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6.5 Invoking certtool
Tool to parse and generate X.509 certificates, requests and private keys. It can be used interactively or non interactively by specifying the template command line option.
This section was generated by AutoGen,
using the agtexi-cmd
template and the option descriptions for the certtool
program.
This software is released under the GNU General Public License, version 3 or later.
certtool usage (-h)
This is the automatically generated usage text for certtool:
certtool - GnuTLS PKCS #11 tool - Ver. @VERSION@ USAGE: certtool [ -<flag> [<val>] | --<name>[{=| }<val>] ]... -d, --debug=num Enable debugging. - It must be in the range: 0 to 9999 --infile=file Input file - file must pre-exist --outfile=str Output file -s, --generate-self-signed Generate a self-signed certificate -c, --generate-certificate Generate a signed certificate --generate-proxy Generates a proxy certificate --generate-crl Generate a CRL -u, --update-certificate Update a signed certificate -p, --generate-privkey Generate a private key -q, --generate-request Generate a PKCS #10 certificate request -e, --verify-chain Verify a PEM encoded certificate chain. --verify Verify a PEM encoded certificate chain using a trusted list. - requires these options: load-ca-certificate --verify-crl Verify a CRL using a trusted list. - requires these options: load-ca-certificate --generate-dh-params Generate PKCS #3 encoded Diffie-Hellman parameters. --get-dh-params Get the included PKCS #3 encoded Diffie-Hellman parameters. --dh-info Print information PKCS #3 encoded Diffie-Hellman parameters --load-privkey=str Loads a private key file --load-pubkey=str Loads a public key file --load-request=file Loads a certificate request file - file must pre-exist --load-certificate=str Loads a certificate file --load-ca-privkey=str Loads the certificate authority's private key file --load-ca-certificate=str Loads the certificate authority's certificate file --password=str Password to use -i, --certificate-info Print information on the given certificate --certificate-pubkey Print certificate's public key --pgp-certificate-info Print information on the given OpenPGP certificate --pgp-ring-info Print information on the given OpenPGP keyring structure -l, --crl-info Print information on the given CRL structure --crq-info Print information on the given certificate request --no-crq-extensions Do not use extensions in certificate requests --p12-info Print information on a PKCS #12 structure --p7-info Print information on a PKCS #7 structure --smime-to-p7 Convert S/MIME to PKCS #7 structure -k, --key-info Print information on a private key --pgp-key-info Print information on an OpenPGP private key --pubkey-info Print information on a public key --v1 Generate an X.509 version 1 certificate (with no extensions) --to-p12 Generate a PKCS #12 structure --to-p8 Generate a PKCS #8 structure -8, --pkcs8 Use PKCS #8 format for private keys --rsa Generate RSA key --dsa Generate DSA key --ecc Generate ECC (ECDSA) key --hash=str Hash algorithm to use for signing. --inder Use DER format for input certificates and private keys. - disabled as --no-inder --inraw This is an alias for 'inder' --outder Use DER format for output certificates and private keys - disabled as --no-outder --outraw This is an alias for 'outder' --bits=num Specify the number of bits for key generate --sec-param=str Specify the security level [low|legacy|normal|high|ultra]. --disable-quick-random No effect --template=file Template file to use for non-interactive operation - file must pre-exist --pkcs-cipher=str Cipher to use for PKCS #8 and #12 operations -v, --version[=arg] Output version information and exit -h, --help Display extended usage information and exit -!, --more-help Extended usage information passed thru pager Options are specified by doubled hyphens and their name or by a single hyphen and the flag character. Tool to parse and generate X.509 certificates, requests and private keys. It can be used interactively or non interactively by specifying the template command line option. please send bug reports to: bug-gnutls@gnu.org
bits option
This is the “specify the number of bits for key generate” option.
certificate-info option (-i)
This is the “print information on the given certificate” option.
certificate-pubkey option
This is the “print certificate’s public key” option.
crl-info option (-l)
This is the “print information on the given crl structure” option.
crq-info option
This is the “print information on the given certificate request” option.
debug option (-d)
This is the “enable debugging.” option. Specifies the debug level.
dh-info option
This is the “print information pkcs #3 encoded diffie-hellman parameters” option.
disable-quick-random option
This is the “no effect” option.
dsa option
This is the “generate dsa key” option.
ecc option
This is the “generate ecc (ecdsa) key” option.
generate-certificate option (-c)
This is the “generate a signed certificate” option.
generate-crl option
This is the “generate a crl” option.
generate-dh-params option
This is the “generate pkcs #3 encoded diffie-hellman parameters.” option.
generate-privkey option (-p)
This is the “generate a private key” option.
generate-proxy option
This is the “generates a proxy certificate” option.
generate-request option (-q)
This is the “generate a pkcs #10 certificate request” option.
generate-self-signed option (-s)
This is the “generate a self-signed certificate” option.
