How to https to local system over ssh tunnel? - ssh

Question

I found a trick to tunnel http over ssh to my local computer.
https://www.maketecheasier.com/reverse-ssh-tunnel-allow-external-connections/
I use a web server running Apache on my local computer, but want to access it from outside without using port forwarding but using a VPS. The reason is I use a mobile device (i.e. laptop, but can also be a cellphone) as a web server.
Assumed the local device has port 8080 as http port and the VPS uses another port (e.g. standard 80). This command on my local computer (macOS, Linux or even Android device using Termux) works:
ssh -R 80:127.0.0.1:8080 root#VPS
When I access the VPS by http://VPS I access the web interface of my local computer. Fine. That works.
But I want to access it via https by
ssh -R 443:127.0.0.1:8443 root#VPS
and install a Letsencrypt certificate. Can I do that on the VPS or should I do that on the local device and enable ssl.conf and use 8443 as secure port ?
Then I want to access my device via the VPS over https://VPS.
Is that possible ?

Answer 1

I found the answer.
I found this approach:
Apache ssl.conf:
<VirtualHost *:443>
SSLEngine on
DocumentRoot /var/www/html/test/
ServerName my.example.com
LogLevel Debug
Include whitelist.conf
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/ssl-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/ssl-access.log combined
SSLCertificateFile /root/.acme.sh/my.example.com/fullchain.cer
SSLCertificateKeyFile /root/.acme.sh/my.example.com/my.example.com.key
# SSLCertificateChainFile /root/.acme.sh/my.example.com/fullchain.cer
SSLProxyEngine On
ProxyRequests Off
# NON SSL access to be redirected to https://my.example.com:443
ProxyPass / http://my.anotherdomain.com:81/
ProxyPassReverse / http://my.anotherdomain.com:81/
# RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
# RewriteRule (.*) https://%{SERVER_NAME}$1 [R,L]
</VirtualHost>
This redirects my device non-SSL port 8080 to the VPS (my.example.com:81)
ssh -p 22 -R 81:192.168.0.7:8080 root#myVPS -N
Or on the device itself I can run in Termux:
ssh -p 22 -R 81:127.0.0.1:8080 root#myVPS -N
That makes my device SSL accessible using the certificates of my.example.com via VPS host.