Enabling Mutual TLS (mTLS) in a Node.js Server
Enabling Mutual TLS (mTLS) in a Node.js Server In the previous post, we covered how to call an mTLS-protected API from Node.js . In this guide, we flip the perspective and configure Node.js as the server that requires client certificates. This setup is common for: Internal enterprise APIs Service-to-service communication Zero-trust architectures OpenShift / Kubernetes workloads By the end of this post, your Node.js server will: Accept only TLS connections Require valid client certificates Reject unauthorized clients automatically Expose client identity information to your app How Mutual TLS Works (Server Perspective) When mTLS is enabled: The client connects over HTTPS The server presents its certificate The client presents its certificate Both sides verify each other against trusted CAs Node.js can enforce all of this at the TLS layer, before your application code even runs. Required Certificate Files A Nod...