Requesting a personal certificate on UNIX, Linux, and Windows

We can request a personal certificate by using the strmqikm (iKeyman) GUI, or from the command line using the runmqckm (iKeycmd) or runmqakm (GSKCapiCmd) commands. If you need to manage SSL or TLS certificates in a way that is FIPS-compliant, use the runmqakm command.

About this task

We can request a personal certificate using the iKeyman GUI, or from the command line, subject to the following considerations:

• IBM MQ does not support SHA-3 or SHA-5 algorithms. We can use the digital signature algorithm names SHA384WithRSA and SHA512WithRSA because both algorithms are members of the SHA-2 family.
• The digital signature algorithm names SHA3WithRSA and SHA5WithRSA are deprecated because they are an abbreviated form of SHA384WithRSA and SHA512WithRSA respectively.
• Not all digital certificates can be used with all CipherSpecs. Ensure that you request a certificate that is compatible with the CipherSpecs you need to use. IBM MQ supports three different types of CipherSpec. For details, see Interoperability of Elliptic Curve and RSA CipherSpecs in the Digital certificates and CipherSpec compatibility in IBM MQ topic.
• To use the Type 1 CipherSpecs (with names beginning ECDHE_ECDSA_) you must use the runmqakm command to request the certificate and you must specify an Elliptic Curve ECDSA signature algorithm parameter; for example, -sig_alg EC_ecdsa_with_SHA384.
• Only the runmqakm command provides a FIPS-compliant option.
• If you are using cryptographic hardware, see Requesting a personal certificate for your PKCS #11 hardware.

Use the iKeyman user interface

About this task

iKeyman does not provide a FIPS-compliant option. If you need to manage TLS certificates in a way that is FIPS-compliant, use the runmqakm command.

Procedure

Complete the following steps to apply for a personal certificate, by using the iKeyman user interface:

1. Start the iKeyman user interface by using the strmqikm command.
2. From the Key Database File menu, click Open. The Open window opens.
3. Click Key database type and select CMS (Certificate Management System).
4. Click Browse to navigate to the directory that contains the key database files.
5. Select the key database file from which you want to generate the request; for example, key.kdb.
6. Click Open. The Password Prompt window opens.
7. Type the password you set when you created the key database and click OK. The name of your key database file is shown in the File Name field.
8. From the Create menu, click New Certificate Request. The Create New Key and Certificate Request window opens.
9. In the Key Label field, enter the certificate label. The label is either the value of the CERTLABL attribute, if it is set, or the default ibmwebspheremq with the name of the queue manager or IBM MQ MQI client logon user ID appended, all in lowercase. See Digital certificate labels for details.
10. Type or select a value for any field in the Distinguished name field, or any of the Subject alternative name fields. For the remaining fields, either accept the default values, or type or select new values. For more information about Distinguished Names, see Distinguished Names.
11. In the Enter the name of a file in which to store the certificate request field, either accept the default certreq.arm, or type a new value with a full path.
12. Click OK. A confirmation window is displayed.
13. Click OK. The Personal Certificate Requests list shows the label of the new personal certificate request you created. The certificate request is stored in the file you chose in step 11.
14. Request the new personal certificate either by sending the file to a certificate authority (CA), or by copying the file into the request form on the website for the CA.

Use the command line

Procedure

Request a personal certificate by using either the runmqckm (iKeycmd) or runmqakm (GSKCapiCmd) command.

• Use runmqckm:

  runmqckm -certreq -create -db filename -pw 
  password -label label
          -dn distinguished_name -size key_size
   -file filename -sig_alg algorithm
  

  Instead of -dn distinguished_name, we can use -san_dsname DNS_names, -san_emailaddr email_addresses, or -san_ipaddr IP_addresses.

• Use runmqakm:

  runmqakm -certreq -create -db filename -pw 
  password -label label
          -dn distinguished_name -size key_size
   -file filename -fips
          -sig_alg algorithm
  

where:

-db filename

Specifies the fully qualified file name of a CMS key database.

-pw password

Specifies the password for the CMS key database.

-label label

Specifies the key label attached to the certificate. The label is either the value of the CERTLABL attribute, if it is set, or the default ibmwebspheremq with the name of the queue manager or the IBM MQ MQI client logon user ID appended, all in lowercase. See Digital certificate labels, understanding the requirements for details.

-dn distinguished_name

Specifies the X.500 distinguished name enclosed in double quotation marks. At least one attribute is required. We can supply multiple OU and DC attributes. Note: The runmqckm and runmqakm tools refer to the postal code attribute as POSTALCODE, not PC. Always specify POSTALCODE in the -dn parameter when we use these certificate management commands to request certificates with a postal code.

-size key_size

Specifies the key size. If you are using runmqckm, the value can be 512 or 1024. If you are using runmqakm, the value can be 512, 1024, or 2048.

-file filename

Specifies the file name for the certificate request.

-fips

Specifies that the command is run in FIPS mode. When in FIPS mode, the ICC component uses algorithms that are FIPS 140-2 validated. If the ICC component does not initialize in FIPS mode, the runmqakm command fails.

-sig_alg

For runmqckm, specifies the asymmetric signature algorithm used for the creation of the entry's key pair. The value can be MD2_WITH_RSA, MD2WithRSA, MD5_WITH_RSA, MD5WithRSA, SHA1WithDSA, SHA1WithRSA, SHA256_WITH_RSA, SHA256WithRSA, SHA2WithRSA, SHA384_WITH_RSA, SHA384WithRSA, SHA512_WITH_RSA, SHA512WithRSA, SHA_WITH_DSA, SHA_WITH_RSA, SHAWithDSA, or SHAWithRSA. The default value is SHA1WithRSA

-sig_alg

For runmqakm, specifies the hashing algorithm used during the creation of a certificate request. This hashing algorithm is used to create the signature associated with the newly created certificate request. The value can be md5, MD5_WITH_RSA, MD5WithRSA, SHA_WITH_DSA, SHA_WITH_RSA, sha1, SHA1WithDSA, SHA1WithECDSA, SHA1WithRSA, sha224, SHA224_WITH_RSA, SHA224WithDSA, SHA224WithECDSA, SHA224WithRSA, sha256, SHA256_WITH_RSA, SHA256WithDSA, SHA256WithECDSA, SHA256WithRSA, SHA2WithRSA, sha384, SHA384_WITH_RSA, SHA384WithECDSA, SHA384WithRSA, sha512, SHA512_WITH_RSA, SHA512WithECDSA, SHA512WithRSA, SHAWithDSA, SHAWithRSA, EC_ecdsa_with_SHA1, EC_ecdsa_with_SHA224, EC_ecdsa_with_SHA256, EC_ecdsa_with_SHA384, or EC_ecdsa_with_SHA512. The default value is SHA1WithRSA.

-san_dnsname DNS_names

Specifies a comma-delimited or space-delimited list of DNS names for the entry being created.

-san_emailaddr email_addresses

Specifies a comma-delimited or space-delimited list of email addresses for the entry being created.

-san_ipaddr IP_addresses

Specifies a comma-delimited or space-delimited list of IP addresses for the entry being created.

What to do next

Submit a certificate request to a CA. See Receiving personal certificates into a key repository on UNIX, Linux, and Windows for further information.