"keytool -genkey" - Generating Keys and Self-Signed Certificates

JDK Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples - Version 6.10, by Dr. Herong Yang

JDK Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟"keytool" Commands and "keystore" Files

∟"keytool -genkey" - Generating Keys and Self-Signed Certificates

This section provides a tutorial example on how to use the 'keytool -genkey' command to generate a new pair of keys and self-signed certificate in a new 'keystore' file.

In the first example, I want to try the "-genkeypair" command option:

C:\herong>keytool -genkeypair -alias my_home -keystore herong.jks

Enter keystore password:  HerongJKS
What is your first and last name?
  [Unknown]:  Herong Yang
What is the name of your organizational unit?
  [Unknown]:  My Unit
What is the name of your organization?
  [Unknown]:  My Home
What is the name of your City or Locality?
  [Unknown]:  My City
What is the name of your State or Province?
  [Unknown]:  My State
What is the two-letter country code for this unit?
  [Unknown]:  US
Is <CN=Herong Yang, OU=My Unit, O=My Home, L=My City, ST=My State, 
   C=US> correct?
  [no]:  yes
Enter key password for <my_home>
        (RETURN if same as keystore password):  My1stKey

Based on the documentation, the above example command should do the following for me:

Create a "keystore" file, herong.jks, in JKS format, with password of "HerongJKS".
Generate a pair of private key and public key for me using the default implementation of the default security package.
Generate a certificate chain with a single self-signed certificate of my public key.
Insert a key entry into the keystore with my private key and the certificate chain.

The following command shows that we do have a key entry in the keystore file:

C:\herong>keytool -list -keystore herong.jks -storepass HerongJKS

Keystore type: PKCS12
Keystore provider: SUN

Your keystore contains 1 entry

my_home, Jul 1, 2018, PrivateKeyEntry,
Certificate fingerprint (SHA-256): 72:23:53:A2:C7:1B:7C:65:DE:0A:...

Last update: 2018.

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