OpenSSL: Generate CSR

Introduction

A Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is a crucial step in obtaining an SSL/TLS certificate for securing websites, servers, or other network services. The CSR contains encoded information about the organization, domain, and public key, which is used by a Certificate Authority (CA) to issue a digital certificate.

OpenSSL is a widely used open-source tool for cryptographic operations, including generating CSRs. On a Windows Server, OpenSSL can be installed and used to create a 4096-bit CSR, ensuring strong encryption and security.

Prerequisites

• OpenSSL installed on the Windows Server. If not installed, it can be downloaded from OpenSSL for Windows.

• Administrative access to the server.

• A valid domain name for the SSL certificate.

CSR Generation Process

The process involves two key steps:

1. Generating a private key (4096-bit or Other).

2. Creating a CSR using the private key.

After generating the CSR, it must be submitted to a Certificate Authority (CA) like DigiCert, Let's Encrypt, or GoDaddy for SSL certificate issuance.

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Practical

Step 1: Generate a Private Key (4096-bit)

Open Command Prompt (cmd) as Administrator and run:

openssl genrsa -out domain_private.key 4096

Step 2: Generate the CSR (Certificate Signing Request)

Run the following command:

openssl req -new -key domain_private.key -out domain.csr

It will prompt you to enter details such as:

• Country Name (e.g., IN)

• State or Province Name (e.g., ASSAM)

• Locality Name (e.g., Guwahati)

• Organization Name (e.g., My Company Ltd)

• Organizational Unit Name (e.g., IT Department)

• Common Name (e.g., www.example.com)

• Email Address (optional)

• A Challenge Password (leave empty by pressing Enter)

• An Optional Company Name (leave empty by pressing Enter)

Step 3: Verify the CSR

After generating the CSR, verify it using:

openssl req -text -noout -verify -in domain.csr

This displays the CSR details and ensures everything is correct.

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REFERENCES

• https://openssl-library.org/source/

• https://phoenixnap.com/kb/generate-openssl-certificate-signing-request