get-dh-params option
This is the “get the included pkcs #3 encoded diffie-hellman parameters.” option. Returns stored DH parameters in GnuTLS. Those parameters are used in the SRP protocol. The parameters returned by fresh generation are more efficient since GnuTLS 3.0.9.
hash option
This is the “hash algorithm to use for signing.” option. Available hash functions are SHA1, RMD160, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512.
inder option
This is the “use der format for input certificates and private keys.” option.
infile option
This is the “input file” option.
inraw option
This is the “” option. This option has no ‘doc’ documentation.
key-info option (-k)
This is the “print information on a private key” option.
load-ca-certificate option
This is the “loads the certificate authority’s certificate file” option. This can be either a file or a PKCS #11 URL
load-ca-privkey option
This is the “loads the certificate authority’s private key file” option. This can be either a file or a PKCS #11 URL
load-certificate option
This is the “loads a certificate file” option. This can be either a file or a PKCS #11 URL
load-privkey option
This is the “loads a private key file” option. This can be either a file or a PKCS #11 URL
load-pubkey option
This is the “loads a public key file” option. This can be either a file or a PKCS #11 URL
load-request option
This is the “loads a certificate request file” option.
no-crq-extensions option
This is the “do not use extensions in certificate requests” option.
outder option
This is the “use der format for output certificates and private keys” option.
outfile option
This is the “output file” option.
outraw option
This is the “” option. This option has no ‘doc’ documentation.
p12-info option
This is the “print information on a pkcs #12 structure” option.
p7-info option
This is the “print information on a pkcs #7 structure” option.
password option
This is the “password to use” option.
pgp-certificate-info option
This is the “print information on the given openpgp certificate” option.
pgp-key-info option
This is the “print information on an openpgp private key” option.
pgp-ring-info option
This is the “print information on the given openpgp keyring structure” option.
pkcs-cipher option
This is the “cipher to use for pkcs #8 and #12 operations” option. Cipher may be one of 3des, 3des-pkcs12, aes-128, aes-192, aes-256, rc2-40, arcfour.
pkcs8 option (-8)
This is the “use pkcs #8 format for private keys” option.
pubkey-info option
This is the “print information on a public key” option.
rsa option
This is the “generate rsa key” option.
sec-param option
This is the “specify the security level [low|legacy|normal|high|ultra].” option. This is alternative to the bits option.
smime-to-p7 option
This is the “convert s/mime to pkcs #7 structure” option.
template option
This is the “template file to use for non-interactive operation” option.
to-p12 option
This is the “generate a pkcs #12 structure” option.
to-p8 option
This is the “generate a pkcs #8 structure” option.
update-certificate option (-u)
This is the “update a signed certificate” option.
v1 option
This is the “generate an x.509 version 1 certificate (with no extensions)” option.
verify option
This is the “verify a pem encoded certificate chain using a trusted list.” option.
This option has some usage constraints. It:
- must appear in combination with the following options: load-ca-certificate.
The trusted certificate list must be loaded with –load-ca-certificate.
verify-chain option (-e)
This is the “verify a pem encoded certificate chain.” option. The last certificate in the chain must be a self signed one.
verify-crl option
This is the “verify a crl using a trusted list.” option.
This option has some usage constraints. It:
- must appear in combination with the following options: load-ca-certificate.
The trusted certificate list must be loaded with –load-ca-certificate.
certtool exit status
One of the following exit values will be returned:
- ‘0’
Successful program execution.
- ‘1’
The operation failed or the command syntax was not valid.
certtool See Also
p11tool (1)
certtool Examples
Generating private keys
To create an RSA private key, run:
$ certtool --generate-privkey --outfile key.pem --rsa
To create a DSA or elliptic curves (ECDSA) private key use the above command combined with ’dsa’ or ’ecc’ options.
Generating certificate requests
To create a certificate request (needed when the certificate is issued by another party), run:
certtool --generate-request --load-privkey key.pem \ --outfile request.pem
If the private key is stored in a smart card you can generate a request by specifying the private key object URL.
$ ./certtool --generate-request --load-privkey "pkcs11:..." \ --load-pubkey "pkcs11:..." --outfile request.pem
Generating a self-signed certificate
To create a self signed certificate, use the command:
$ certtool --generate-privkey --outfile ca-key.pem $ certtool --generate-self-signed --load-privkey ca-key.pem \ --outfile ca-cert.pem
Note that a self-signed certificate usually belongs to a certificate authority, that signs other certificates.
