Once your SSL certificate is approved, you are provided with the downloadable ZIP containing certificate and bundle .crt files which are used while installing SSL certificate on your domain.
The most common problem that struck all new SSL users is retrieving a private key. When installing SSL certificate from cPanel or WHM, you are asked for three things:
- Certificate: (CRT)
- Private Key: (KEY)
- Certificate Authority Bundle: (CABUNDLE)
You can copy paste first and third point information from certificate and bundle files you get inside download ZIP file of your SSL certificate.
Now for second point i.e. Private Key, it is nowhere else but on your server. You already have it, the second thing you did in this process was to generate a CSR i.e. Certificate Signing Request from the key pair which was generated in the first, from cPanel’s SSL & TLS -> Private Keys section.
Now you have a signed certificate, and you still have the original key pair in your server’s cPanel.
So now to obtain back your private key, simply login to your cPanel, click SSL & TLS icon from ‘Security’ section and then click ‘Generate, view, upload, or delete your private keys.’ link.
Now click ‘View & Edit’ button in-front of the key, copy the code and use it while installing SSL certificate.