---
description: How to generate a CSR, the first step in adding SSL to your site
---

# Generating a CSR

## What is a CSR?

CSRs have the information that is needed to request the SSL certificate from the CA (certificate authority). This information isn’t made public.

## Where do I get a CSR from?

A CSR can be generated many different ways, and there are many tools online that allow you to request one. In this tutorial, we will be using the CSR generator that's built into the CPanel. A hosting service is required from us in order to access the CPanel

## Generating the CSR

### Finding the generator

Assuming that you already have a hosting service with us, please open the CPanel and select the "SSL/TLS" option, in the "Security" panel.

![Select SSL/TLD](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FJaGkt4oFiDgTiO7i0QQu%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=b7df3705-fadd-46a2-873b-6b9ebd1f748f)

If you do not have a hosting service with us active yet, or do not know how to access the CPanel, you can learn how to do so here

{% content-ref url="../hosting/create-a-hosting-service" %}
[create-a-hosting-service](../hosting/create-a-hosting-service)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="../hosting/manage-your-hosting-service" %}
[manage-your-hosting-service](../hosting/manage-your-hosting-service)
{% endcontent-ref %}

Afterward, select the domain or subdomain you wish to configure SSL for.

![Select the domain you wish to configure](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FBMPjRcwx8EEcISq8nJ9Q%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=901a712e-9e06-474b-a51b-a801160a99c0)

Press the "Generate Key / CSR" button.

![Press the "Generate Key / CSR" button](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2F5OKCU6GqWeHiq8Mn0Oyv%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=f0bae52f-c619-48bc-9242-ab527fe14394)

### Filling out information

Next, follow the prompts to fill out the information needed to generate the CSR, and press the "Generate Key" button after finished. Unless you share the CSR (as it can be decrypted), the information used to generate the CSR is kept private and is only used by the CA to generate your certificate.

![Fill out the information accordingly](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FePIEzqN191jWKfkflwUe%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=151fa491-ac9e-41bd-864c-577fa1de57f0)

### Finishing

After finishing generating the CSR, a private key is also generated. The private key is what verifies that you own the website.

![Private key and CSR](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FpTcGJ7GDSlyHtooIYAQd%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=08039d64-1aea-4f5e-9618-a4f893ed51ec)

{% hint style="danger" %}
**KEEP THE PRIVATE KEY SECURED, AND DO NOT SHARE IT WITH ANYONE.** Otherwise, others would be able to impersonate and spoof your websites. In the case that you lose the private key, you will have to re-generate the certificate.
{% endhint %}

![As mentioned in the CPanel, you will have to regenerate the certificate if you lose the private key.](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FRc86eJnYpca4ZTp7KTOJ%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=741149ca-36d2-4930-838c-6c060fa0ae10)

## Using the CSR to Generate an SSL Certificate

Now that you have a CSR, you can go on to the next step, generating an SSL certificate. Gilect offers a free SSL tool, which is documented here:

{% content-ref url="creating-an-ssl-certificate" %}
[creating-an-ssl-certificate](creating-an-ssl-certificate)
{% endcontent-ref %}
