A method of automatic generation of app-specific client certification on a host computing device having a host operating system, the method comprising: receiving a request to install, modify a permission of, or launch a packaged application in the host operating system, the packaged application containing both a web server and a corresponding web client; and in response to receiving the request: automatically generating, with the web server, data representing a server certificate and a client certificate for the web client; storing the generated server and client certificates (110a, 110b) in a private memory allocated by the host operating system to the packaged application, the private memory being accessible only by the web server and the web client; upon completion of generating the server and client certificates (110a, 110b), activating, by the web server, the web client in the packaged application; and during activation of the web client, retrieving, by the web client, a copy of the stored client certificate from the private memory, and authenticating the web client to the web server with the retrieved copy of the stored client certificate and authenticating the web server to the web client using a copy of the stored server certificate to reduce a risk of unauthorized access to the web server by another web client executing on the host computing device. receiving a request to install, modify a permission of, or launch a packaged application in the host operating system, the packaged application containing both a web server and a corresponding web client; and in response to receiving the request: automatically generating, with the web server, data representing a server certificate and a client certificate for the web client; storing the generated server and client certificates (110a, 110b) in a private memory allocated by the host operating system to the packaged application, the private memory being accessible only by the web server and the web client; upon completion of generating the server and client certificates (110a, 110b), activating, by the web server, the web client in the packaged application; and during activation of the web client, retrieving, by the web client, a copy of the stored client certificate from the private memory, and authenticating the web client to the web server with the retrieved copy of the stored client certificate and authenticating the web server to the web client using a copy of the stored server certificate to reduce a risk of unauthorized access to the web server by another web client executing on the host computing device. automatically generating, with the web server, data representing a server certificate and a client certificate for the web client; storing the generated server and client certificates (110a, 110b) in a private memory allocated by the host operating system to the packaged application, the private memory being accessible only by the web server and the web client; upon completion of generating the server and client certificates (110a, 110b), activating, by the web server, the web client in the packaged application; and during activation of the web client, retrieving, by the web client, a copy of the stored client certificate from the private memory, and authenticating the web client to the web server with the retrieved copy of the stored client certificate and authenticating the web server to the web client using a copy of the stored server certificate to reduce a risk of unauthorized access to the web server by another web client executing on the host computing device.