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Interview Question
Your production website is suddenly showing SSL errors for users. How do you troubleshoot and fix this?
Key Points to Cover
- Check certificate expiration date with openssl or browser
- Confirm cert chain validity and intermediate certs
- Renew/redeploy cert with proper secret management
- Test across browsers/devices post-fix
- Implement automation for renewal
Evaluation Rubric
Verifies cert validity/expiration30% weight
Explains renewal/redeployment30% weight
Tests across clients post-fix20% weight
Mentions automation/prevention20% weight
Hints
- 💡Look at Let’s Encrypt automation.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Forgetting to check the certificate expiration date first.
- ⚠️Overlooking the importance of the intermediate certificate chain.
- ⚠️Assuming the issue is purely certificate-related without checking server configuration.
- ⚠️Not considering recent infrastructure changes as a potential cause.
- ⚠️Failing to verify the integrity of the private key and its secure management.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓How would you monitor certificates?
- ❓What happens with clock skew?
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