Installing an EV SSL Certificate on Microsoft Exchange 2010

Securing your Microsoft Exchange 2010 server with an Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate is crucial for ensuring encrypted and trustworthy communication. This guide provides a step-by-step process to install an EV SSL certificate on Microsoft Exchange 2010, from preparing your server with the necessary files to enabling the certificate for use.

In this article, we will discuss:

Before You Get Started
SSL Certificate Installation
Review

Before You Get Started

To follow this process, you need to have the ZIP file with your order OR your Exchange Certificate, which may be yourDomain_com.crt (or .cer).

These files must be present on your Exchange Server to follow these instructions.

You should receive your certificate from us, a file typically named your_domain_com.crt, and the CA bundle file containing the intermediate certificates, typically named either dv_chain.txt, ov_chain.txt, or ev_chain.txt, and downloadable from your SSL control panel.

SSL Certificate Installation

Now, you can follow these instructions to copy the file(s) you received to the server:

To start the Exchange Management Console, go to Start then go to Programs. Locate Microsoft Exchange 2010 and then Exchange Management Console.
Go to Server configuration by clicking the link to Manage Databases.
Select your certificate from the menu using the center button of the screen (friendly name specified during the CSR generation process).
Click the link in the Actions menu (located on the far right) to Complete Pending Request.
Find your certificate file, click Open, then Complete.
To enable your certificate to be used, go to the Server Configuration and click the link to Assign Services to Certificate (far right section). As an alternative, you can right-click on your certificate and select Assign Services to Certificate.
Choose your server from the list provided, then click Next.
Select the services you want to enable with your new certificate, then click Next, Assign, and Finish.

SSL certificate is installed and enabled for use with Exchange!

Note: Often, Microsoft® Exchange 2010 will show an error message stating, "The source data is corrupted or not properly Base64 encoded when completing the Pending Request." This error is incorrect and can be ignored. If you use an ISA server in front of your Exchange server(s), you will need to export the certificate from Exchange onto the ISA server and import it. When doing so, you must include the entire certificate chain.

Review

By successfully installing an EV SSL certificate on your Microsoft Exchange 2010 server, you have taken a significant step towards enhancing the security and trustworthiness of your email communications. This process not only ensures encrypted data transmission but also provides a higher level of validation, reassuring your users of the authenticity of your server. With these measures in place, you can confidently manage your email services, knowing that you have fortified your system against potential threats.

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