Generating a certificate
To generate a certificate using the previous request, use the command:
$ certtool --generate-certificate --load-request request.pem \ --outfile cert.pem --load-ca-certificate ca-cert.pem \ --load-ca-privkey ca-key.pem
To generate a certificate using the private key only, use the command:
$ certtool --generate-certificate --load-privkey key.pem \ --outfile cert.pem --load-ca-certificate ca-cert.pem \ --load-ca-privkey ca-key.pem
Certificate information
To view the certificate information, use:
$ certtool --certificate-info --infile cert.pem
PKCS #12 structure generation
To generate a PKCS #12 structure using the previous key and certificate, use the command:
$ certtool --load-certificate cert.pem --load-privkey key.pem \ --to-p12 --outder --outfile key.p12
Some tools (reportedly web browsers) have problems with that file because it does not contain the CA certificate for the certificate. To work around that problem in the tool, you can use the –load-ca-certificate parameter as follows:
$ certtool --load-ca-certificate ca.pem \ --load-certificate cert.pem --load-privkey key.pem \ --to-p12 --outder --outfile key.p12
Diffie-Hellman parameter generation
To generate parameters for Diffie-Hellman key exchange, use the command:
$ certtool --generate-dh-params --outfile dh.pem --sec-param normal
Proxy certificate generation
Proxy certificate can be used to delegate your credential to a temporary, typically short-lived, certificate. To create one from the previously created certificate, first create a temporary key and then generate a proxy certificate for it, using the commands:
$ certtool --generate-privkey > proxy-key.pem $ certtool --generate-proxy --load-ca-privkey key.pem \ --load-privkey proxy-key.pem --load-certificate cert.pem \ --outfile proxy-cert.pem
Certificate revocation list generation
To create an empty Certificate Revocation List (CRL) do:
$ certtool --generate-crl --load-ca-privkey x509-ca-key.pem \ --load-ca-certificate x509-ca.pem
To create a CRL that contains some revoked certificates, place the
certificates in a file and use --load-certificate
as follows:
$ certtool --generate-crl --load-ca-privkey x509-ca-key.pem \ --load-ca-certificate x509-ca.pem --load-certificate revoked-certs.pem
To verify a Certificate Revocation List (CRL) do:
$ certtool --verify-crl --load-ca-certificate x509-ca.pem < crl.pem
certtool Files
Certtool’s template file format
A template file can be used to avoid the interactive questions of certtool. Initially create a file named ’cert.cfg’ that contains the information about the certificate. The template can be used as below:
$ certtool --generate-certificate cert.pem --load-privkey key.pem \ --template cert.cfg \ --load-ca-certificate ca-cert.pem --load-ca-privkey ca-key.pem
An example certtool template file that can be used to generate a certificate request or a self signed certificate follows.
# X.509 Certificate options # # DN options # The organization of the subject. organization = "Koko inc." # The organizational unit of the subject. unit = "sleeping dept." # The locality of the subject. # locality = # The state of the certificate owner. state = "Attiki" # The country of the subject. Two letter code. country = GR # The common name of the certificate owner. cn = "Cindy Lauper" # A user id of the certificate owner. #uid = "clauper" # If the supported DN OIDs are not adequate you can set # any OID here. # For example set the X.520 Title and the X.520 Pseudonym # by using OID and string pairs. #dn_oid = 2.5.4.12 Dr. #dn_oid = 2.5.4.65 jackal # This is deprecated and should not be used in new # certificates. # pkcs9_email = "none@none.org" # The serial number of the certificate serial = 007 # In how many days, counting from today, this certificate will expire. expiration_days = 700 # X.509 v3 extensions # A dnsname in case of a WWW server. #dns_name = "www.none.org" #dns_name = "www.morethanone.org" # An IP address in case of a server. #ip_address = "192.168.1.1" # An email in case of a person email = "none@none.org" # Challenge password used in certificate requests challenge_passwd = 123456 # key_purpose_oid = 1.2.3.4.5.6.7 # key_purpose_oid = 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.9 # An URL that has CRLs (certificate revocation lists) # available. Needed in CA certificates. #crl_dist_points = "http://www.getcrl.crl/getcrl/" # Whether this is a CA certificate or not #ca # Whether this certificate will be used for a TLS client #tls_www_client # Whether this certificate will be used for a TLS server #tls_www_server # Whether this certificate will be used to sign data (needed # in TLS DHE ciphersuites). signing_key # Whether this certificate will be used to encrypt data (needed # in TLS RSA ciphersuites). Note that it is preferred to use different # keys for encryption and signing. #encryption_key # Whether this key will be used to sign other certificates. #cert_signing_key # Whether this key will be used to sign CRLs. #crl_signing_key # Whether this key will be used to sign code. #code_signing_key # Whether this key will be used to sign OCSP data. #ocsp_signing_key # Whether this key will be used for time stamping. #time_stamping_key # Whether this key will be used for IPsec IKE operations. #ipsec_ike_key # When generating a certificate from a certificate # request, then honor the extensions stored in the request # and store them in the real certificate. #honor_crq_extensions # Path length contraint. Sets the maximum number of # certificates that can be used to certify this certificate. # (i.e. the certificate chain length) #path_len = -1 #path_len = 2 # Options for proxy certificates # proxy_policy_language = 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.21.1 # Options for generating a CRL # next CRL update will be in 43 days (wow) #crl_next_update = 43 # this is the 5th CRL by this CA #crl_number = 5
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