Implementing a Custom SSL Context for Secure HTTPS requests in Python urllib3

Last update on September 03 2025 11:33:31 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

Write a Python program that implements a custom SSL context for handling specific SSL configurations.

Sample Solution:

Python Code :

 # Import necessary libraries
import urllib3
import ssl

# Create a custom SSL context with specific configurations
custom_ssl_context = ssl.create_default_context()
# Set custom SSL options if needed (e.g., disable SSL verification)
# custom_ssl_context.options &= ~ssl.OP_NO_SSLv3

# Create a urllib3 PoolManager with the custom SSL context
http = urllib3.PoolManager(cert_reqs='CERT_REQUIRED', ssl_context=custom_ssl_context)

# Define the URL for the HTTPS request
url = 'https://www.example.com'  # Replace with the actual URL

# Make an HTTPS GET request using the custom SSL context
try:
    response = http.request('GET', url)
    
    # Check if the request was successful (status code 200)
    if response.status == 200:
        print("Request Successful:")
        print(response.data.decode('utf-8'))
    else:
        print(f"Error: Unable to fetch data. Status Code: {response.status}")

except urllib3.exceptions.RequestError as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

# Clear the urllib3 connection pool
http.clear()

Sample Output:

Request Successful:
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Example Domain</title>

    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
    <style type="text/css">
    body {
        background-color: #f0f0f2;
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
        font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
        
    }
    div {
        width: 600px;
        margin: 5em auto;
        padding: 2em;
        background-color: #fdfdff;
        border-radius: 0.5em;
        box-shadow: 2px 3px 7px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.02);
    }
    a:link, a:visited {
        color: #38488f;
        text-decoration: none;
    }
    @media (max-width: 700px) {
        div {
            margin: 0 auto;
            width: auto;
        }
    }
    </style>    
</head>

<body>
<div>
    <h1>Example Domain</h1>
    <p>This domain is for use in illustrative examples in documents. You may use this
    domain in literature without prior coordination or asking for permission.</p>
    <p><a href="https://www.iana.org/domains/example">More information...</a></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Explanation:

Here's a brief explanation of the above Python urllib3 library code:

Import Libraries: Import the necessary libraries, including "urllib3" for making HTTP requests and "ssl" for creating a custom SSL context.
Create Custom SSL Context: Use ssl.create_default_context() to create a custom SSL context. You can set additional SSL options within the 'custom_ssl_context' variable, based on your specific requirements.
Create urllib3 PoolManager: Create an instance of "urllib3.PoolManager" with the custom SSL context. The cert_reqs='CERT_REQUIRED' parameter enforces certificate verification.
Define Request URL: Specify the URL for the HTTPS request. Replace 'https://www.example.com' with your actual URL.
Make HTTPS Request: Use the "http.request" method to make an HTTPS GET request to the specified URL. Handle the response accordingly, checking for a successful status code (200).
Exception Handling: Catch and handle "urllib3.exceptions.RequestError" exceptions that might occur during the request.
Clear Connection Pool: After making the request, clear the urllib3 connection pool using "http.clear().

Flowchart:

Flowchart: Implementing a Custom SSL Context for Secure HTTPS requests in Python urllib3.

Python Code Editor :

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