☁️ Cloud Networking Project
✅ Web Server Provisioned Successfully
Welcome! This Apache web server was automatically provisioned via an EC2 User Data script. It serves as the foundational lab environment for exploring cloud networking concepts.
Active Virtual Host: ptacek.hopto.org
Next Steps: The Importance of HTTPS
Currently, this site is being served over standard HTTP (Port 80). In modern cloud architecture, securing this traffic by upgrading to HTTPS (Port 443) is a critical requirement. Here is why:
- Encryption in Transit: HTTPS encrypts the connection between the client's browser and this EC2 instance, preventing attackers from eavesdropping on sensitive data.
- Data Integrity: It ensures that the data transferred between the server and the client has not been tampered with or corrupted during transit.
- Authentication: SSL/TLS certificates verify the identity of the server, protecting users from man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks.
Lab Exercise: Use Let's Encrypt (Certbot) to provision a free TLS certificate for this domain to secure the traffic.