After an SSL certificate is installed, a secure connection (https://) is not forced by default, and a website remains accessible via regular insecure http:// bypassing SSL/TLS protocols. It means that a website visitor may send sensitive data over an unencrypted channel unless he/she explicitly specifies https:// as a protocol he/she would like to use for connection.
Thanks to HTTP to HTTPS redirection, a visitor requesting to initiate an unencrypted (http://) session will be automatically redirected to an encrypted one (https://) secured by SSL/TLS protocol.
- Install the 'URL Rewrite' module
- Re-open (if opened) 'IIS Manager' and select the website you would like to apply the redirection to in the left-side menu.
- Double-click on the 'URL Rewrite' icon
- Click 'Add Rule' on the right-side menu
- Select 'Blank Rule' > 'OK'
- Enter the rule name of your choice
- In the 'Match URL' section:
- select 'Matches the Pattern' in the 'Requested URL' drop-down menu;
- select 'Regular Expressions' in the 'Using' drop-down menu;
- enter the following pattern in the 'Match URL' section: '(.*)' ;
- check the box 'Ignore case'
- In the 'Conditions' section select 'Match all' in the 'Logical Grouping' drop-down menu and click 'Add'
- In the prompted window:
- enter '{HTTPS}' as a condition input
- select 'Matches the Pattern' from the drop-down menu
- enter '^OFF$' as a pattern
- Click 'OK'
- In the 'Action' section select 'Redirect' as an action type and specify the following for 'Redirect URL':
https://{HTTP_HOST}/{R:1}
- Check the box 'Append query string'.
- Select a Redirection Type of your choice
- Click on 'Apply' on the right side of the 'Actions' Menu.