selfsigned

What is selfsigned?

The selfsigned npm package is used to generate self-signed SSL/TLS certificates. It is primarily used for development purposes where trusted certificates are not required. The package allows users to create certificates with various options, such as setting the validity period, adding extensions, and defining subject fields.

What are selfsigned's main functionalities?

Generate a self-signed certificate

This feature allows the generation of a self-signed certificate with a common name of 'contoso.com' and a validity of 365 days. The 'pems' object contains the private key, certificate, and other related PEM-encoded data.

const selfsigned = require('selfsigned');
const attrs = [{ name: 'commonName', value: 'contoso.com' }];
const options = { days: 365 };
selfsigned.generate(attrs, options, function(err, pems) {
  console.log(pems);
});

Generate a certificate with custom extensions

This feature allows the generation of a self-signed certificate with custom extensions, such as marking the certificate as a CA (Certificate Authority). This is useful for creating more complex certificate chains or for specific use cases requiring certain extensions.

const selfsigned = require('selfsigned');
const attrs = [{ name: 'commonName', value: 'contoso.com' }];
const extensions = [{ name: 'basicConstraints', cA: true }];
const options = { days: 365, extensions: extensions };
selfsigned.generate(attrs, options, function(err, pems) {
  console.log(pems);
});

Other packages similar to selfsigned

pem

The 'pem' package is used to generate and manage SSL certificates and keys. It can create private keys, CSRs (Certificate Signing Requests), and certificates. It also supports additional features like creating PKCS12 files and converting certificates to different formats. Compared to 'selfsigned', 'pem' offers a broader range of functionalities for managing certificates beyond just self-signing.

forge

The 'node-forge' package is a native JavaScript implementation of various networking cryptographic operations. It includes the ability to create self-signed certificates, but it also provides a wide range of cryptographic functions such as encryption, decryption, signing, and verification. 'node-forge' is more comprehensive than 'selfsigned' in terms of overall cryptographic capabilities.

README

Generate a self signed x509 certificate from node.js.

Install

  npm install selfsigned

Usage

var selfsigned = require('selfsigned');
var attrs = [{ name: 'commonName', value: 'contoso.com' }];
var pems = selfsigned.generate(attrs, { days: 365 });
console.log(pems)

Async

selfsigned.generate(attrs, { days: 365 }, function (err, pems) {
  console.log(pems)
});

Will return the following like this:

{
  private: '-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----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\r\n/mgqN589OfF4SS0U/MoRzYk9jF9IAJN1Mi/571T+nw4=\r\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\r\n',
  public: '-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----\r\nMIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQCBFMXMYS/+RZz6+qzv+xeqXPdj\r\nw4YKZC4y3dPhSwgEwkecrCTXsR6boue+1MjIqPqWggXZnotIGldfEN0kn0Jbh2vM\r\nTrTx6YwqQ8tceBPoyuuqcYBOOONAcKOB3MLnZbyOgVtbyT3j68JE5V/lx6LhpIKA\r\ngY0m5WIuaKrW6mvLXQIDAQAB\r\n-----END PUBLIC KEY-----\r\n',
  cert: '-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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\r\nXJZAPO10PHuDen7JeMOUf1Re7lRFtwfRGAvVYmrvYFKv\r\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----\r\n'
}

Attributes

for attributes, please refer to: https://github.com/digitalbazaar/forge/blob/master/lib/x509.js

Options

var pems = selfsigned.generate(null, {
  keySize: 2048, // the size for the private key in bits (default: 1024)
  days: 30, // how long till expiry of the signed certificate (default: 365)
  notBeforeDate: new Date(), // The date before which the certificate should not be valid (default: now)
  algorithm: 'sha256', // sign the certificate with specified algorithm (default: 'sha1')
  extensions: [{ name: 'basicConstraints', cA: true }], // certificate extensions array
  pkcs7: true, // include PKCS#7 as part of the output (default: false)
  clientCertificate: true, // generate client cert signed by the original key (default: false)
  clientCertificateCN: 'jdoe' // client certificate's common name (default: 'John Doe jdoe123')
});

