I have a basic nginx home server setup which i use Client certificates to allow outside access. I have followed this guide to get everything setup which works as expected:
https://gist.github.com/rkaramandi/20a04a41536f3d7e6d2f26b0b9605ab6
in summary:
openssl genrsa -aes256 -out ca.privkey 4096
openssl req -new -x509 -days 365 -key ca.privkey -out ca.crt
openssl genrsa -aes256 -out bobs-ipad.privkey 4096
openssl req -new -out bobs-ipad.csr -key bobs-ipad.privkey
openssl x509 -req -days 365 -in bobs-ipad.csr -CA ca.crt -CAkey ca.privkey -set_serial 100 -out bobs-ipad.crt
openssl pkcs12 -export -clcerts -in bobs-ipad.crt -inkey bobs-ipad.privkey -out bobs-ipad.p12
Also openssl pkcs12 -in bobs-ipad.p12 -out bobs-ipad.pem -nodes to generate a pem file as well.
And in nginx config:
ssl_client_certificate <path>/ca.crt;
# ssl_crl <path>/ca.crl;
ssl_verify_client optional;
...
location / {
if ($ssl_client_verify != SUCCESS) {
return 403;
}
I am able to access the server from outside and only signed certificates on the client machine allow access.
However if one of the signed certificates were to be compromised i'd have to re-generate the CA and re-distribute the new signed client certificates. I understand that a CRL file can be used to revoke certificates using ssl_crl <path to crl>; in the nginx config but i am not sure to generate this using the guide i followed.
A command like this can be used openssl ca -gencrl -keyfile ca.privkey -cert ca.crt -out ca.crl
But this relies on a configuration file with an index of the certificates i believe?
Is there anyway of using a command like the above to input a (or list of) pem or p12 client certificate(s) -in bobs-ipad.pem that i want to revoke?
If not perhaps i need to start again and have a config with index file to then -revoke the certificates and re-generate the crl file.
Thanks in advance,
Richard
It doesn't seem like this is possible. I have found some other guides to get this working with a configuration file (and generating a new CA): https://arcweb.co/securing-websites-nginx-and-client-side-certificate-authentication-linux/
https://www.djouxtech.net/posts/nginx-client-certificate-authentication/
As I don't know the openssl command's arguments by heart, I am used to referring to the same SO answer whenever I need to create self-signed certificates (for testing environments). The command looks like:
openssl req -x509 -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout mysite.key -out mysite.crt -days 365
And it usually works, for instance on my current Ubuntu 15.10. Today I'm on a fresh install of Debian Jessie and it doesn't. Apache warns at startup that:
[ssl:warn] [pid 1040] AH01906: www.mysite.com:443:0 server certificate is a CA certificate (BasicConstraints: CA == TRUE !?)
I looked for a solution to the problem and found an answer in a linux forum stating that the following should be used instead:
openssl genrsa -des3 -passout pass:x -out mysite.pass.key 2048
openssl rsa -passin pass:x -in mysite.pass.key -out mysite.key
openssl req -new -key mysite.key -out mysite.csr
openssl x509 -req -days 365 -in mysite.csr -signkey mysite.key -out mysite.crt
And it's true, this way the Apache warning disappears.
As far as I understand, this creates a passphrase-protected key, then removes the passphrase, then creates a CSR, then generates the certificate with both the CSR and the key.
So the question is: what does this longer version do that the shorter doesn't, and why is it necessary in some cases (like today for me)?
Short way (e.g. with OpenSSL 1.1.0f and Apache 2.4.37):
openssl genrsa -out notEncodedPk.key 3072
openssl req -new -out website.csr -sha256 -key notEncodedPk.key
openssl x509 -req -in website.csr -days 365 -signkey notEncodedPk.key -out website.cert -outform PEM
genrsa generates a 3072 bit RSA-Key. (The system should be online for some time to have good data in /dev/(u)random for seeding.) There is no need to generate an encrypted PK (1) and then use rsa to remove the password afterwards. (Maybe earlier versions of the tools required a password?)
req creates the certificate signing request and uses the PK for the signature. Providing something like -sha256 for the digest is optional. (3) Provide your infos in the interactive questionare. Ensure to put your site domain in "Common name:", otherwise the Apache will throw a warning (AH01909) and browsers will throw an "invalid certificate" message because the URL/domain does not match the certificate data (2). Leave "A challange password:" empty.
Use x509 to create a self-signed certificate with -signkey (the subject is copied to issuer). Normally the command works on certificates but with -req it accepts a CSR as an input. Then use your PK for signing the certificate. (-outform and -days are optional, with 30 days as the default value for the latter.)
Problem source:
As user207421 already stated: req creates a CSR OR it creates a self-signed root-CA-like certificate, therefore the typical tutorial tip
openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:3072 -sha256 -keyout website.key -out website.cert
is short but normally not what you want. You can also compare created certificates with
openssl x509 -text -noout -in website.cert
In the certificate, created with the single-line command, you see a section "X509v3 extensions:" with "X509v3 Basic Constraints: critical CA:TRUE". This is exactly the Apache warning message.
