Certificate request with OpenSSL

To request a client certificate with OpenSSL, you will have to use the same command than for a server certificate but with a different configuration file that allows to fill in optional fields that are mandatory for this kind of products.

• Generate the key with the following command:
  

  openssl genrsa 2048 > yourkey.key

• If you want this key to be protected by a password (that will be requested any time you'll restart Apache), add:
  
  "-des3"   after "genrsa").

Make a backup copy of the .key file!

• Protect your file with:
  

  chmod 400 yourkey.key

• Use this command to generate the CSR and indicate the CNF that you will have previously downloaded below:
  

  openssl req -new -key yourkey.key -config CNF_FILE_BELOW > yourkey.csr

Download the OpenSSL configuration file (right click, Save as) matching the client certificate you want to generate:

• For aTBS X509 Sign & Login certificate: openssl-dem-signlogin.cnf
• For TBS X509 Email Professional certificate: openssl-dem-emailpro.cnf
• For a TBS X509 Email Novice certifocate: openssl-dem-emailnovice.cnf

Consult these tips to easily and quickly generate a CSR with OpenSSL 0.9.7 or higher:

Server certificate:

openssl req -new -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout newkey.key -subj '/CN=www.my.dom/C=FR/ST=Calvados/L=Caen/O=MY COMPANY/OU=IT Department' -out mycsr.csr

Client certificate (with our configuration file):

openssl req -config openssl-dem-client-cert.cnf -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout mysuperkey.key -subj '/CN=LAST NAME first name/emailAddress=me@mycompany.com/O=MY COMPANY/streetAddress=2 rue de Paradis/L=Caen/postalCode=14000/ST=Calvados/C=FR' -out mysupercsr.csr

Useful links

• Install OpenSSL on Windows
• Create a pkcs12 (.pfx or .p12) from OpenSSL files (.pem , .cer, .crt, ...)
• Generate a CSR for a client certificate with our KEYBOT tool