title: Ansible winrm_server_cert_validation HTTPS security
body: <p>I am using Ansible on a Linux computer connecting to a windows 8.1 embedded computer. It's able to connect with username and password over the HTTPS port 5986, but I need to specify the option:<br>
  ansible_winrm_server_cert_validation=ignore<br>
  The ansible documentation specifies:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>The following is necessary for Python 2.7.9+ (or any older Python that
    has backported SSLContext, eg, Python 2.7.5 on RHEL7) when using
    default WinRM self-signed certificates:</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>The windows computer has an SSL listener that was configured with Self-SignedCertificates from the powershell script:<br>
  <a href="https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/examples/scripts/ConfigureRemotingForAnsible.ps1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/examples/scripts/ConfigureRemotingForAnsible.ps1</a><br>
  My question is that if I'm ignoring server cert validation, does that compromise the encryption that HTTPS is supposed to provide? or is server cert validation just a separate process of HTTPS?  </p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>