page, click on the radio button placed in front of the Process the pending request and install the certificate option.
• Click Next.
• The Process a Pending Request page will appear.
• On the Process a Pending Request page, click the Browse button.
• Navigate to the site certificate that you got or received.
• Click Next.
• The Certificate Summary page will appear.
• On the Certificate Summary page, review all the information.
• Click Next.
• Install the Intermediate Certificate.
• SSL certificate is now installed on the website.

Now that the SSL certificate has been installed on the website, let’s go through the steps to enable SSL cert for Outlook Web Access

How to Enable SSL Certificate for Outlook Web Access?

Follow the steps mentioned below to enable SSL cert for Outlook Web Access (OWA):

• From Administrative Tools, open Internet Services Manager.
• The Internet Service Manager window will appear.
• In the Internet Service Manager window, open Properties for the Exchange virtual directory.
• Click on the Directory Security tab.
• Under the Secure Communication section, click the Edit button.
• The Secure Communication dialog box will appear.
• In the Secure Communication dialog box, check the checkbox placed in front of the Require Secure Channel (SSL) option.
• Check the checkbox placed in front of the Require 128-bit encryption option. (If the browser does not support 128 bit encryption, it won’t be able to connect to Outlook Web Access)
• Verify that the Firewall is set up to allow HTTPS.

Kudos!! You have successfully installed the certificate on Outlook Web Access.