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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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    • 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! 😊

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                    • 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?

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                        • 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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