GRID-CERT-REQUEST(1)

NAME
grid-cert-request - Generate a X.509 certificate request and corresponding private key

SYNOPSIS

grid-cert-request -help | -h | -? | -usage | -version | -versions

grid-cert-request [OPTIONS]

DESCRIPTION

The grid-cert-request program generates an X.509 Certificate Request and corresponding private key for the specified name, host, or service. It is intended to be used with a CA implemented using the globus_simple_ca package.

The default behavior of grid-cert-request is to generate a certificate request and private key for the user running the command. The subject name is derived from the gecos information in the local system’s password database, unless the -commonname, -cn, or -host command-line options are used.

By default, grid-cert-request writes user certificate requests and keys to the $HOME/.globus directory, and host and service certificate requests and keys to /etc/grid-security. This can be overridden by using the -dir command-line option.

OPTIONS

The full set of command-line options to grid-cert-request are:

-help, -h, -?, -usage
    Display the command-line options to grid-cert-request and exit.

-version, -versions
    Display the version number of the grid-cert-request command. The second form includes more details.

-cn NAME, -commonname NAME
    Create a certificate request with the common name component of the subject set to NAME. This is used to create user identity certificates.

-dir DIRECTORY
    Write the certificate request and key to files in the directory specified by DIRECTORY.

-prefix PREFIX
    Use the string PREFIX as the base name of the certificate, certificate_request, and key files instead of the default. For a user certificate request, this would mean creating files $HOME/.globus/'PREFIX’cert_request.pem, $HOME/.globus/'PREFIX’cert.pem, and $HOME/.globus/'PREFIX’key.pem.

-ca CA-HASH
    Use the certificate request configuration for the CA with the name hash CA-HASH instead of the default CA chosen by running grid-default-ca.

-verbose
    Keep the output from the OpenSSL certificate request command visible after it completes, instead of clearing the screen.

-interactive, -int
    Prompt for each component of the subject name of the request, instead of generating the common name from other command-line options. Note that CAs may not sign certificates for subject names that don’t match their signing policies.

-force
    Overwrite any existing certificate request and private key with a new one.

-nopw, -nodes, -nopassphrase
    Create an unencrypted private key for the certificate instead of prompting for a passphrase. This is the default behavior for host or service certificates, but not recommended for user certificates.

-host FQDN
    Create a certificate request for use on a particular host. This option also causes the private key associated with the certificate request to be unencrypted. The FQDN argument to this option should be the fully qualified domain name of the host that will use this certificate. The subject name of the certificate will be derived from the FQDN and the service option if specified by the -service command-line option. If the host for the certificate has multiple names, then use either the -dns or -ip command-line options to add alternate names or addresses to the certificates.

-service SERVICE
    Create a certificate request for a particular service on a host. The subject name of the certificate will be derived from the FQDN passed as the argument to the -host command-line option and the SERVICE string.

-dns FQDN,...
    Create a certificate request containing a subjectAltName extension containing one or more host names. This is used when a certificate may be used by multiple virtual servers or if a host has different names when contacted within or outside a private network. Multiple DNS names can be included in the extension by separating then with a comma.

-ip IP-ADDRESS,...
    Create a certificate request containing a subjectAltName extension containing the IP addresses named by the IP-ADDRESS strings. This is used when a certificate may be used by services listening on multiple networks. Multiple IP addresses can be included in the extension by separating then with a comma.

EXAMPLES

Create a user certificate request: % grid-cert-request A certificate request and private key is being created. You will be asked to enter a PEM pass phrase. This pass phrase is akin to your account password, and is used to protect your key file. If you forget your pass phrase, you will need to obtain a new certificate. A private key and a certificate request has been generated with the subject:

    /O=org/OU=example/OU=grid/CN=Joe User

    If the CN=Joe User is not appropriate, rerun this
    script with the -force -cn "Common Name" options.

    Your private key is stored in /home/juser/.globus/userkey.pem
    Your request is stored in /home/juser/.globus/usercert_request.pem

    Please e-mail the request to the Example CA ca@grid.example.org
    You may use a command similar to the following:

    cat /home/juser/.globus/usercert_request.pem | mail ca@grid.example.org

    Only use the above if this machine can send AND receive e-mail. if not, please
    mail using some other method.

        Your certificate will be mailed to you within two working days.
    If you receive no response, contact Example CA at ca@grid.example.org

Create a host certificate for a host with two names.

    % *grid-cert-request -host grid.example.org -dns grid.example.org,grid-internal.example.org*
    A private host key and a certificate request has been generated
    with the subject:

    /O=org/OU=example/OU=grid/CN=host/grid.example.org

    ----------------------------------------------------------

    The private key is stored in /etc/grid-security/hostkey.pem
    The request is stored in /etc/grid-security/hostcert_request.pem

    Please e-mail the request to the Example CA ca@grid.example.org
    You may use a command similar to the following:

    cat /etc/grid-security/hostcert_request.pem | mail ca@grid.example.org

    Only use the above if this machine can send AND receive e-mail. if not, please
    mail using some other method.

    Your certificate will be mailed to you within two working days.
    If you receive no response, contact Example CA at
    ca@grid.example.org

ENVIRONMENT

The following environment variables affect the execution of grid-cert-request:

X509_CERT_DIR
    Path to the directory containing SSL configuration files for generating certificate requests.

GRID_SECURITY_DIR
    Path to the directory containing SSL configuration files for generating certificate requests. This value is used if X509_CERT_DIR is not set.

GLOBUS_LOCATION
    Path to the directory containing the Grid Community Toolkit. This is searched if neither the X509_CERT_DIR nor the GRID_SECURITY_DIR environment variables are set.

FILES

$HOME/.globus/usercert_request.pem
    Default path to write a user certificate request.

$HOME/.globus/usercert.pem
    Default path to write a user certificate.

$HOME/.globus/userkey.pem
    Default path to write a user private key.

/etc/grid-security/hostcert_request.pem
    Default path to write a host certificate request.

/etc/grid-security/hostcert.pem
    Default path to write a host certificate.

/etc/grid-security/hostkey.pem
    Default path to write a host private key.

TRUSTED-CERT-DIR/globus-user-ssl.conf, TRUSTED-CERT-DIR/globus-user-ssl.conf.CA-HASH
    SSL configuration file for requesting a user certificate. The first form is the default location, the second form is used when the -ca command-line option is specified.

TRUSTED-CERT-DIR/globus-host-ssl.conf, TRUSTED-CERT-DIR/globus-host-ssl.conf.CA-HASH
    SSL configuration file for requesting a host or service certificate. The first form is the default location, the second form is used when the -ca command-line option is specified.

AUTHOR

Copyright © 1999-2014 University of Chicago