Learn how to resolve the fatal error initializing mod_ssl error in Apache. Our Apache Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

Apache fatal error initializing mod_ssl | Resolved

Setting up an SSL certificate for our Ubuntu server with Apache 2 plays a key role in securing our website’s data transmission.

However, sometimes we may run into errors during this process like this one:

AH02311: Fatal error initializing mod_ssl

Or

SSL Library Error: error:0B080074:x509 certificate routine

Today, we are going to take a closer look at these errors and put together a few troubleshooting tips:

Before we begin, we have to make sure the certificates are in the right order as seen here:

SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/certificate.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl/private.key
SSLCACertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/intermediate.crt


1. First, we have to check our SSL configuration in Apache is correct. Any misconfiguration can lead to these errors.
2. Then, we have to purge Apache by uninstalling and reinstalling it as seen here:

   sudo apt-get purge apache2
sudo apt-get install apache2

3. Next, we have to reload the modules:

   sudo systemctl apache2 restart
4. After that, we have to reboot the server.
5. Then, recheck if the Apache configuration is correct, with this command:

   apachectl configtest
6. Now, restart Apache for the changes to take effect.
7. Finally, check the status of the Apache service to make sure there are no errors:

   sudo systemctl status apache2.service

Troubleshooting Tips

We have to remember the following points while working with SSL configuration in Apache to avoid errors:

1. The default SSL configuration files often contain dummy values. So we have to fill in the entire section with the correct values for our website to avoid errors.
2. We can validate our configuration files and identify fatal errors by running this command in the apache\bin folder:

   httpd -t
3. Furthermore, make sure the Apache setup includes two blocks for each website: one for HTTP and another for HTTPS configuration. We have to make sure the secure block includes SSL-related directives and uses port 443.
4. As soon as we enable the mod_ssl module, Apache will load the httpd-ssl.conf file. So, we have to make sure our SSL configuration is correct.

Let us know in the comments if you need further help with the errors.

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Conclusion

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to resolve the fatal error initializing mod_ssl error in Apache.