Using certificate on 2 Firewalls?

Hyperion

Hello everyone...

I am totally new and inexperienced with firewalls, but would like to expand my knowledge.

Questions:

how do I get/obtain a certificate for a firewall example pfSense to install on the hardware?
can I install a firewall certificate that is already installed on another firewall on a second firewall and run it at the same time?
can I install an existing certificate on a 2nd firewall and use the 2nd firewall as a replacement if the 1st firewall has a hardware defect?
if I export an complete existing pfSense Firewall setting, will this export contain the certificate as well?

Many thanks for your helpful replies.

Below are the answers to my first two questions, given by ChatGPT:
1.
To obtain a certificate for a firewall like pfSense to install on hardware, you typically need to follow these steps:

Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR): First, you need to generate a CSR on the firewall device (in this case, pfSense). This involves providing some information about your organization and the domain for which you want the certificate.

Submit CSR to a Certificate Authority (CA): Once you have the CSR, you need to submit it to a trusted Certificate Authority. There are many CAs available, both commercial and free. Some popular options include Let's Encrypt, DigiCert, and Comodo.

Validation: The CA will typically validate the information provided in the CSR. This may involve confirming domain ownership through email validation, DNS records, or other methods.

Certificate Issuance: Once the validation process is complete, the CA will issue a certificate for the domain specified in the CSR.

Install the Certificate: Once you receive the certificate from the CA, you need to install it on your pfSense firewall. This usually involves uploading the certificate and any necessary intermediate certificates, as well as the private key generated when creating the CSR.

Configure pfSense to Use the Certificate: After installing the certificate, you'll need to configure pfSense to use it for secure communications, such as HTTPS.

The exact steps may vary depending on the specific version of pfSense you're using and the CA you choose. You should refer to the documentation provided by pfSense and your chosen CA for detailed instructions tailored to your setup. Additionally, there are often community forums and online tutorials available to help guide you through the process.

2.
Yes, in most cases, you can use the same certificate on multiple firewalls simultaneously. This is especially common in scenarios where you have multiple instances of the same firewall software deployed across different locations or for redundancy purposes.

Here's how you can typically do it:

Export the Certificate: First, you need to export the certificate from the firewall where it's currently installed. This usually involves exporting both the certificate itself and the private key associated with it.

Transfer the Certificate: Once exported, you can transfer the certificate files to the second firewall where you want to use it. This can be done via secure file transfer methods such as SCP (Secure Copy Protocol) or SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol).

Import the Certificate: On the second firewall, you'll need to import the certificate files. This involves uploading the certificate and the private key to the firewall's certificate management interface.

Configure the Firewall to Use the Certificate: After importing the certificate, you'll need to configure the firewall to use it for secure communications, such as HTTPS or VPN connections.

Verify Configuration: Finally, you should verify that the firewall is using the imported certificate correctly by testing the secure connections.

It's worth noting that some CAs may have restrictions on the number of installations or servers you can use a single certificate with. Be sure to review the terms of your certificate issuance to ensure compliance.

Also, keep in mind that while you can use the same certificate on multiple firewalls, you'll need to ensure that the private key associated with the certificate is kept secure and not exposed to unauthorized parties.

Gertjan

@Hyperion said in Using certificate on 2 Firewalls?:

how do I get/obtain a certificate for a firewall example pfSense to install on the hardware?

A 'certificate ' for what usage ?
You can make your own. If you trust the certificate you just created yourself, and you install it into the browser and other app that use these certificate(s), you'll be fine.
If you want a certificate that everybody and everyone trusts out of the box, you need to have a domain name, one you've paid for, like "123456-just-for-me.com".

@Hyperion said in Using certificate on 2 Firewalls?:

can I install an existing certificate on a 2nd firewall and use the 2nd firewall as a replacement if the 1st firewall has a hardware defect?

The third certificate : I 'own' (rent !) the domain name (example) "my-local-network-net" and I use the pfSense package acme to handle the (re)newal of the certificate.
When done, every 60 days or so, I export them to my NAS, printers and other APs : everybody that has a GUI port 433 (https) access.

@Hyperion said in Using certificate on 2 Firewalls?:

can I install an existing certificate on a 2nd firewall and use the 2nd firewall as a replacement if the 1st firewall has a hardware defect?

of course.
You can even automate this setup : if one fails, the other one takes over you doing nothing but drinking beer.
See the pfSense documentation, or one of the many video's about the subject.

@Hyperion said in Using certificate on 2 Firewalls?:

if I export an complete existing pfSense Firewall setting, will this export contain the certificate as well?

All pfSense settings are in the file you export.
Example : the hard disk of your firewall does what they all do : it dies.
No problem : you have your daily backup of the config, so :
Put a new drive in place.
Get the latest copy of pfSense : = download or contact pfSense tech support - TAC.
Put the firmware on an USB key - see pfSense Documentation "How to use Etcher to create a USB boot drive for pfSense).
Install pfSense.
As soon as the GUI is up, import your config.
Reboot.
Done.

The most difficult step was probably :

Put a new drive in place.

Btw : VMs are even more easier ...

@Hyperion said in Using certificate on 2 Firewalls?:

given by ChatGPT:

A forum member ?
Must be anew one then.

Normally, the old answer is used : RTFM ^^
As very soon you will have hundreds (more probably) questions. (and that's a good sign !)
And you really don't want to type them all.
An nobody here likes to copy past the same answers here

edit : pfSense Documentation
and also : the Youtube Netgate Channel.

edit : Don't be bothered with the RTF.. word : if you have a question : post.
We have all several things in common : born without knowing what a firewall is.
"Fire" and "wall" came in early (for me) but the two combined, buried in a small box with a lot of cables, that one needs to be learned the old fashioned way, mostly by trial and error (for me, that is) ;)