Generate Private Key From Ca Certificate

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Jul 25, 2017  To request a certificate from a CA like Verisign, you send them a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), and they give you a certificate in return that they signed using their root certificate and private key. Jul 08, 2009  You can also generate self signed SSL certificate for testing purpose. In this article, let us review how to generate private key file (server.key), certificate signing request file (server.csr) and webserver certificate file (server.crt) that can be used on Apache server with modssl. Key, CSR and CRT File Naming Convention. I needed to generate a new private key and then import the updated certificate from the certificate provider. If the private key doesn't exist on your computer then you can't export the certificate as pfx. They option is greyed out. I followed steps from digcert I created private key file, Certificate Request CSR file. I sent Certificate Request to CA and got my signed CSR back. But CA sent me a bundle with two certificates, one is my certificate signed by CA and second is CA Certificate.(1. Starxyxabccom crt file, 2.DigiCertCA crt file).

The Private Key is generated and saved on the server that generated the CSR. It's not provided to GoDaddy when requesting the SSL. You can use SSLs on multiple servers that you manage, but not if the certificate was auto-installed to a GoDaddy Web hosting plan. The Certificate Authority providing your certificate (such as DigiCert) does not create or have your private key. If you have not yet installed your certificate, then the most likely location of your private key is on the computer or server where you generated the CSR.

If you want to convert your website from HTTP to HTTPS, you need to get a SSL certificate from a valid organization like Verisign or Thawte. You can also generate self signed SSL certificate for testing purpose.

In this article, let us review how to generate private key file (server.key), certificate signing request file (server.csr) and webserver certificate file (server.crt) that can be used on Apache server with mod_ssl.

Generate a csr and private key

Key, CSR and CRT File Naming Convention

I typically like to name the files with the domain name of the HTTPS URL that will be using this certificate. This makes it easier to identify and maintain.

  • Instead of server.key, I use www.thegeekstuff.com.key
  • Instead of server.csr, I use www.thegeekstuff.com.csr
  • Instead of server.crt, I use www.thegeekstuff.com.crt

1. Generate Private Key on the Server Running Apache + mod_ssl

Generate private key from ca certificate of life

First, generate a private key on the Linux server that runs Apache webserver using openssl command as shown below.

The generated private key looks like the following.

2. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

Using the key generate above, you should generate a certificate request file (csr) using openssl as shown below.

3. Generate a Self-Signed SSL Certificate

For testing purpose, you can generate a self-signed SSL certificate that is valid for 1 year using openssl command as shown below.


You can use this method to generate Apache SSL Key, CSR and CRT file in most of the Linux, Unix systems including Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora and Red Hat.

4. Get a Valid Trial SSL Certificate (Optional)

Generate Private Key From Certificate

Instead of signing it youself, you can also generate a valid trial SSL certificate from thawte. i.e Before spending the money on purchasing a certificate, you can also get a valid fully functional 21 day trial SSL certificates from Thawte. Once this valid certificate works, you can either decide to purchase it from Thawte or any other SSL signing organization.

This step is optional and not really required. For testing purpose, you can always use the self-signed certificate that was generated from the above step.

Go to Thwate trial certificate request page and do the following:

  • Select “SSL Web Server Certificate (All servers)” under the “select your trial certificate”.
  • Do not check the PKCS #7 check-box under the “configure certificate”
  • Copy/Paste the *.csr file that you generate above in the textbox under “certificate signing request (CSR)”
  • Click on next at the bottom, which will give you a 21-day free trial certificate.


Copy/Paste the trial certificate to the www.thegeekstuff.com.crt file as shown below.

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