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diff --git a/doc/tls_cert_ca.html b/doc/tls_cert_ca.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3690e93b --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/tls_cert_ca.html @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html><head><title>TLS-protected syslog: scenario</title> +</head> +<body> + +<h1>Encrypting Syslog Traffic with TLS (SSL)</h1> +<p><small><i>Written by <a href="http://www.adiscon.com/en/people/rainer-gerhards.php">Rainer +Gerhards</a> (2008-06-17)</i></small></p> + +<ul> +<li><a href="rsyslog_secure_tls.html">Overview</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_scenario.html">Sample Scenario</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_ca.html">Setting up the CA</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_machine.html">Generating Machine Certificates</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_server.html">Setting up the Central Server</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_client.html">Setting up syslog Clients</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_udp_relay.html">Setting up the UDP syslog relay</a> +<li><a href="tls_cert_summary.html">Wrapping it all up</a> +</ul> + +<h3>Setting up the CA</h3> +<p>The first step is to set up a certificate authority (CA). It must be +maintained by a trustworthy person (or group) and approves the indentities of +all machines. It does so by issuing their certificates. In a small setup, the +administrator can provide the CA function. What is important is the the CA's +<span style="float: left"> +<script type="text/javascript"><!-- +google_ad_client = "pub-3204610807458280"; +/* rsyslog doc inline */ +google_ad_slot = "5958614527"; +google_ad_width = 125; +google_ad_height = 125; +//--> +</script> +<script type="text/javascript" +src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> +</script> +</span> +private key is well-protocted and machine certificates are only issued if it is +know they are valid (in a single-admin case that means the admin should not +issue certificates to anyone else except himself).</p> +<p>The CA creates a so-called self-signed certificate. That is, it approves its +own authenticy. This sounds useless, but the key point to understand is that +every machine will be provided a copy of the CA's certificate. Accepting this +certificate is a matter of trust. So by configuring the CA certificate, the +administrator tells <a href="http://www.rsyslog.com">rsyslog</a> which certificates to trust. This is the root of all +trust under this model. That is why the CA's private key is so important - +everyone getting hold of it is trusted by our rsyslog instances.</p> +<center><img align="right" src="tls_cert_ca.jpg"></center> +<p>To create a self-signed certificate, use the following commands with GnuTLS (which +is currently the only supported TLS library, what may change in the future): </p> +<ol> +<li>generate the private key: +<pre>certtool --generate-privkey --outfile ca-key.pem</pre> +<br> +This takes a short while. Be sure to do some work on your workstation, +it waits for radom input. Switching between windows is sufficient ;) +</li> +<li>now create the (self-signed) CA certificate itself:<br> +<pre>certtool --generate-self-signed --load-privkey ca-key.pem --outfile ca.pem</pre> +This generates the CA certificate. This command queries you for a +number of things. Use appropriate responses. When it comes to +certificate validity, keep in mind that you need to recreate all +certificates when this one expires. So it may be a good idea to use a +long period, eg. 3650 days (roughly 10 years). You need to specify that +the certificates belongs to an authority. The certificate is used to +sign other certificates.<br> +</li> +</ol> +<h2>Copyright</h2> +<p>Copyright (c) 2008 <a href="http://www.adiscon.com/en/people/rainer-gerhards.php">Rainer +Gerhards</a> and +<a href="http://www.adiscon.com/en/">Adiscon</a>.</p> +<p> Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this +document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version +1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; +with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover +Texts. A copy of the license can be viewed at +<a href="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html">http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html</a>.</p> +</body></html> |