The CA.pl script is a perl script that supplies the relevant command line arguments to the openssl command for some common certificate operations. It is intended to simplify the process of certificate creation and management by the use of some simple options.
OPTIONS
?, -h, -help
prints a usage message.
-newcert
creates a new self signed certificate. The private key is written to the file "newkey.pem" and the request written to the file "newreq.pem". This argument invokes openssl req command.
-newreq
creates a new certificate request. The private key is written to the file "newkey.pem" and the request written to the file "newreq.pem". Executes openssl req command below the hood.
-newreq-nodes
is like -newreq except that the private key will not be encrypted. Uses openssl req command.
-newca
creates a new CA hierarchy for use with the ca program (or the -signcert and -xsign options). The user is prompted to enter the filename of the CA certificates (which should also contain the private key) or by hitting ENTER details of the CA will be prompted for. The relevant files and directories are created in a directory called "demoCA" in the current directory. openssl req and openssl ca commands are get invoked.
-pkcs12
create a PKCS#12 file containing the user certificate, private key and CA certificate. It expects the user certificate and private key to be in the file "newcert.pem" and the CA certificate to be in the file demoCA/cacert.pem, it creates a file "newcert.p12". This command can thus be called after the -sign option. The PKCS#12 file can be imported directly into a browser. If there is an additional argument on the command line it will be used as the "friendly name" for the certificate (which is typically displayed in the browser list box), otherwise the name "My Certificate" is used. Delegates work to openssl pkcs12 command.
-sign, -signcert, -xsign
calls the ca program to sign a certificate request. It expects the request to be in the file "newreq.pem". The new certificate is written to the file "newcert.pem" except in the case of the -xsign option when it is written to standard output. Leverages openssl ca command.
-signCA
this option is the same as the -signreq option except it uses the configuration file section v3_ca and so makes the signed request a valid CA certificate. This is useful when creating intermediate CA from a root CA. Extra params are passed on to openssl ca command.
-signcert
this option is the same as -sign except it expects a self signed certificate to be present in the file "newreq.pem". Extra params are passed on to openssl x509 and openssl ca commands.
-crl
generate a CRL. Executes openssl ca command.
-revoke certfile [reason]
revoke the certificate contained in the specified certfile. An optional reason may be specified, and must be one of: unspecified, keyCompromise, CACompromise, affiliationChanged, superseded, cessationOfOperation, certificateHold, or removeFromCRL. Leverages openssl ca command.
-verify
verifies certificates against the CA certificate for "demoCA". If no certificates are specified on the command line it tries to verify the file "newcert.pem". Invokes openssl verify command.
The purpose of these parameters is to allow optional parameters to be supplied to openssl that this command executes. The -extra-cmd are specific to the option being used and the openssl command getting invoked. For example when this command invokes openssl req extra parameters can be passed on with the -extra-req parameter. The openssl commands being invoked per option are documented below. Users should consult openssl command documentation for more information.
EXAMPLES
Create a CA hierarchy:
CA.pl -newca
Complete certificate creation example: create a CA, create a request, sign the request and finally create a PKCS#12 file containing it.
CA.pl -newca
CA.pl -newreq
CA.pl -signreq
CA.pl -pkcs12 "My Test Certificate"
DSA CERTIFICATES
Although the CA.pl creates RSA CAs and requests it is still possible to use it with DSA certificates and requests using the NOTES