Everyone understands the critical importance of website security, right? We trust you're nodding along because it's paramount and a top priority for us here at PromoHosts. Regrettably, we have news to share: one of the cornerstone tools in our security toolkit will no longer be supported in our services. The FleetSSL (also known as the Let’s Encrypt tool) plugin for cPanel is deprecated and will not receive further updates. Consequently, we must discontinue its use to uphold our commitment to your security. Quite ironic, isn’t it?
But it’s not all doom and gloom! AutoSSL is stepping up to take its place. From May onwards, the Let’s Encrypt tool within cPanel will no longer be accessible. However, Let’s Encrypt certificates will still be available! Moving forward, cPanel's AutoSSL feature will handle the issuance and renewal of these certificates. Let’s Encrypt remains our default SSL certificate provider for AutoSSL, ensuring continuity for all existing certificates.
Now, let’s delve deeper into what these changes mean in the coming weeks and get acquainted with AutoSSL.
What Was FleetSSL?
FleetSSL was a highly reliable and convenient cPanel plugin designed for installing Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates are widely recognized for their reliability and, best of all, they are completely free. Many of our customers knew FleetSSL as the Let’s Encrypt tool within cPanel.
It was an excellent tool that made issuing SSL certificates effortless. However, as of September 2023, development of the FleetSSL plugin has ceased and it will no longer receive updates. While the plugin has managed to function with newer versions of cPanel thus far, it’s time to bid farewell. Using such an outdated plugin not only poses a security risk but could also lead to conflicts with newer cPanel versions.
That being said, the plugin will remain operational throughout April and will be removed from our services on May 1st. Rest assured, we will continue to provide free and reliable SSL certificates through an alternative: AutoSSL.
AutoSSL Taking Over
If you’ve read the linked announcement, you already understand why FleetSSL is being discontinued. The developers of FleetSSL have acknowledged that AutoSSL now provides comparable functionalities, rendering their own plugin obsolete. While we are saddened to bid farewell to FleetSSL, we are also pleased to see AutoSSL recognized within the online community as a reliable tool for issuing certificates.
What is AutoSSL?
AutoSSL is an efficient solution for installing SSL certificates that comes integrated with every cPanel or WHM. It was introduced back in cPanel/WHM version 58, and we are currently on version 120. Over time, AutoSSL has undergone numerous improvements and updates, making it one of the most effective ways to automate SSL certificate installation on your websites.
In essence, AutoSSL is a feature within cPanel/WHM that automatically checks your domains for SSL certificates. If a certificate is not present, it installs one seamlessly from a designated vendor without requiring any manual intervention.
