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    PFSense UI not detecting externally created certs as server certs

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • GertjanG Offline
      Gertjan @mephmanx
      last edited by Gertjan

      @mephmanx said in PFSense UI not detecting externally created certs as server certs:

      These are self-signed internal certs

      Aaaaah.
      I was wonder who would sign a dot local certificate. I hadthe impression you were using 'real' (trusted) certs.

      No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
      Edit : and where are the logs ??

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      • M Offline
        mephmanx
        last edited by

        Correct, they are created outside of PFSense using OpenSSL and then set during the install. Here is the config of the server cert:

        ##Required
        [ req ]
        default_bits = 4096
        distinguished_name = req_distinguished_name
        req_extensions = v3_vpn_server
        prompt = no

        ##About the system for the request. Ensure the CN = FQDN
        [ req_distinguished_name ]
        commonName = $host_name.$INTERNAL_DOMAIN_NAME
        countryName = $COUNTRY
        stateOrProvinceName = $STATE
        localityName = $LOCATION
        organizationName = $ORGANIZATION

        ##Extensions to add to a certificate request for how it will be used
        [ v3_vpn_server ]
        basicConstraints = critical, CA:FALSE
        subjectKeyIdentifier = hash
        keyUsage = critical, nonRepudiation, digitalSignature, keyEncipherment, keyAgreement
        extendedKeyUsage = critical, serverAuth
        subjectAltName = @alt_vpn_server

        ##The other names your server may be connected to as
        [alt_vpn_server]
        DNS.1 = $host_name
        DNS.2 = $host_name.$INTERNAL_DOMAIN_NAME
        DNS.3 = *.$INTERNAL_DOMAIN_NAME

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        • stephenw10S Offline
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by stephenw10

          It's the 'purpose' flags set on the cert. For example on a cert created in pfSense:

          steve@steve-MMLP7AP-00 /tmp/mozilla_steve0 $ openssl x509 -noout -purpose -in FreeRADIUS+Server+Certificate.crt 
          Certificate purposes:
          SSL client : No
          SSL client CA : No
          SSL server : Yes
          SSL server CA : No
          Netscape SSL server : Yes
          Netscape SSL server CA : No
          S/MIME signing : No
          S/MIME signing CA : No
          S/MIME encryption : No
          S/MIME encryption CA : No
          CRL signing : No
          CRL signing CA : No
          Any Purpose : Yes
          Any Purpose CA : Yes
          OCSP helper : Yes
          OCSP helper CA : No
          Time Stamp signing : No
          Time Stamp signing CA : No
          

          Though as I understand it most things ignore this so it's unlikely you would see an issue using that cert for the pfSense webgui.

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          • M Offline
            mephmanx @stephenw10
            last edited by

            @stephenw10 Dont know if you got my response to this...I think I replied via email and Im not sure if that works. I did find some things to clean up in my cert creation process but I still havent been able to get this flag to show up. I use openssl to create my certs...do you know what switch on openssl to use or if there is a value in the config or x509 settings that would kick this off? It dosent seem like its a big deal...things seem to work but would be nice to get everything to line up. Thank you for taking a look though!

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            • stephenw10S Offline
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              My understanding is that the flag is largely deprecated which is why it works fine and most things ignore it.
              I've never really tried but I would expect to be able to set that if you're creating it with openssl.

              Steve

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              • M Offline
                mephmanx @stephenw10
                last edited by

                @stephenw10 Thats what Im looking for is the flag for openssl...I cant seem to find it anywhere. It dosent seem like its used much..would just like to find it so the UI looks right.

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                • stephenw10S Offline
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  Hmm, I guess I would start digging here:
                  https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/master/src/etc/inc/certs.inc#L688

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                  • M Offline
                    mephmanx @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    @stephenw10 Wow, I think thats it! perfect! I was just adjusting those attributes for something else and I think I need that attribute for the VPN sever actually...was having issues with that. Great timing, thanks!

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                    • stephenw10S Offline
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Ha, lucky! 😊

                      M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • M Offline
                        mephmanx @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10 I have this working correctly now! Thank you so much for your help!

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                        • stephenw10S Offline
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          Ah, nice! What was the required incantation?

                          M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • M Offline
                            mephmanx @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10 I needed to add server into the nsCertType and serverAuth into extendedKeyUsage in the x509 extensions but need to add the x509 extensions as a command line arg to openssl, adding them into the config file dosent seem to work. Have to create it this way:

                            openssl x509 -CAcreateserial -req -days 7300
                            -in $cert_dir/$cert_name.csr
                            -CA $cert_dir/id_rsa.crt
                            -CAkey $cert_dir/id_rsa
                            -passin pass:$ca_pwd
                            -sha256
                            -extfile <(printf "$extFile")
                            -out $cert_dir/$cert_name.crt

                            the -extfile get the contests of the x509 stuff.

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