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Rollout of certificates to Controllers and Agents depends on the following choice:

  • Self-signed certificates Certificates have to be deployed from individual certificate files made available for to Controllers and Agents.
    • There is no security gap in use of self-signed certificatesCertificates. When users store certificate files to Controllers and Agents then this proves that they trust the certificates.
  • CA-signed certificates usually Certificates are not deployed to Controllers and Agents. Instead, the CA Certificate is deployed that was used to sign individual certificates.
    • The approach includes that any signing certificate signed by the CA will be accepted for deployment of scheduling objects.
    • For better control which certificates are made available for deplyoment, users might decide to use a specific Intermediate CA.

Self-signed Certificates and CA Certificates are deployed to the <data>/config/private/trusted-x509-keys directory of Controller and Agent instances.

Anchor

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creating_private_key_and_csr
creating_private_key_and_csr
Creating the Private Key and Certificate Signing Request

The step to create a Private Key and Certificate Signing Request is the same for use of self-signed Certificates and CA-signed Certificates. Users have the Users have an option ot use ECDSA or RSA for the encryption type applied to the Private Key.

Users can run the following commands from a bash shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files.

Anchor
using_private_key_ecdsa
using_private_key_ecdsa
Using ECDSA Encryption

Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate self-signed Certificate Example how to create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request using ECDSA encryption
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Step 1 - Create Private Key
# openssl ecparam -name secp256k1 -genkey -noout -outCreate Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${key_name}".key \

#  Step 2 - Generate and sign Certificate
# openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -key "$out "${key_name}".keycsr \
    -outsubj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}".crt -days 5475

# Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${key_name}".key \
    -out "${key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}"

# Step 2: Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 5475 \
    -signkey "${key_name}"

Explanation:

  • Choice of algorithm such as secp256k1, secp384r1 is up to the user.
  • The SHA option such as -sha256, -sha384 must match the algorithm.
  • The -subj option specifies the Distinguished Name used for the subject of the CSR and Certificate.
    • The Distinguished Name is a unique identifier frequently using the hierarchy of Country C, State ST, Location L, Organization O, Organizational Unit OU and Common Name CN.
    • For self-signed Certificates the subject and issuer properties of the CSR/Certificate are the same. The minimum requirement is to specify the Common Name CN=<name> where <name> can freely be chosen.
    • For CA-signed Certificates the subject property holds the Certificate's Distinguished Name and the issuer property holds the CA Certificate's Distinguished Name. Both Distinguished Names should match except for the Common Name CN.
  • The following files will be created with this step:
    • The <key_name>.key file will hold the Private Key.
    • The <key_name>.csr file will hold the Certificate Signing Request.

Anchor
using_private_key_rsa
using_private_key_rsa
Using RSA Encryption

Code Block
languagebash
titleExample how to create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request using RSA encryption
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:4096 -sha256 -nodes.key \
    -inkeyout "${key_name}".csrkey \
    -out "${key_name}".crtcsr \
    -extfile <(printfsubj "basicConstraints=CA:FALSE\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature,keyEncipherment\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n")

Explanation:

/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}"

Explanation:

  • In the example the Private Key is created using the specified key size 4096.
  • For use of the -subj option see Using ECDSA EncryptionStep 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
  • Choice of algorithm such as secp256k1, secp384r1 is up to the user.
  • The -subj option specifies the distinguished name used for the subject and issuer of the CSR and certificate.
  • The following files will be created with this step:
    • The <key_name>.key file will hold the Private Key.
    • The The <key_name>.csr file will hold the Certificate Signing Request.
  • Step 2: Create Certificate
    • The -days argument optionally specifies the validity period of the Certificate.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.crt file will hold the self-signed Certificate.

Using RSA Encryption

Anchor
creating_certificates
creating_certificates
Creating Certificates

Users have the option to create self-signed Certificates or CA-signed Certificates.

Anchor
creating_self_signed_certificates
creating_self_signed_certificates
Creating self-signed Certificates

Users can run the following commands from the shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files.

