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SSL and Encryption

SSL/TLS is the encryption layer that protects data in transit between your visitors, the Cloudflare edge, and your origin server. Cloudflare provides free SSL for every domain, making HTTPS accessible without managing certificates yourself.

Why This Matters

Without HTTPS, data between your users and your server is sent in plain text — visible to anyone on the network. Cloudflare makes HTTPS automatic and free.

How Cloudflare SSL Works​

Cloudflare sits between your visitors and your origin server, handling two separate encrypted connections:

flowchart LR
    USER["Visitor\n(Browser)"] -->|"1. HTTPS\n(Cloudflare cert)"| EDGE["Cloudflare Edge"]
    EDGE -->|"2. HTTPS\n(Origin cert)"| ORIGIN["Your Origin\nServer"]

    style EDGE fill:#f6821f,color:#fff,stroke:#e5711e
    style USER fill:#2563eb,color:#fff,stroke:#1e40af
    style ORIGIN fill:#6b7280,color:#fff,stroke:#4b5563
ConnectionCertificateManaged By
Visitor ↔ Cloudflare EdgeUniversal SSL (free, auto-issued)Cloudflare
Cloudflare Edge ↔ OriginOrigin certificate or Let's EncryptYou (or Cloudflare Origin CA)

What You Will Learn​

LessonWhat It Covers
SSL/TLS and Universal SSLEncryption modes, Universal SSL, and certificate management
Post-Quantum CryptographyQuantum-resistant encryption on Cloudflare's network

Prerequisites​

  • Domain added to Cloudflare with proxied DNS records (Module 1)