Create a certificate authority

This procedure allows you to create a certificate authority.

  1. Create a CSR (certificate signing request):
    $ openssl req -new -out MyCA.csr
    This creates a privkey.pem file containing to the RSA private key of that certificate and protected by a password.
  2. Remove the private key password (Optional):
    $ openssl rsa -in privkey.pem -out MyCA.pem
    Note: Removing the password of a certificate authority's private key is not recommended.
  3. Create a certificate from the Certificate Signing Request and trusted by the Root Certificate Authority:
    $ openssl x509 -in MyCA.csr -out MyCA.crt -req -signkey MyCA.pem
     -CA MyRootCA.crt -CAkey MyRootCA.pem -days 365
    Note: If you want an official Certificate Authority, you must send the CSR file to one of the self-established Certificate Authority companies on the Internet (instead of creating it with openssl).