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    Remote Access SSL/TLS OpenVPN without CA on pfSense

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
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    • johnpozJ
      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
      last edited by

      Dude you have to create the ca - with the import CA function.  Then that ca could create your server cert to use with the openvpn server.  You would then import that cert, which could be used by openvpn.

      For example - here is where you would download a CA from Symantec
      https://knowledge.symantec.com/kb/index?page=content&actp=CROSSLINK&id=SO25808

      See the cert - you would paste that into your CAs And give it a name.  Not sure what your doing when you say public key?

      importCA.jpg
      importCA.jpg_thumb
      importaCA.jpg
      importaCA.jpg_thumb

      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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      • J
        Jeff W
        last edited by

        @johnpoz:

        Dude you have to create the ca

        I created it exactly in this way but I didn't create server cert using this CA. I just created CSR and issued it on Windows Server PKI. Thanks mate! Testing now!

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        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by

          Your going to have to have that CA sign your cert you request.. Or just import the cert you create on your CA for it..

          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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          • J
            Jeff W
            last edited by

            @johnpoz:

            Your going to have to have that CA sign your cert you request..

            Yes… Exactly

            I imported CA public key in the same way as on your screenshot.

            Then I created CSR: Cert Manager - Certificated - Add - Create a Certificate Signing Request
            I exported *.req file, imported it into Windows Server CA, issued it and I exported base 64 of it...

            on pfSense I completed signing request by pasting base 64 into "Final certificate data" (I did it in past for SSL cert for Web GUI HTTPS and that works well)

            2016-10-01_11-01-42.jpg
            2016-10-01_11-01-42.jpg_thumb

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            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
              last edited by

              Well dude how is it going to work when clearly it is NOT a server cert..

              serverno.jpg
              serverno.jpg_thumb
              serveryes.jpg
              serveryes.jpg_thumb

              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
              SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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              • J
                Jeff W
                last edited by

                That means that I have to find out what is server cert for pfSense from the perspective of Windows Server CA. I tried several templates and they all have "Server Authentication" or server and "Client Authentication" but that probably is not enough for pfSense. I haven't found any specific Windows Server CA / pfSense guide so I will have to trial and error different configurations of template.

                Thank you.

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                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  Pretty sure there is a "web server" template - I would guess that would be the template to use.  I have not used windows based CA in long time.. But I do recall that template.  What version of windows area you using? 2k8, 2k12 - new 2k16?

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                  • J
                    Jeff W
                    last edited by

                    2012 R2 but this should not matter. Most of those templates are by default in 2003 version. When I try something new (for example in this case) I always start with the old one and when it works I try to "upgrade it" since new templates are better from security perspective. Funny that my SSL cert for GUI shows "Server: No" but works as expected ;-).

                    "Web Server" template is there… I will test it ASAP. Thank you.

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                    • J
                      Jeff W
                      last edited by

                      Nope, still Server: No

                      I will try to create internal CA and server cert and export config. Then I will switch files in exported archive and try to connect. It might work since pfSense allows me to save Server configuration with "Server: No" certificate…

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                      • C
                        CDuv
                        last edited by

                        Did you managed to find out what a "Server" certificate is?
                        I am not using Windows Server CA but EJBCA and having the same issue: my certificate is treated as "Server: No" by pfSense.

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                        • DerelictD
                          Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                          last edited by

                          A server certificate has this attribute:

                          Netscape Cert Type:
                                          SSL Server

                          The following extensions are non standard, Netscape specific and largely obsolete. Their use in new applications is discouraged.

                          idk.

                          See Also: man x509v3_config

                          I am not 100% sure exactly what needs that to be present, but it's not pfSense. Maybe strongswan and openvpn.

                          You will probably find it easier to keep the certificates on pfSense so you can use the client export utility but there is no requirement to do so.

                          You do have to have the CA certificate installed on the firewall so openvpn can validate client certificates against it but you don't need the private key there unless you are going to generate/sign client certificates there.

                          You will need to import the certificate and key parts as the server cert but they do not have to be generated on pfSense.

                          Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
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                          DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
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