certreq

Syntax

certreq
	[-F input_file]
	[-R request_filename]
	[-K PK_filename]
	[-P password]

Or

certreq -v

Parameters

• -F input_file – specifies the file name that contains attribute information to build a certificate request. If you do not specify an input_file name, the required information must be interactively entered by a user.
  The input_file needs an entry for each of these:

  req_certtype={Server,Client}
  req_keytype={RSA,DSA}
  req_keylength={for RSA: 512-4096; 
                 for DSA: 512,768,1024}
  req_country={string}
  req_state={string}
  req_locality={string}
  req_organization={string}
  req_orgunit={string}
  req_commonname={string}

  Note: The common name must be the same as the server name.

  See the Examples section for a sample file called input_file.

• -R request_filename – specifies the name for the certificate-request file.
• -K PK_filename – specifies the name for the private-key file.
• -P password – specifies the password used to protect the private key.
• -v – displays the version number and copyright message, then exits.

Examples

• Create request in interactive mode – This example does not use the -F input_file parameter, and is therefore in interactive mode. To create a server certificate request (server_req.txt) and its private key (server_pkey.txt), enter:

  certreq
  
  Choose certificate request type:
      S – Server certificate request
      C – Client certificate request (not supported)
      Q – Quit
  Enter your request [Q] : s
  
  Choose key type:
  
      R – RSA key pair
      D – DSA/DHE key pair
      Q – Quit
  
  Enter your request [Q] : r
  
  Enter key length (512, 768, 1024 for DSA; 512-2048 for
  RSA) : 512
  
  Country: US
  
  State: california
  
  Locality: dublin
  
  Organization: sybase
  
  Organizational Unit: dst
  
  Common Name: server

  The utility returns the message:

  Generating key pair (please wait) . . . 

  After the key pair is generated, the certreq utility prompts you for more information.

  Enter password for private key : password
  
  Enter file path to save request: server_req.txt
  
  Enter file path to save private key : server_pkey.txt

• Build certificate noninteractively – The format, tag=value, is used for noninteractive entry for a certificate request in this sample text file. Use the -F option for noninteractive mode, making sure to use valid values and following the format described above to ensure that the certificate builds correctly.

  certreq -F input_file
  
  req_certtype=server
  req_keytype=RSA
  req_keylength=512
  req_country=us
  req_state=california
  req_locality=dublin
  req_organization=sybase
  req_orgunit=dst
  req_commonname=server

  After you create and save this file, enter on the command line, where path_and_file is the location of the text file:

  certreq -F path_and_file -R server_req.txt -K server_pkey.txt -P password

  This file creates a server certificate request, server_req.txt, and its private key, server_pkey.txt which is protected by password.

  Edit the server certificate file with any standard ASCII text editor.

Usage