Creating SSL certs for ISDA servers

Note: This document assumes access to the AMIT definitive software library Private area. If you do not have access to this AFS locker, then you will be able to create SSL certs with these instructions, but not store them in the AMIT library.

Note: RadminD should create the SSL directories and install the CA on the host to be configured.

1. Check that the SSL directories are there, and cd to them.

   ls -l /var/lib/ssl
   cd /var/lib/ssl
   

   • If there are not there, create them.

     mkdir /var/lib/ssl
     mkdir /var/lib/ssl/certs
     mkdir /var/lib/ssl/private
     cd /var/lib/ssl
     

2. Generate rsa key
   • This simply generates some random stuff:

     ps > /tmp/foo
     ps -elf >> /tmp/foo
     cd /var/lib/ssl
     openssl genrsa -rand /tmp/foo 1024 > /var/lib/ssl/private/`hostname`-key.pem
     

3. Generate request for a certificate

   cd /var/lib/ssl/
   openssl req -key /var/lib/ssl/private/`hostname`-key.pem -new \
      > /var/lib/ssl/certs/`hostname`-req.pem
   

   #*send the cert request file to mitcert@mit.edu,

   Please be aware, the organization (O) is:
   Massachusetts Institute of Technology
   and the common name (CN) is the name of the server or
   service, including the domain name (.mit.edu).  Also, some servers, such
   as Thalia servers, can represent an entire subdomain.  These servers
   will need certificates issued with a wildcard in the domain name, such
   as *.isda-thalia-1.mit.edu.
   
   Remember, if the server is a Thalia server, it will need a wildcard
   certificate and DNS record for *.`hostname`, and if it is doing any type of
   authentication, it will need a joint client/server certificate to be able
   to connect to the Shibboleth server (and have end users connect to it as
   well).
   

4. To generate a self signed temporary certificate, add the x509 and nodes options to the openssl command line.

   cd /var/lib/ssl
   openssl req -key /var/lib/ssl/private/`hostname`-key.pem -new -x509 -nodes > /var/lib/ssl/certs/`hostname`-temp-cert.pem
   

5. When you receive a certificate from MIT Certificates, save it as:

   /var/lib/ssl/certs/`hostname`-cert.pem
   

6. Create the symlinks that will allow Apache to function correctly.

   ln -s /var/lib/ssl/certs/`hostname`-cert.pem /var/lib/ssl/certs/host-cert.pem
   ln -s /var/lib/ssl/private/`hostname`-key.pem /var/lib/ssl/private/host-key.pem
   

7. Commands to view cert information:
   • to look at a request:

     openssl req -in /afs/athena.mit.edu/project/amit-dsl/Private/ssl-certs/${hostname}
     /host-req.pem \-text
     

   • to look at the private key:

     openssl rsa -in /afs/athena.mit.edu/project/amit-dsl/Private/ssl-certs/${hostname}/host-key.pem -text
     

   • to look at the server certificate:

     openssl x509 -in /afs/athena.mit.edu/project/amit-dsl/Private/ssl-certs/${hostname}/host-cert.pem -text