Instead, if you create the certificate with the three steps, the "X509v3 extensions:" section is not included into the certificate.
Appendix:
(1) Securing the PK with a password is a good idea in most cases. If the PK is stored without encryption, make sure to restrict access to root. If you use a password, you have to use the -passout/-passin options, but be aware that a simple "x" does not work anymore because some OpenSSL tools require at least 4 characters (otherwise: "result too small/bad password read"). Additionally in Apache you have to use something like SSLPassPhraseDialog buildin to manually enter the required password for the PK (or even for all PKs/certs) during Apache startup.
(2) Anyway, browsers will display a warning for self-signed certificates.
(3) Using SHA-1 would be inadequate for such a large RSA-key. In general, it is a good idea to review your openssl.conf, e.g. in Debian 9 in /etc/ssl/openssl.conf, which contains various defaults, for example signer_digest = sha256.
In the Debian 9 file, you also find in the [req] section a line x509_extensions=v3_ca and this is the reason, why the req command in combination with the -x509 option adds the CA-related extension (basicContraints=critical,CA:true), if used in the single-line style to create a self-signed certificate.
Addidionally you might notice a comment-line # req_extensions=v3_req. Because this line is commented out (in Debian 9 default openssl.cnf), the simple usage of the req command does not include any extensions.
Note that you might use this line in a modified file to add Subject Alternative Name's to the certificate, e.g. so it can handle multiple (sub-)domains (normally a much better choice than using e wildcard in CN, e.g. *.example.com).
complete CA and SSL creation / setup help:
I created my own CA cert and used it to load into browser (as CA authority) and sign my self-created SSL cert for my Apache_on_ubuntu website.
steps:
generate my CA private key:
# openssl genrsa -des3 -out /etc/ssl/private/myCA.key 2048
generate root certificate: *****send myCA.pem to all desktop/client browsers.
# openssl req -x509 -days 5475 -new -nodes -key /etc/ssl/private/myCA.key -sha256 -out /etc/ssl/certs/myCA.pem
Install the root CA in firefox. (cp myCA.pem to windows box)
in firefox: options -> privacy_&_security -> view_certificates -> certificate_manager -> Authorities -> import
Creating CA-Signed Certificates for Your Sites
4.1: create website private key:
# openssl genrsa -out /etc/ssl/private/www.mywebsite.com.key 2048
4.2: create website CSR: Note: answers don’t need to match the CA cert ans.
# openssl req -new -key /etc/ssl/private/www.mywebsite.com.key -out /etc/ssl/private/www.mywebsite.com.csr
4.3: Create config file: config file is needed to define the Subject Alternative Name (SAN) extension. "method to match a domain name against a certificate – using the available names within the subjectAlternativeName extension"
# vi /etc/ssl/private/www.mywebsite.com.ext
...............I have not used the ext file option.....(for hosting multiple SSL sites and certs on same host)
4.4: Create the certificate:
# openssl x509 -req -in /etc/ssl/private/www.mywebsite.com.csr -CA /etc/ssl/certs/myCA.pem -CAkey /etc/ssl/private/myCA.key -CAcreateserial -out /etc/ssl/certs/www.mywebsite.com.crt -days 5475 -sha256
create ssl-conf file:
# cat /etc/apache2/conf-available/ssl-params.conf
# modern configuration, tweak to your needs
SSLProtocol -all +TLSv1.2 +TLSv1.3
SSLCipherSuite ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-RSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA256
SSLHonorCipherOrder on
SSLCompression off
SSLSessionTickets off
restart apache:
# systemctl restart apache2
Figure out which openssl.cnf you are using.
Select the correct section name that is doing your request.
Take out the CA:TRUE part (or change it to CA:FALSE) from the basicConstraint in the openssl.cnf that you are using.
Recreate the certificate the exact same way you did.
Your Apache webserver will no longer see a CA, much less a self-signed CA but just an ordinary self-signed certificate.
I had the same problem just today on Debian 9 stretch and I tried your solution to generate a new certificate using your method and it did not work. The warning in Apache was exactly the same.
I found out that the problem was that in my browser were stored other 6 certificates with the same FQDN. I erased the certificates and the problem has gone.
EDIT: Well, there's still the warning actually but at least everything is working.
openssl req creates a CSR or a CA root certificate. See the man page. It is not what you want. The second set of steps is correct.
Using Apache 2.2, SSL is configured. I am creating the key and temporary cert in command prompt. When I use
openssl genrsa -des3 -out server.key 1024
I am returned this output :
WARNING: can't open config file:
z:/strawberry_libs/build/2013Q3_/ssl/openssl. cnf error on line -1
of C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf\o
penssl.cnf
and then it creates the key.
So good and fine. The error is bothersome. Then I try to make the cert with
openssl req -new -key server.key -out server.csr
Now it shows an error and wont create it.
C:\temp>openssl req -new -key server.key -out server.csr WARNING:
can't open config file:
z:/strawberry_libs/build/2013Q3/ssl/openssl.cnf Unable to load
config info from z:/strawberry_libs/build/2013Q3/ssl/openssl.cnf
Not exactly sure how to proceed at this point as I can't get past this step for my assignment without the certification. If there is another way, or a way to correct the error that would be great.
