Howto: Linux Dovecot Secure IMAPS / POP3S SSL Server configuration

Q. How do I configure Dovecot IMAPS and POP3s server using SSL certificate? Can I use SSL certificates generated for Postfix mail server?

A. Dovecot is an IMAP server for Linux/UNIX-like systems, written with security primarily in mind. It also contains a small POP3 server. It supports mail in either of maildir or mbox formats.

You need to enable POP3s and IMAPS. Open default configuration file:
# vi /etc/dovecot.conf
Make sure POP3S and IMAPS are enabled:
protocols = imaps pop3s

Next you must set PEM encoded X.509 SSL/TLS certificate and private key. They're opened before dropping root privileges, so keep the key file unreadable by anyone but root (see how create certificate CSR and configure certificates for Postfix):
ssl_cert_file = /etc/postfix/ssl/smtp.theos.in.crt
ssl_key_file = /etc/postfix/ssl/smtp.theos.in.key

If key file is password protected, give the password using ssl_key_password directive:
ssl_key_password = myPassword

Save and close the file. Restart Dovecot server:
# /etc/init.d/dovecot restart

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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

1 Sureshkumar 12.24.08 at 12:46 pm

Hi vivek gite ,
did you configure was very nice, go through that configuration
then how can write .fetchmailrc entry poll from gmail mail server using pop3s
what should be entry for .fetchmailrc is this configuration ?
Example :
poll pop.gmail.com
uidl
proto pop3s
auth password
user “linux@multivistaglobal.com”
pass “linux”
is linux
keep

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