This guide shows you how to install OpenSSL 4.1 on Ubuntu 24.04 from source. You’ll install the build tools, verify the download, compile and test OpenSSL, and configure trusted CA certificates. The setup keeps OpenSSL 4.1 separate from Ubuntu’s system version. You’ll also check the installed libraries and test a TLS connection to confirm everything works.
1. Check Ubuntu and your current OpenSSL
Run these commands as a normal user with sudo access:
cat /etc/os-release uname -m
/usr/bin/openssl version -a apt-cache policy openssl
Confirm that /etc/os-release shows:
VERSION_ID="24.04"
Keep /usr/bin/openssl in place. The new installation will use:
/opt/openssl-4.1.0/bin/openssl
Installing into a separate prefix follows OpenSSL’s documented approach for avoiding conflicts with system applications and libraries.