I am having some serious problems with regards to being able to create a p12 file to place on my windows server.
I have used two different websites to be able to help me work out what i need to do:
http://www.raywenderlich.com/32960/apple-push-notification-services-in-ios-6-tutorial-part-1
The second website i used was a comment from within the website was the following:
http://arashnorouzi.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/sending-apple-push-notifications-in-asp-net-and-c-–-part-4-apns-sharp-c-wrapper-class/
First of all i create a Certificate signing request.
I then upload this to my app ID which alows me to generate a ape_dev certificate.
I then go to my key chain and navigate to the "keys" i export the .p12 certificate that i just created.
I now have three different files
My p12 file, my development certificate and my certificate signing request.
I then open terminal and i type the following:
$ openssl x509 -in aps_development.cer -inform der -out PushChatCert.pem
This then creates a new pem certificate.
The thing i type is the following
$ openssl pkcs12 -nocerts -out PushChatKey.pem -in PushChatKey.p12
It prompts for the password which i enter, i use the same password as the one when i created the certificates.
After i have done this I'm left with 2 new files both of which are PEM files.
I need to combine both of these PEM files into one p12 file for it to be able to work on my windows server.
I have tried combining it using the following line
openssl pkcs12 -export \
-in aps_developer_identity.pem \
-out aps_developer_identity.p12 \
-inkey APSCertificates.pem
This in fact works and gives me a p12 file.
I then switched back to he raywenderlich website and i typed the following:
$ openssl s_client -connect gateway.sandbox.push.apple.com:2195
-cert PushChatCert.pem -key PushChatKey.pem
It loads but i recieve the following error:
error:num=20:unable to get local issuer certificate
Please does any one know what im doing wrong im so fed up of going round in circles.
When i upload the certificate to the server and put the ad-hoc version off the application on the device im still not receiving any notifications that i am sending
Thanks in advance.
See if this answer helps Creating .pem file for APNS?
In short: openssl pkcs12 -in apns-dev-cert.p12 -out apns-dev-cert.pem -nodes -clcerts
When you first generated your CSR, you did it with a private key. This can be opaque depending on how you did it. What I do is generate the key with openssl and then make the CSR using that key. That key is then the 'in key' when you make the p12.
Here are my steps
The first step is to generate a Certificate Signing Request. This is the same as it would be for any SSL cert. You will need a private key for this.
openssl genrsa -out aps_development.key -passout pass:foobar 2048
Then you can make the CSR using that key you just created
openssl req -new -key aps_development.key -out CertificateSigningRequest.certSigningRequest -subj "/emailAddress=yourAddress#example.com, CN=John Doe, C=US"
From here you will go to developer.apple.com and revoke the current APN cert and make a new one. It will ask for your CSR and when its done it will give you a .cer file.
Convert the .cer file into a DER formatted .pem file (assuming aps_development.cer is the file you got in the download from the Apple developer site).
openssl x509 -in aps_development.cer -inform DER -outform PEM -out aps_development.pem
Convert the .pem to a .p12. You'll note that you are supplying the key file you made at the beginning of step 1. You will need the password you supplied there.
openssl pkcs12 -export -in aps_development.pem -inkey aps_development.key -out aps_development.p12
I want to generate the CSR file for requesting SSL (wildcard) certificate. This certificate and private key will be used on multiple machines with both Apache and Nginx.
RapitSSL states the following commands for the different setups:
Nginx
$ openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout server.key -out server.csr
Apache Mod SSL
$ openssl genrsa -des3 -out <private key file name>.key 2048
Apache-SSL
$ openssl genrsa -des3 -out www.yourdomain-example.com.key 2048
Is there a way to generate a CSR that works with both Apache and Nginx?
Apache Mod SSL
$ openssl genrsa -des3 -out < private key file name>.key 2048
Apache-SSL
$ openssl genrsa -des3 -out www.yourdomain-example.com.key 2048
These two are obviously the exact same command, with a different way of writing the example name. They just generate the key pair, you'd need an additional req command to generate a CSR too.
genrsa generates a key pair, and req generates a CSR. However, req can perform both operations at once when using -newkey.
See OpenSSL req example documentation:
Create a private key and then generate a certificate request from it:
openssl genrsa -out key.pem 1024
openssl req -new -key key.pem -out req.pem
The same but just using req:
openssl req -newkey rsa:1024 -keyout key.pem -out req.pem
How to generate CSR for SSL that works with Nginx & Apache ...
Is there a way to generate a CSR that works with both Apache and Nginx?
A quick answer to the questions to clarify things... Nginx and Apache don't consume CSRs. They use certificates and private keys.
Perhaps you meant to say something about a self-signed certificate? If so, add the -x509 option to the openssl req command. That creates a self signed certificate rather than a signing request.
There's a lot more to self-signed certificates (and server certificates in general). See, for example, How to create a self-signed certificate with openssl?