If you want to convert your website from HTTP to HTTPS, you need to get a SSL certificate from a valid organization like Verisign or Thawte. You can also generate self signed SSL certificate for testing purpose.
In this article, let us review how to generate private key file (server.key), certificate signing request file (server.csr) and webserver certificate file (server.crt) that can be used on Apache server with mod_ssl.
In this article, let us review how to generate private key file (server.key), certificate signing request file (server.csr) and webserver certificate file (server.crt) that can be used on Apache server with mod_ssl.
Next, you'll create a server certificate using OpenSSL. Create the certificate's key. Use the following command to generate the key for the server certificate. Openssl ecparam -out fabrikam.key -name prime256v1 -genkey Create the CSR (Certificate Signing Request) The CSR is a public key that is given to a CA when requesting a certificate.
Key, CSR and CRT File Naming Convention
I typically like to name the files with the domain name of the HTTPS URL that will be using this certificate. This makes it easier to identify and maintain.
- Instead of server.key, I use www.thegeekstuff.com.key
- Instead of server.csr, I use www.thegeekstuff.com.csr
- Instead of server.crt, I use www.thegeekstuff.com.crt
1. Generate Private Key on the Server Running Apache + mod_ssl
First, generate a private key on the Linux server that runs Apache webserver using openssl command as shown below.
The generated private key looks like the following.
2. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
Using the key generate above, you should generate a certificate request file (csr) using openssl as shown below.
3. Generate a Self-Signed SSL Certificate
![Generate certificate request openssl Generate certificate request openssl](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125870899/886765509.jpg)
For testing purpose, you can generate a self-signed SSL certificate that is valid for 1 year using openssl command as shown below.
You can use this method to generate Apache SSL Key, CSR and CRT file in most of the Linux, Unix systems including Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora and Red Hat.
4. Get a Valid Trial SSL Certificate (Optional)
Openssl Generate Private Key
Instead of signing it youself, you can also generate a valid trial SSL certificate from thawte. i.e Before spending the money on purchasing a certificate, you can also get a valid fully functional 21 day trial SSL certificates from Thawte. Once this valid certificate works, you can either decide to purchase it from Thawte or any other SSL signing organization.
This step is optional and not really required. For testing purpose, you can always use the self-signed certificate that was generated from the above step.
Go to Thwate trial certificate request page and do the following:
This step is optional and not really required. For testing purpose, you can always use the self-signed certificate that was generated from the above step.
Go to Thwate trial certificate request page and do the following:
- Select “SSL Web Server Certificate (All servers)” under the “select your trial certificate”.
- Do not check the PKCS #7 check-box under the “configure certificate”
- Copy/Paste the *.csr file that you generate above in the textbox under “certificate signing request (CSR)”
- Click on next at the bottom, which will give you a 21-day free trial certificate.
Copy/Paste the trial certificate to the www.thegeekstuff.com.crt file as shown below.
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When you are working with JAVA applications and JAVA based server, you may need to configure a Java key store (JKS) file. Self signed keystore can be easily created with keytool command. But if you have a private key and a CA signedcertificate of it, You can not create a key store with just one keytool command.
You need to go through following to get it done.
Step 1. Create PKCS 12 file using your private key and CA signed certificate of it. You can use openssl command for this.
If your private key has a password, It would promote to enter the password of private key. You need to define a password for PKCS 12 file as well.
As an example, say i have a private key called “server.pem” and certificate with “servercret.pem”
Step 2. Create JKS file using keytool command
Created PKCS 12 file has been given as the source keystore and new file name (wso2carbon.jks) has been given as the destination keystore.
As an example,
As an additional steps, you can change the private key password of the created JKS file and also the alias name for your private key entry.
Step 3 (Optional). Changing the password of private key file in keystore. More details from here as well
Step 4 (Optional). Change the alias name of the private key entry
By default [current alias] is set to “1”
Thanks for reading…!!! Also you can find more details on creating self signed KeyStore from here