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Configure the Web Server for SSL

Secure HTTPS communication is required for all EmpowerID components, including the EmpowerID Web application and administrative tools such as Workflow Studio. HTTPS ensures encrypted traffic and proper identity verification using SSL/TLS certificates.

Before users can authenticate through a browser or Workflow Studio, the EmpowerID Web Server must present an SSL certificate that:

  • Matches the server’s DNS name
  • Is trusted by the connecting client (browser or application)

This article describes how to configure SSL for EmpowerID using a self-signed certificate created in IIS. This method is intended only for internal or testing environments.

Use Self-Signed Certificates With Caution

Self-signed certificates should be used only in test environments or internal domains.
For production or public-facing systems, always use a certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).

Configure SSL Using a Self-Signed Certificate

Follow the steps below on the server hosting the EmpowerID Web application:

  1. Open IIS Manager
    Launch Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager on the EmpowerID Web Server.

  2. Open the Server Certificates feature
    In the Connections pane, select the server node (not an individual site) and double-click Server Certificates.
    Server Certificates icon

  3. Create a self-signed certificate
    In the Actions pane, click Create Self-Signed Certificate.
    Create Self-Signed Certificate action

  4. Assign a friendly name
    Enter a descriptive name (e.g., EmpowerIDTestCert) and click OK.
    Create Self-Signed Certificate window

  5. Open site bindings
    Select Default Web Site (or the site where EmpowerID is hosted).
    In the Actions pane, click Bindings.
    Site Bindings action

  6. Add an HTTPS binding
    In the Site Bindings window, click Add.
    Add binding button

  7. Select the certificate
    In the Add Site Binding dialog:

    • Set Type to https
    • Select the self-signed certificate you created from the SSL certificate drop-down

    The dialog should look similar to:
    Add HTTPS binding

  8. Confirm the new binding
    Click OK to save the binding.

  9. Close the bindings window
    Click Close to complete the configuration.

Result

After completing these steps, the EmpowerID Web Server will accept secure HTTPS connections using the self-signed certificate. This allows encrypted communication during testing and internal use. For production environments, replace the self-signed certificate with a CA-issued certificate to ensure full browser trust and secure authentication.