Creating a Certificate

To create a certificate for mTLS authentication with Caf APIs, follow these steps:

Access Trust

1. Log in to the Trust portal:

   • Navigate to the Trust portal and authenticate with your credentials.

2. Navigate to API Configurations:

   • From the dashboard, locate the navigation menu.

   • Click on Settings (gear icon) in the menu.

   • Select API Configurations from the menu.

Certificate creation process

To create a certificate for mTLS, you need to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and have it signed by the Caf certificate authority:

Uploading your certificate signing request (CSR)

1. Access certificates section:

   • On the API configurations page, select the Certificates tab.

   • This page displays your existing certificates with their status and expiration dates.

   • Click the + New certificate button in the page header.

   
2. Upload Certificate Signing Request:

   • A "New certificate" modal will appear with an upload area for your CSR file.

   • You can click on the upload area or drag and drop your CSR file.

   
3. Select your CSR file:

   • After selecting your CSR file, it will appear in the upload area.

   • Click the Create certificate button which becomes enabled once a file is uploaded.

   
4. Download your certificate:

For advanced users who prefer to generate and keep their private key:

1. Generate a CSR:

   • Using OpenSSL or a similar tool, generate a private key and CSR.

   • Example OpenSSL command:

   Copy

   openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout private.key -out certificate.csr

2. Upload your CSR:

   • In the certificate creation dialog, upload your CSR file by either:

     • Dragging and dropping the file into the designated area, or

     • Clicking the upload button to browse and select your CSR file.

   • Click "Create certificate" when ready.

3. Download your certificate:

   • When the certificate is successfully generated, you'll see a success modal with a Download certificate button.

   • Click the button to download your signed certificate (.crt file).

   • Combine this certificate with your private key for use with your applications.

   Important: Make sure to download your certificate before closing the modal.

Certificate usage

The certificates issued by Caf are used for production API access. These certificates:

• Enable secure mTLS connections to Caf production APIs

• Have a defined validity period

• Must be renewed before expiration to ensure uninterrupted service

• Are subject to verification by the Caf certificate authority

Next steps

After creating your certificate, you'll need to:

1. Configure your client to use mTLS

2. Learn how to manage your certificates throughout their lifecycle