Code Block
languagebash
titleExample how to create self-signed Certificate
Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate self-signed Certificate using RSA
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Step 1: Create PrivateCertificate
openssl Keyx509 and-req Certificate-days Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:4096 -sha256 -nodes 3652 \
    -keyoutsignkey "${key_name}".key \
    -outin "${key_name}".csr \
    -subjout "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}"
.crt \
# Step 2: Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 5475 \
    -signkey "${key_name}".key \
    -in "${key_name}".csr \
    -out "${key_name}".crt \
    -extfile <(printf "keyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature,keyEncipherment\n\n\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n")

Explanation:

  • Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
    • In the example the Private Key is created using the specified key size 4096.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.key file will hold the Private Key.
      • The <key_name>.csr file will hold the Certificate Signing Request.
  • Step 2: Create Certificate
    • The Certificate is created with the -days argument optionally specified for the validity period of the Certificate.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.crt file will hold the self-signed Certificate.

...

-extfile <(printf "basicConstraints=CA:FALSE\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n")

Explanation:

  • The -days argument optionally specifies the validity period of the Certificate.
  • The -signkey option specifies the location of the Private Key file created from the previous step.
  • The -in option specifies the location of the Certificate Signing Request file created from the previous step.
  • The -out option specifies the location of the resulting Certificate file.
  • The -extfile option specifies a number of extensions recommended for use with Signing Certificates. 
  • The following files will be created with this step:
    • The <key_name>.crt file will hold the self-signed Certificate.

Anchor
ca_signed_certificates
ca_signed_certificates
Creating CA-signed Certificates

For CA-signed Certificates a Certificate Authority (CA) is required owning a CA Private Key and CA Certificate. The CA Private Key and CA Certificate will be used to sign Certificates on behalf of users.

  • Setup of the Certificate Authority is performed once.
  • Signing is performed for each Certificate on behalf of users.

Anchor
creating_ca
creating_ca
Creating the Certificate Authority (CA)

The steps to create the CA Private Key and CA Certificate are similar to Creating the Private Key and Certificate Signing Request.

Anchor
creating_ca_private_key
creating_ca_private_key
Creating the CA Private Key and Certificate Signing Request

...

Steps include to create the signing-ca.key CA Private Key file and signing-ca.crt self-signed Certificate file for the CA csr CA Certificate Signing Request file both in PEM format.

Users can run the following commands from the shell and replace the value of the ca_key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files.

Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate CA Certificate using ECDSA
linenumberstrue
Example how to create CA Private Key and Certificate Signing Request
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
ca_key_name=signing-ca

# Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${ca_key_name}".key \
    -out "${ca_key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${ca_key_name}"

Explanation:

Anchor
creating_ca_certificate
creating_ca_certificate
Creating the CA Certificate

Steps include to create the signing-ca.crt self-signed Certificate file in PEM format.

Users can run the following commands from the shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files.

Code Block
languagebash
titleExample how to create CA Certificate
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
ca_key_name=signing-ca

# Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 7305 \
    -signkey "${ca_key_name}".key \
    -in "${ca_key_name}".csr \
    -out "${ca_key_name}".crt \
    -extfile <(printf "basicConstraints=CA:TRUE\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,keyCertSign,cRLSign\n")

Explanation:

  • Explanations are similar to Creating self-signed Certificates with a few exceptions.
  • The -days option specifying the validity period of the Certificate should be longer than the validity period of individual certificates.
  • The -extfile option specifies the Basic Constraint CA:TRUE which is required for a CA. Key Usage is limited to signing certificates.
  • The following files will be created with this step:
    • The signing-ca.crt file will hold the CA Certificate..

Anchor
creating_signing_certificates
creating_signing_certificates
Creating Signing Certificates

Anchor
creating_signing_private_key
creating_signing_private_key
Creating the Signing Private Key and Certificate Signing Request

Steps include to create the signing.key Private Key file and signing.csr Certificate Signing Request file both in PEM format.

Users can run the following commands from the shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files.

Code Block
languagebash
titleExample how to create Signing Private Key and Certificate Signing Request
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${key_name}".key \
    -out "${key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}"

Explanation:

Anchor
creating_signing_certificate
creating_signing_certificate
Creating the Signing Certificate

Steps include to create the signing.crt CA-signed Certificate file in PEM format.

