=head1 DESCRIPTION
The B<CA.pl> script is a perl script that supplies the relevant command line
-arguments to the B<openssl> command for some common certificate operations.
+arguments to the L<openssl(1)> 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.
=item B<-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 B<openssl req> command.
+F<newkey.pem> and the request written to the file F<newreq.pem>.
+Invokes L<openssl-req(1)>.
=item B<-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 B<openssl req> command below the hood.
+F<newkey.pem> and the request written to the file F<newreq.pem>.
+Executes L<openssl-req(1)> under the hood.
=item B<-newreq-nodes>
Is like B<-newreq> except that the private key will not be encrypted.
-Uses B<openssl req> command.
+Uses L<openssl-req(1)>.
=item B<-newca>
and B<-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.
-B<openssl req> and B<openssl ca> commands are get invoked.
+are created in a directory called F<demoCA> in the current directory.
+Uses L<openssl-req(1)> and L<openssl-ca(1)>.
=item B<-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
+file F<newcert.pem> and the CA certificate to be in the file F<demoCA/cacert.pem>,
+it creates a file F<newcert.p12>. This command can thus be called after the
B<-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 B<openssl pkcs12> command.
+Delegates work to L<openssl-pkcs12(1)>.
=item B<-sign>, B<-signcert>, B<-xsign>
-Calls the B<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 B<-xsign> option when it is written
-to standard output. Leverages B<openssl ca> command.
+Calls the L<openssl-ca(1)> command to sign a certificate request. It expects the
+request to be in the file F<newreq.pem>. The new certificate is written to the
+file F<newcert.pem> except in the case of the B<-xsign> option when it is
+written to standard output.
=item B<-signCA>
This option is the same as the B<-signreq> option except it uses the
configuration file section B<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 B<openssl ca> command.
+a root CA. Extra params are passed to L<openssl-ca(1)>.
=item B<-signcert>
This option is the same as B<-sign> except it expects a self signed certificate
-to be present in the file "newreq.pem".
-Extra params are passed on to B<openssl x509> and B<openssl ca> commands.
+to be present in the file F<newreq.pem>.
+Extra params are passed to L<openssl-x509(1)> and L<openssl-ca(1)>.
=item B<-crl>
-Generate a CRL. Executes B<openssl ca> command.
+Generate a CRL. Executes L<openssl-ca(1)>.
=item B<-revoke> I<certfile> [I<reason>]
reason may be specified, and must be one of: B<unspecified>,
B<keyCompromise>, B<CACompromise>, B<affiliationChanged>, B<superseded>,
B<cessationOfOperation>, B<certificateHold>, or B<removeFromCRL>.
-Leverages B<openssl ca> command.
+Leverages L<openssl-ca(1)>.
=item B<-verify>
-Verifies certificates against the CA certificate for "demoCA". If no
+Verifies certificates against the CA certificate for F<demoCA>. If no
certificates are specified on the command line it tries to verify the file
-"newcert.pem". Invokes B<openssl verify> command.
+F<newcert.pem>. Invokes L<openssl-verify(1)>.
=item B<-extra-req> | B<-extra-ca> | B<-extra-pkcs12> | B<-extra-x509> | B<-extra-verify> I<extra-params>
-The purpose of these parameters is to allow optional parameters to be supplied
-to B<openssl> that this command executes. The B<-extra-cmd> are specific to the
-option being used and the B<openssl> command getting invoked. For example
-when this command invokes B<openssl req> extra parameters can be passed on
-with the B<-extra-req> parameter. The
-B<openssl> commands being invoked per option are documented below.
-Users should consult B<openssl> command documentation for more information.
+For each option B<extra-I<cmd>>, pass I<extra-params> to the L<openssl(1)>
+sub-command with the same name as I<cmd>, if that sub-command is invoked.
+For example, if L<openssl-req(1)> is invoked, the I<extra-params> given with
+B<-extra-req> will be passed to it.
+Users should consult L<openssl(1)> command documentation for more information.
=back
=head1 DSA CERTIFICATES
Although the B<CA.pl> creates RSA CAs and requests it is still possible to
-use it with DSA certificates and requests using the L<req(1)> command
+use it with DSA certificates and requests using the L<openssl-req(1)> command
directly. The following example shows the steps that would typically be taken.
Create some DSA parameters:
CA.pl -newca
-enter cacert.pem when prompted for the CA filename.
+enter a filename (for example, F<cacert.pem>) when prompted for the CA file
+name.
Create a DSA certificate request and private key (a different set of parameters
can optionally be created first):
can be used and the B<OPENSSL_CONF> environment variable changed to point to
the correct path of the configuration file.
-The script is intended as a simple front end for the B<openssl> program for use
-by a beginner. Its behaviour isn't always what is wanted. For more control over the
-behaviour of the certificate commands call the B<openssl> command directly.
+The script is intended as a simple front end for the L<openssl(1)> program for
+use by a beginner. Its behaviour isn't always what is wanted. For more control
+over the behaviour of the certificate commands call the L<openssl(1)> command
+directly.
=head1 SEE ALSO
projects / openssl.git / blobdiff