Error: A “Not secure” message after installing an SSL certificate in ADManager Plus

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Issue description

Even after installing an SSL certificate in ADManager Plus, your browser might still display a “Not secure” message or a certificate warning when you access the console via HTTPS. This article walks you through why this happens and how to resolve it.

Possible causes

  • An untrusted certificate authority (CA): The browser doesn’t recognize or trust the CA that issued the SSL certificate.
  • An incomplete certificate chain: Intermediate or root certificates are missing from the installation.
  • A Common Name (CN) or Subject Alternative Name (SAN) mismatch: The URL you're using doesn’t match the CN or SAN in the certificate (e.g., accessing https://localhost when the certificate is issued to admanager.yourdomain.com).
  • An expired or self-signed certificate: The certificate has expired or is self-signed and is not added to the browser or system trust store.
  • Access via HTTP: You may still be using an unsecured HTTP URL instead of HTTPS.

Prerequisites

  • A valid SSL certificate (issued by a trusted CA or internal CA)
  • Admin access to the ADManager Plus server
  • Access to the keystore used for certificate importing

Resolution

Step 1: Confirm the SSL certificate installation

Ensure the certificate is installed in the correct location:

  1. Open the server.xml file located under ADManager Plus\conf\.
  2. Verify that the correct keystore file and password are referenced.
  3. Use tools like SSL Labs, SSL Checker, or OpenSSL to validate the certificate chain.

Step 2: Use the right access URL

  1. Always access ADManager Plus using the exact hostname or fully qualified domain name (FQDN) listed in the certificate’s CN or SAN.
  2. Avoid using localhost or the server’s IP address in the browser.

Step 3: Install intermediate certificates

  1. Download the complete certificate chain from your CA.
  2. Import the root and intermediate certificates into the Java KeyStore or your browser’s trust store.

Step 4: Restart the server

  1. After making SSL-related changes, restart ADManager Plus using the Start console to apply the updates.

Tips

  • For external access, use certificates issued by a public CA for broad trust compatibility.
  • If using an internal CA, ensure the root certificate is trusted on all client machines.
  • Always access the product via https://your-fqdn:port to avoid warnings.
  • Keep SSL certificates renewed and updated before expiration.

How to reach support

If the issue persists, contact our support team here.