openssl

Bash: calculating number of days till certificate expiration using openssl

The openssl utility can be used to show the details of a certificate, including its ‘Not After’ expiration date in string format.  This can be transformed into “how many days till expiration” with a bit of Bash date math. Create test certificate and key Using a line provided by Diego Woitasen for non-interactive self-signed certification Bash: calculating number of days till certificate expiration using openssl

Linux: openssl to validate whether private key and TLS certificate match

In environments where certificates are manually deployed, reloading TLS certs is often only done annually when the certificate is near expiration.  This long lapse in time often means that someone else has inherited the task of renewal, and the original key in use may even be in question. Luckily, openssl provides a way to validate Linux: openssl to validate whether private key and TLS certificate match

Bash: Examining each certificate in a yaml file using sed and openssl

YAML is a popular syntax for configuration, and it is common to have certificate definitions embedded in these files. But since the cert is typically Base64 PEM encoded, it means you can’t easily view its attributes (subject, expiration date, etc) and so you are left with the manual task of copy-pasting it out, saving as Bash: Examining each certificate in a yaml file using sed and openssl

Git: client error, server certificate verification failed

Especially with private git repositories that may be self-signed or have private CA, you may get the following error from the git client after a certificate has been updated: fatal: unable to access ‘https://git.mycompany.com/myuser/myrepo.git/’: server certificate verification failed. CAfile: /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt CRLfile: none This means that the git client cannot verify the integrity of the certificate Git: client error, server certificate verification failed

Ubuntu: Creating a self-signed SAN certificate using OpenSSL

There are numerous articles I’ve written  where a certificate is a prerequisite for deploying a piece of infrastructure. This article will guide you through generating a self-signed certificate with SAN (Subject Alternative Name) and SAN wildcard entries, replacing the deprecated usage of CN=<FQDN>. In addition to the operational benefits of managing SAN, it is also Ubuntu: Creating a self-signed SAN certificate using OpenSSL

Ubuntu: Creating a trusted CA and SAN certificate using OpenSSL

There are numerous articles I’ve written  where a certificate is a prerequisite for deploying a piece of infrastructure. This article will guide you through creating a trusted CA (Certificate Authority), and then using that to sign a server certificate that supports SAN (Subject Alternative Name).  Operationally, having your own trusted CA is advantageous over a Ubuntu: Creating a trusted CA and SAN certificate using OpenSSL

Ubuntu: Testing authenticated SMTP over TLS/SSL

SMTP mail relays exposed to the internet typically use a combination of SSL and authenticated SMTP to avoid abuse by malicious actors. This is an excellent choice from a security perspective, but makes smoke testing a bit more complex than just opening telnet.

Ubuntu: Creating a self-signed certificate using OpenSSL on Ubuntu

There are numerous articles I’ve written  where a certificate is a prerequisite for deploying a piece of infrastructure. Here are the quick steps for installing a simple self-signed certificate on an Ubuntu server.  If you instead need to create a certificate with SAN (Subject Alternative Name) support, read my article here. Some of you will Ubuntu: Creating a self-signed certificate using OpenSSL on Ubuntu

PingIdentity: Disabling SSLv3 and weak ciphers for PingFederate

The PingFederate server provides best-in-class Identity Management and SSO.  However, due to US laws governing export of cryptography, the default SSL protocols and cipher suites need to be configured to harden the solution. Below are the steps involved with making these post-installation changes.

OpenSSL: Using OpenSSL to enumerate protocols and ciphers in use by web applications

Update Feb 2023: enumerating the secure protocols and ciphers of a remote site can be done more efficiently by nmap, as described in my other article here. While enabling HTTPS is a important step in securing your web application, it is critical that you take steps to disable legacy protocols and low strength ciphers that OpenSSL: Using OpenSSL to enumerate protocols and ciphers in use by web applications