Users can run the following commands from a Shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files:

Code Block
languagebash
titleExample how to create Signing Certificate
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 3652 \
    -in "${key_name}".csr \
    -CA signing-ca.crt \
    -CAkey signing-ca.key \
    -CAcreateserial \
    -out "${key_name}".crt \
    -extfile <(printf '\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n')

Explanation:

  • Explanations are similar to Creating self-signed Certificates with a few exceptions:
    • The -days option specifying the validity period of the Certificate should be shorter than the validity period of the CA Certificate.
    • The -CA option specifies the location of the CA Certificate file.
    • The -CAkey option specifies the locatioon of the CA Private Key file.
    • The -extfile option specifies the Key Usage being limited to code signing.
  • The following files will be created with this step:
    • The signing-ca.crt file will hold the Signing Certificate..


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Anchor
self_signed_certificates
self_signed_certificates
Creating self-signed Certificates

Users have an option ot use ECDSA or RSA for the encryption type.

Users can run the following commands from a bash shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files.

Using ECDSA Encryption

Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate self-signed Certificate using ECDSA
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Step 1 - Create Private Key
# openssl ecparam -name secp256k1 -genkey -noout -out "${key_name}".key

# Step 2 - Generate and sign Certificate
# openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -key "${key_name}".key -out "${key_name}".crt -days 5475

# Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${key_name}".key \
    -out "${key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}"

# Step 2: Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 5475 \
    -signkey "${key_name}".key \
    -in "${key_name}".csr \
    -out "${key_name}".crt \
    -extfile <(printf "basicConstraints=CA:FALSE\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n")

Explanation:

  • Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
    • Choice of algorithm such as secp256k1, secp384r1 is up to the user.
    • The SHA option such as -sha256, -sha384 must match the algorithm.
    • The -subj option specifies the distinguished name used for the subject and issuer of the CSR and certificate.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.key file will hold the Private Key.
      • The <key_name>.csr file will hold the Certificate Signing Request.
  • Step 2: Create Certificate
    • The -days argument optionally specifies the validity period of the Certificate.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.crt file will hold the self-signed Certificate.

Using RSA Encryption

Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate self-signed Certificate using RSA
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:4096 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${key_name}".key \
    -out "${key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}"

# Step 2: Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 5475 \
    -signkey "${key_name}".key \
    -in "${key_name}".csr \
    -out "${key_name}".crt \
    -extfile <(printf "keyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n")

Explanation:

  • Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
    • In the example the Private Key is created using the specified key size 4096.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.key file will hold the Private Key.
      • The <key_name>.csr file will hold the Certificate Signing Request.
  • Step 2: Create Certificate
    • The Certificate is created with the -days argument optionally specified for the validity period of the Certificate.
    • The following files will be created with this step:
      • The <key_name>.crt file will hold the self-signed Certificate.

Anchor
ca_signed_certificates
ca_signed_certificates
Creating CA-signed Certificates

Anchor
signing_ca_certificate
signing_ca_certificate
Creating the CA Certificate

Steps include to create the signing-ca.key Private Key file and signing-ca.crt self-signed Certificate file for the CA both in PEM format.

Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate CA Certificate using ECDSA
linenumberstrue
# Step 1: Generate Certificate Authority (CA) Private Key
openssl ecparam -genkey -name secp256k1 -noout -out signing-ca.key
 
# Step 2: Generate CA Certificate
openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -days 5475 -key signing-ca.key -out signing-ca.crt

# You are about to be asked to enter information that will be incorporated
# into your certificate request.
# What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.
# There are quite a few fields but you can leave some blank
# For some fields there will be a default value,
# If you enter '.', the field will be left blank.
# -----
# Country Name (2 letter code) [XX]:DE
# State or Province Name (full name) []:Berlin
# Locality Name (eg, city) [Default City]:Berlin
# Organization Name (eg, company) [Default Company Ltd]:SOS
# Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []:JS7
# Common Name (eg, your name or your server's hostname) []:JS7 Deployment CA
# Email Address []:

# Specify key name used for file names
ca_key_name=signing-ca

# Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${ca_key_name}".key \
    -out "${ca_key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${ca_key_name}"

# Step 2: Create Certificate
openssl x509 -req -days 5475 \
    -signkey "${ca_key_name}".key \
    -in "${ca_key_name}".csr \
    -out "${ca_key_name}".crt \
    -extfile <(printf "basicConstraints=CA:TRUE\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,keyCertSign,cRLSign\n")# Step 1: Generate Certificate Authority (CA) Private Key
openssl ecparam -genkey -name secp256k1 -noout -out signing-ca.key
 
