End entities

User and server certificates are required for mutual authentication on many HTTPS, SSL, and IPsec VPN network resources. You can create a user certificate on the FortiAuthenticator device, or import and sign a CSR. User certificates, client certificates, or local computer certificates are all the same type of certificate.

To view the user certificate list, go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Users. To view the server certificate list, go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Local Services.

The following information is available:

Create New Create a new certificate.
Import Select to import a certificate signed by a third-party CA for a previously generated CSR (see To import a local user certificate: and To import a server certificate:) or to import a CSR to sign (see To import a CSR to sign:).
Revoke Revoke the selected certificate. See To revoke a certificate:.
Delete Delete the selected certificate.
Export Certificate Save the selected certificate to your computer.
Export PKCS#12 Export the PKCS#12. This is only available for user certificates.
Search Enter a search term in the search field, then press Enter to search the certificate list.
Filter Select to filter the displayed certificates by status. The available selections are: All, Pending, Expired, Revoked, and Active.
Certificate ID The certificate ID.
Subject The certificate’s subject.
Issuer The issuer of the certificate.
Status The status of the certificate, either active, pending, or revoked.

Certificates can be created, imported, exported, revoked, and deleted as required. CSRs can be imported to sign, and the certificate detail information can also be viewed, see To view certificate details:.

To create a new certificate:
  1. To create a new user certificate, go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Users. To create a new server certificate, go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Local Services.
  2. Select Create New to open the Create New User Certificate or Create New Server Certificate window.

  3. Configure the following settings:
    4. Certificate ID Enter a unique ID for the certificate.
    Certificate Signing Options
      Issuer Select the issuer of the certificate, either Local CA or Third-party CA. Selecting Third-party CA generates a CSR that is to be signed by a third-party CA.
      Local User (Optional) If Local CA is selected as the issuer, you may select a local user from the drop-down list to whom the certificate will apply.This option is only available when creating a new user certificate.
      Certificate authority If Local CA is selected as the issuer, select one of the available CAs configured on the FortiAuthenticator unit from the drop-down list.
    The CA must be valid and current. If it is not you will have to create or import a CA certificate before continuing. See Certificate authorities.
    Subject Information
      Subject input method Select the subject input method, either Fully distinguished name or Field-by-field.
      Subject DN If the subject input method is Fully distinguished name, enter the full distinguished name of the subject. There should be no spaces between attributes.Valid DN attributes are DC, C, ST, L, O, OU, CN, and emailAddress. They are case-sensitive.
      Field-by-field If the subject input method is Field-by-field, enter the subject name in the Name (CN) field, and optionally enter the following fields:
    • Department (OU)
    • Company (O)
    • City (L)
    • State/Province (ST)
    • Country (C) (select from drop-down list)
    • E-mail address
    Subject Alternative Name Subject Alternative Names (SAN) allow you to protect multiple host names with a single SSL certificate. SAN is part of the X.509 certificate standard.
    For example, SANs are used to protect multiple domain names such as www.example.com and www.example.net, in contrast to wildcard certificates that can only protect all first-level subdomains on one domain, such as *.example.com.
    This section is not available when Issuer is set to Local CA.
      Email Enter the email address of a user to map to this certificate.
      User Principal Name (UPN) Enter the UPN used to find the user’s account in Microsoft Active Directory. This will map the certificate to this specific user. The UPN is unique for the Windows Server domain. This is a form of one-to-one mapping.
    Additional Options
      Validity period Select the amount of time before this certificate expires. This option is only available when Issuer is set to Local CA.
    Select Set length of time to enter a specific number of days, or select Set an expiry date and enter the specific date on which the certificate expires.
      Key type The key type is set to RSA.
      Key size Select the key size from the drop-down list: 1024, 2048, or 4096 bits.
      Hash algorithm Select the hash algorithm from the drop-down list, either SHA-1 or SHA-256.
    Other Extensions This option is only available when creating a new user certificate, and when Issuer is set to Local CA.
      Add CRL Distribution Points extension Select to add CRL distribution points extension to the certificate.
    Note: Once a certificate is issued with this extension, the server must be able to handle the CRL request at the specified location.
    A DNS domain name must be configured. If it has not been, select Edit DNS name to configure one. See DNS.
      Use certificate for Smart Card logon

    Select to use the certificate for smart card logon.
  4. Select OK to create the new certificate.
To import a local user certificate:
  1. Go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Users and select Import.
  2. In the Import Signing Request or Certificate window, in the Type field, select Local certificate.
  3. Select Browse... to locate the certificate file on your computer.
  4. Select OK to import the certificate.
To import a server certificate:
  1. to Certificate Management > End Entities > Local Services and select Import.
  2. In the Import Certificate window, select Browse... to locate the certificate file on your computer.
  3. Select OK to import the certificate.
To import a CSR to sign:
  1. Go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Users and select Import.
  2. In the Import Signing Request or Certificate window, in the Type field, select CSR to sign.

  3. Configure the following settings:
    4. Certificate ID Enter a unique ID for the certificate.
    CSR file (.csr, .req) Select Browse... then locate the CSR file on your computer.
    Certificate Signing Options
      Certificate authority Select one of the available CAs configured on the FortiAuthenticator from the drop-down list.
    The CA must be valid and current. If it is not you will have to create or import a CA certificate before continuing. See Certificate authorities.
      Validity period Select the amount of time before this certificate expires.
    Select Set length of time to enter a specific number of days, or select Set an expiry date and enter the specific date on which the certificate expires
      Hash algorithm Select the hash algorithm from the drop-down list, either SHA-1 or SHA-256.
    Subject Alternative Name
      Email Enter the email address of a user to map to this certificate.
      User Principal Name (UPN) Enter the UPN used to find the user’s account in Microsoft Active Directory. This will map the certificate to this specific user. The UPN is unique for the Windows Server domain. This is a form of one-to-one mapping.
    Other Extensions
      Add CRL Distribution Points extension Select to add CRL distribution points extension to the certificate.
    Note: Once a certificate is issued with this extension, the server must be able to handle the CRL request at the specified location.
    A DNS domain name must be configured. If it has not been, select Edit DNS name to configure one. See DNS.
      Use certificate for Smart Card logon Select to use the certificate for smart card logon. This option can only be selected concurrently with Add CRL Distribution Points extension.
  4. Select OK to import the CSR.
To revoke a certificate:
  1. Go to Certificate Management > End Entities > Users or to Certificate Management > End Entities > Local Services.
  2. Select the certificate the will be revoked, then select Revoke. The Revoke User Certificate or Revoke Server Certificate window opens.
  3. Select a reason for revoking the certificate from the Reason code drop-down list. The reasons available are:

    4. Some of these reasons are security related (such as the key or CA being compromised), while others are more business related; a change in affiliation could be an employee leaving the company; Operation ceased could be a project that was cancelled.

  4. Select OK to revoke the certificate.
To view certificate details:

From the certificate list, select a certificate ID to open the Certificate Detail Information window.

Select Edit next to the Certificate ID field to change the certificate ID. If any of this information is out of date or incorrect, you will not be able to use this certificate. If this is the case, delete the certificate and re-enter the information in a new certificate, see To create a new certificate:. Select Close to return to the certificate list.

Chapter: Certificate Management > End entities

Open topic with navigation