PHP Scripts Communicating with HTTPS Servers

PKI Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟PHP Scripts Communicating with HTTPS Servers

This chapter provides tutorial notes and example codes on writing PHP scripts communicating with HTTPS servers. Topics include configuring the OpenSSL module; using file_get_contents(), fopen(), fsockopen() and stream_socket_client() functions with OpenSSL; setting 'verify_peer' SSL context option to verify server's certificates; concatenating multiple CA certificates in a single PEM file; Adding CA certificates.

Configuring PHP OpenSSL on Windows

Testing OpenSSL with file_get_contents()

OpenSSL Configuration Errors

SSL Context Options for OpenSSL

Asking OpenSSL to Verify Server's Certificate

OpenSSL Failing to Verify Server's Certificate

Multiple CA Certificates in a Single File

Testing OpenSSL with fopen()

Testing OpenSSL with fsockopen()

Adding CA Certificates for the PHP Engine

Testing OpenSSL with stream_socket_client()

Conclusions:

OpenSSL is a PHP module that allows you to write PHP scripts to communicate with HTTPS servers.
OpenSSL works behind other networking functions like file_get_contents(), fopen(), fsockopen() and stream_socket_client() to support HTTPS and other secure protocols.
OpenSSL does not verify server's certificate by default.
OpenSSL verifies server's certificate only when the "verify_peer" SSL context option is defined.
Multiple CA certificates can be specified through the "cafile" SSL context option in a single PEM formatted file.
Trusted CA certificates can be added to the PHP Engine in the file path specified as openssl.capath in the php.ini file.