Generate CSR File for SSL Certificate Request on Mac OS X

Instead of Server Operating System, You Can Use Your Mac OS X or Linux to Generate CSR File for SSL Certificate Request. Most probably fails to understand the fact : the guides on SSL Certificate authorities are written for Microsoft Windows users not for us. They probably can not generate readable / secure key / csr. If we generate on our own Mac or Linux PC, we can actually manage them and keep them in proper place – loss of key or csr will not happen!

Generate CSR File for SSL Certificate Request on Mac OS X : First Make Sure You Have an Organized SSH Folder

We are writing as Mac OS X as most yet are not used with searching with OS X, it is OS X on Mac. You must read this guide – Managing Multiple SSH Keys Through Command Line and manage your keys properly. You can practice few times unless you understand the stuff. Practically all our Private keys are located at :

So, you can right click on Finder, click Go to Folder and paste the path to visually see or open the file on TextEdit (drag and drop to open). on command line, we access this /Users/username/.ssh path by typing :

Perform a listing of files by doing ls :

You will see your existing files.

Generate CSR File for SSL Certificate Request on Mac OS X : Steps

Now create a folder :

If you go back a level up and do ls :

You will actually see that you have created a nice folder with your domain name. If you have hundreds of websites, you can nicely manage your all key files in this way. Things will remain on your Mac within the domain name folder. First you will create a key :

Then you will create the CSR file :

You can open that file thecustomizewindows.com.csr ; simply supply that file. Tested with GeoTrust with my MBP. GeoTrust’s automated system actually can read it nicely!