Automation of users and certificates creation

[ferchu]

Hi,

I regularly have to create new users in my pfsense installation. Normally, the process involves:

• setting the username
• stetting the full name
• selecting the CA
• overriding the default key size
• overriding the default expiration date
• exporting the asociated OpenVPN (.ovpn) profile

Is there any way to automate this, at least all the user creation bits (i.e., excluding the ovpn profile export).

Note: it's totally fine if automating things involves me SSH'ing to PFsense as opposed to using the GUI.

Thanks!

• F

[stephenw10]

There is no built in automation for that. You could probably do something with php shell scripts. Some coding would be required though.

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/development/php-shell.html

Steve

[ferchu]

@stephenw10 Hello, Steve! Thanks so much for your prompt response!

Quick question: is it a valid expectation that for everything that can be done in the GUI it's also possible to do it with the PHP shell?

I ask because I've just checked the reference you've provided, but it seems it's not possible to e.g. create users or user certificates via PHP shell.

Is that correct?

Thanks!

[stephenw10]

No, pfSense is intended to be used through the webgui. There will be functions that only work that way. But you could likely create a php shell script that created users with certs. It would need to be coded directly though.
If you have a very large number of users you probably want to be using some external authentication server anyway.