How to generate a 2048-bit key and CSR for S/MIME in OpenSSL (2024)

Solution

1. Download and installOpenSSL for windows.Note: We cannot support you on downloading or installing OpenSSL.
   However OpenSSLwill usually install in this directoryC:\OpenSSL-Win32\bin
2. Run openssl.exe in the command prompt.
   Run command:
   

   openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -out yourfilename.csr -keyout yourfilename.key
   

   
   Note: yourfilename.csr and yourfilename.key you can edit to be more specific file names that you want to use.
   Try ourOpenSSL CSR Wizard
3. Fill in the following details:

   Field	Example Value
   Common Name	youremail@example.com
   Organization Name	DigiCert, Inc.
   Department	IT (Any department within your organization)
   City	Lehi (Legally registered City)
   State/Province	Utah
   Country	US (Two-digit country code)
   Email Address	youremail@example.com
   Challenge Password	tesT123 (This will be used to create the .pfx file or import the .pfx file.)
   Key size	2048, 3072, or 4096

   
   
4. Open the CSR file in TXT Editor like Notepad or Word pad.
5. Include the test into your order.
6. Download the Primary CS cert and its intermediate. You will need to save a copy of both files in the same directory where you are running the openssl.exe file.
7. Concatenate the files using this command to make a .pfx file.
   

   openssl pkcs12 -export -out Newcscertificate.pfx -inkey yourfilename.key -in newcs.crt -certfile CA.crt
   

   
   

Note: Newcscertificate.pfx, yourfilename.key, newcs.crt. and CA.crt files names in the command will need to match the actual file names.

Once you get the .pfx file you can use this file with any tool you wish.

To import a .pfx file into the local Personal certificate store, do the following:

1. Start Windows Explorer and select and hold (or right-click) the .pfx file, then select Open to open the Certificate Import Wizard.
2. Follow the procedure in the Certificate Import Wizard to import the code-signing certificate into the personal certificate store.
3. The certificate and private key are now available for to use.

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