SSL Certificate request

[jalfrey]

I think I need help with the syntax used to generate a Certificate Request. I used the first command as follows:

1. openssl genrsa -des3 -out mywebserver.key 1024

The mywebserver.key file is not created, but a 1024 file is. So then I tried the following:

2. openssl req -new -key mywebserver.key -out mywebserver.csr

but the mywebserver.key file obviously does not exist, so it fails. I then tried the following, replacing the mywebserver.key with 1024 (since the 1024 file exists):

3. openssl req -new -key 1024 -out mywebserver.csr

The webserver.csr is then generated, but I am receiving an error from the certificate authority stating the request needs to be 1024 of higher to continue the process.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Joe

[jalfrey]

If anyone is interested, here is the syntax that is correct:

openssl genrsa -out mywebsite.key -des3 1024

openssl req -new -key mywebsite.key -out mywebsite.csr

[LuCa]

Thanks for the information on openssl.

I'm dealing right now very hard with creating a key.

The first part of your description
-------------
openssl genrsa -out mywebsite.key -des3 1024
-------------
worked fine, and it has created a file with the name "mywbsite.key"

But when I put in the second command
-------------
openssl req -new -key mywebsite.key -out mywebsite.csr
-------------
I get teh following error message

Unable to load config info
Enter pass phrase for mywebsite.key:
unable to find 'distinguished_name' in config
problems making Certificate Request
1012:error:0E06D06A:configuration file routines:NCONF_get_string:no conf or envi
ronment variable:.\crypto\conf\conf_lib.c:325:

Please explain what I did wrong, or what is wrong in a very easy way (openssl for Dummies .... ), because my knowledge about ssl is about on the level of "I know that I need it, but this is about all".

Thanks in advance for a strong and simple help.
LuCa