You can avoid key pair generation specifying your own keys ({ keyPair: { publicKey: '-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----...', privateKey: '-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----...' })

Generate Client Certificates

If you are in an environment where servers require client certificates, you can generate client keys signed by the original (server) key.

var pems = selfsigned.generate(null, { clientCertificate: true });
console.log(pems)

Will return the following like this:

{ private: '-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----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\r\nfVUSx1nCF1sPD0p+pO8Rj3i87iI4MlblQRm/wVkrkjiR\r\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\r\n',
  public: '-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----\r\nMIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQDLg/kS4dCPVu96sbK6MQuUPmhq\r\nnF8SeBXVHH18h+0BTj7HqnrAA75hNVIiSLTChvpzQ0qi2Ju7O2ESUOdx7cvGiftG\r\nuZLiI8uL2HVlYuX+wQTIoRHx9nxv56TIiqnPg5d05vSTLXoiJg5uac3a6+4vnhhT\r\no0XRRXVVboZsfNpuGQIDAQAB\r\n-----END PUBLIC KEY-----\r\n',
  cert: '-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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\r\nAE/FO85R0HbGEp+IrwUwDOLR6omBFVdh1EUOTcQU2jLZNbWvLDiWbDo=\r\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----\r\n',
  clientprivate: '-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----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\r\ncwIs+ikIBnOwUOh6liJ7yK1YnckDTZTOfUDyG+vdFQ==\r\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\r\n',
  clientpublic: '-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----\r\nMIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQDjR5FrrdZ1jirqkx3KMPnGjrcO\r\nbj/vmztWTEZ1kX6gTskQugJUoxktzwDZza4jYODC6Ud2jouFLWeAi5BDSAeLwAQb\r\n951qVD9zVsmQ+63V/mvSJUojigwj7YjcxyReJ17F0YgjceqrkZaPM8YRo8h1fj1J\r\ndPc4ZOUgA5ASZ0h2ewIDAQAB\r\n-----END PUBLIC KEY-----\r\n',
  clientcert: '-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\r\nMIICSzCCAbSgAwIBAgIBAjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFADBpMRQwEgYDVQQDEwtleGFt\r\ncGxlLm9yZzELMAkGA1UEBhMCVVMxETAPBgNVBAgTCFZpcmdpbmlhMRMwEQYDVQQH\r\nEwpCbGFja3NidXJnMQ0wCwYDVQQKEwRUZXN0MQ0wCwYDVQQLEwRUZXN0MB4XDTE1\r\nMTAyOTEzMDYwNVoXDTE2MTAyOTEzMDYwNVowbjEZMBcGA1UEAxMQSm9obiBEb2Ug\r\namRvZTEyMzELMAkGA1UEBhMCVVMxETAPBgNVBAgTCFZpcmdpbmlhMRMwEQYDVQQH\r\nEwpCbGFja3NidXJnMQ0wCwYDVQQKEwRUZXN0MQ0wCwYDVQQLEwRUZXN0MIGfMA0G\r\nCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQDjR5FrrdZ1jirqkx3KMPnGjrcObj/vmztW\r\nTEZ1kX6gTskQugJUoxktzwDZza4jYODC6Ud2jouFLWeAi5BDSAeLwAQb951qVD9z\r\nVsmQ+63V/mvSJUojigwj7YjcxyReJ17F0YgjceqrkZaPM8YRo8h1fj1JdPc4ZOUg\r\nA5ASZ0h2ewIDAQABMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBQUAA4GBACOUglBxJ80jzR3DSSMrgRav\r\n7deKUPShEPC3tbVrc3LHPGpCEJUC309aK2mbMwz2jX78tr/ezePELKbyRggUvVgN\r\nB0XdIQkpR9X4mPdtFYkMiWKNVYKd79r0kolprgFPryhT3jsICIOnwE1Ur23Q+Fk2\r\nnizRS0HY4Q25JLCmsWWy\r\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----\r\n' }

To override the default client CN of john doe jdoe123, add another option for clientCertificateCN:

var pems = selfsigned.generate(null, { clientCertificate: true, clientCertificateCN: 'FooBar' });

License

MIT