Generating a Self-Signed Certificate with "keytool"

SOAP Web Service Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples - Version 5.02, by Dr. Herong Yang

SOAP Web Service Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟Generating a Self-Signed Certificate with "keytool"

This section provides a tutorial example on how to generate a self-signed certificate using the 'keytoo' command from JDK (Java Development Kit).

In order to learn how to use X.509 certificate tokens, we need to create a certificate first. The easiest way is to create a self-signed certificate using the "keytool" command provided in JDK (Java Development Kit).

Run the following command in a command window, assuming JDK is installed:

C:\herong>"\Program Files\java\jdk1.8.0\bin\keytool" -genkeypair 
   -keystore MyKeyStore.jks -alias MyCertificate

Enter keystore password: MyKeyStore
Re-enter new password: MyKeyStore
What is your first and last name?
  [Unknown]:  Herong
What is the name of your organizational unit?
  [Unknown]:  MyUnit
What is the name of your organization?
  [Unknown]:  MyOrg
What is the name of your City or Locality?
  [Unknown]:  MyCity
What is the name of your State or Province?
  [Unknown]:  MyState
What is the two-letter country code for this unit?
  [Unknown]:  UN
Is CN=Herong, OU=MyUnit, O=MyOrg, L=MyCity, ST=MyState, C=UN correct?
  [no]:  yes

Enter key password for <MyCertificate>
        (RETURN if same as keystore password): MyCertificate
Re-enter new password: MyCertificate

The above command did the following:

A private-public key pair was generated using the default algorithm, DSA (Digital Signature Algorithm).
A self-signed certificate was created binding the public key to the owner "Herong".
Both the key pair and the certificate were saved as a key store entry called "MyCertificate". This key store entry is protected by password: "MyCertificate".
The "MyCertificate" entry was save in a new JKS (Java KeyStore) file called "MyKeyStore.jks". This JKS file is protected by password: "MyKeyStore".

Run the following command to check the JKS file and its key store entries:

C:\herong>"\Program Files\java\jdk1.8.0\bin\keytool" -list 
   -keystore MyKeyStore.jks -storepass MyKeyStore

Keystore type: JKS
Keystore provider: SUN

Your keystore contains 1 entry

mycertificate, Mar 1, 2014, PrivateKeyEntry,
Certificate fingerprint (SHA1): 
   4B:2E:99:91:12:4E:3A:D0:B4:BF:12:B4:44:74:A4:1D:02:70:2B:9D

The output confirms that the JKS file has a key store entry called "mycertificate".

Last update: 2014.

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About This Book

Introduction to Web Service

Introduction to SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

SOAP Message Structure

SOAP Message Transmission and Processing

SOAP Data Model

SOAP Encoding

SOAP RPC Presentation

SOAP Properties Model