Security Basics mailing list archives

SSL Certificates


From: "CORP John Porter" <jporter () rsac com>
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 13:27:28 -0800

I am trying to use a Wildcard SSL certificate, i.e. *.company.com, for
authentication to a wireless network and I can't get it to work. I have
been given about 6 different reasons for why it isn't working. The
latest explanation is that when you get an SSL certificate from GoDaddy
or Entrust you must first create a Certificate Signing Request that you
then submit to the Authority. The theory is that even though you request
a certificate for a CN of *, the CSR has information about the server
that created the CSR and that therefore the wildcard certificate will
work for any sub-domain of company.com, but only on the server that
created the CSR. Therefore, if I have 5 different servers where I want
to use *.company.com, I must create. 5 CSRs, and purchase 5
certificates. Does this make sense? 


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