# Step 2: Generate CA Certificate
openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -days 5475 -key signing-ca.key -out signing-ca.crt

# You are about to be asked to enter information that will be incorporated
# into your certificate request.
# What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.
# There are quite a few fields but you can leave some blank
# For some fields there will be a default value,
# If you enter '.', the field will be left blank.
# -----
# Country Name (2 letter code) [XX]:DE
# State or Province Name (full name) []:Berlin
# Locality Name (eg, city) [Default City]:Berlin
# Organization Name (eg, company) [Default Company Ltd]:SOS
# Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []:JS7
# Common Name (eg, your name or your server's hostname) []:JS7 Deployment CA
# Email Address []:
Code Block
languagebash
titleAlternative: Create CA Certificate using passphrase
linenumberstrue
# Step 1: GenerateCreate Certificate Authority (CA) Private Key using passphrase
openssl ecparam -genkey -name secp256k1 | openssl ec -aes256 -passout pass:"jobscheduler" -out signing-ca.key

 # Step 2: GenerateCreate CA Certificate
openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -days 5475 -key signing-ca.key -passin pass:"jobscheduler" -out signing-ca.crt

...

  • Step 1: The Private Key is created.
    • Choice of algorithm such as secp256k1, secp384r1 is up to the user.
    • The SHA option such as -sha256, -sha384 must match the algorithm.
    • The signing-ca.key file will hold the Private Key.
  • Step 2: The CA Certificate is created
    • As a response to the command the OpenSSL utility prompts for a number of specifications for the Distinguished Name, i.e. the unique name of the CA Certificate: 
      • Country Name: a 2 letter country code is expected as stated for example with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2
      • State or Province Name: the name of a state is expected
      • Locality Name:  the name of a city is expected
      • Organization Name: arbitrary input is allowed
      • Organizational Unit Name: arbitrary input is allowed
      • Common Name: an arbitrary name can be chosen as the name of the CA
      • Email Address: empty input is allowed
    • The signing-ca.crt file will hold the Signing Certificate..

...

For a Signing Certificate the steps include to create the Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR). The resulting Signing Certificate will be signed by the CA.\nnnnn

Users can run the following commands from a bash shell and replace the value of the key_name environment variable with a name of their choice that is used when creating related files:

Code Block
languagebash
titleCreate Signing Certificate
linenumberstrue
# Specify key name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Step 1 - Generate Private Key and Certificate Signing Request name used for file names
key_name=signing

# Step 1 - Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
openssl req -new -sha256 -config <(cat openssl-cert.config <(printf "\nkeyUsage=critical,nonRepudiation,digitalSignature\nextendedKeyUsage=critical,codeSigning\n")) \
	-nodes -keyout "${key_name}".key -out "${key_name}".csr

openssl req -new -sha256newkey ec -config <(cat openssl-cert.config <(printf "\n[SAN]\nnsCertType = objsign\nkeyUsage = critical, nonRepudiation, digitalSignature, keyEncipherment\n\nextendedKeyUsage = critical, codeSigning\n\nsubjectKeyIdentifier = hash\n")) \
	-nodes -keyout pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp256k1 -sha256 -nodes \
    -keyout "${key_name}".key \
    -out "${key_name}".csr \
    -subj "/C=DE/ST=Berlin/L=Berlin/O=SOS/OU=IT/CN=${key_name}.key"
 -out ${key_name}.csr

# Step 2 - Generate and signCreate the Signing Certificate
openssl x509 -req \
    -in "${key_name}".csr \
    -CA signing-ca.crt \
    -CAkey signing-ca.key \
    -CAcreateserial \
    -out "${key_name}".crt -days 7300 \
    -extfile <(printf 'nsCertType = objsign\nkeyUsage = critical, nonRepudiation, digitalSignature, keyEncipherment\n\n\nextendedKeyUsage = critical, codeSigning\n\nsubjectKeyIdentifier = hash\n' "${key_name}"))




Explanation:

  • Step 1: Create Private Key and Certificate Signing Request
    • The Certificate Signing Request is created for the Key Usage and Extended Key Usage as indicated.
    • The following files will be created:
      • <key_name>.key: the Private Key
      • <key_name>.csr: the Certificate Signing Request
  • Step 2: The Signing Certificate is created.
    • The following files will be created:
      • <key_name>.crt: the Signing Certificate

...