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PKI: Issue a Service Certificate

MediumLinux Security20-25 min
The brief

A new internal service needs TLS. Using openssl, generate a 2048-bit (or stronger) private key and a self-signed X.509 certificate for CN=signal9.local, valid for at least 30 more days. Install them where services expect them — the key at /etc/ssl/private/service.key (locked to mode 600) and the certificate at /etc/ssl/certs/service.crt — and make sure the cert actually matches the key (a mismatched pair is the classic outage). Grading inspects the real key/cert with openssl, the way an auditor would. (Maps to NIST SC-12/SC-17 key & certificate management and 800-171 3.13.10.)

What you'll do
  • A valid private key at /etc/ssl/private/service.key
  • The key file is mode 600 (owner-only)
  • A certificate at /etc/ssl/certs/service.crt with CN=signal9.local
  • The certificate's public key matches the private key
  • The certificate is valid for at least 30 more days

Hands-on lab: you work on a real Linux box in your browser, graded on the machine's actual state.