Use an existing trusted SSL certificate specifically for PaperCut NG
If you have an existing SSL keyIn typical public key infrastructure (PKI) arrangements, a digital signature from a certificate authority (CA) attests that a particular public key certificate is valid (i.e., contains correct information). An SSL key can be either a public key (can be disseminated publicly) or a private key (known only to the owner). with certificate, you can import it into the PaperCut NG keystore. The process depends on the type of certificate you have:
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On Windows, a certificate with an attached private key stored in either:
- the Windows certificate store
- a PKCS#12 file (*.p12/*.pfx)
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On Linux, separate 'PEM encoded' key and certificate files.
- Export the existing certificate with key
- Import the certificate into the PaperCut NG keystore
- Configure the PaperCut NG keystore
Step 1: Export the existing certificate with key
The way in which you export your existing trusted key depends on where it is stored:
Windows certificate store
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Open the Windows Control Panel; then select Internet Options.
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On the Content tab, click Certificates.
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On the Personal tab, select the certificate; then click Export.
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Click Next at the initial screen.
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Select Yes, export the private key; then click Next.
If you selected the last option correctly, you can export only as a .PFX file.
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Select the Include all the certificates in the certification path if possible check box.
- Clear the Enable strong protection check box.
- Clear the Delete the private key if the export is successful check box.
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Type a password for the PFX file. This is only used temporarily.
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Save the PFX file with the extension .pfx. (This is just temporary, you MUST delete this file later on.)
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Finish the wizard to export the certificate.
Separate PEM encoded key and certificate files
On Linux, if the key and certificate are in separate 'PEM encoded' files:
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Use the 'OpenSSL' tool that is part of many Linux distributions to combine both files to a PKCS#12 file with the following command (type this all in one line):
openssl pkcs12 -export -inkey <key file> -in <certificate file> -out <pfx file>
<pfx file> is the target PKCS#12 file for which you should choose a filename with the extension .pfx. Note: This is just temporary, you MUST delete this file later on.
If you already have a PKCS#12 file, you do not need to perform this step.
Step 2: Import the certificate into the PaperCut NG keystore
The way in which you import your trusted certificate into the PaperCut NG keystore depends on the type of certificate you have:
PEM/CERT/CER file
- Use the tool create-ssl-keystore to import the key/certificate. An example of the command's use:
cd [app-path]/server/bin/win
create-ssl-keystore -f -cert <certificate file path> -key <key file path> -keypass <keyfile passwordkeyfile>
More information is available via the --help command line option.
Usage: create-ssl-keystore [-f] [-cert FILE] [-key FILE] [-keypass PWD] [-certCA FILE....]
-f: Force. Overwrite any existing keystore file.
-cert FILE: Creates a keystore for a given custom certificate file.
Must be used in conjunction with -key argument.
-key FILE: Creates a keystore for a given custom private key file.
-keypass pwd: Specifies the password accompanying the private key.
-certCA FILE: Specifies one or more optional issuer (CA) certificate to include
PFS/PKCS#12 file
- Use the tool create-ssl-keystore to import the key/certificate. An example of the command's use:
cd [app-path]/server/bin/win
create-ssl-keystore -f -p12 "path/to/pfx.pfx" -p12pass password -k "path/to/custom/folder/my-ssl-keystore"
More information is available via the --help command line option.
Usage: create-ssl-keystore [-f] [-p12 FILE] [-p12pass PWD] [-k FILE
-f: Force. Overwrite any existing keystore file.
in the default location (server/data/default-ssl-keystore).
-p12 FILE: Creates a keystore for a given custom private key file.
-p12pass pwd: Specifies the password accompanying the private key.
-k FILE: Define a keystore file location. If not set, the keystore is created
Step 3: Configure the PaperCut NG keystore
Changes are not applied until the PaperCut NG Application ServerAn Application Server is the primary server program responsible for providing the PaperCut user interface, storing data, and providing services to users. PaperCut uses the Application Server to manage user and account information, manage printers, calculate print costs, provide a web browser interface to administrators and end users, and much more. is restarted.
To configure the PaperCut Application Server to use the new key/certificate:
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Copy your signed keystore onto the server running the PaperCut NG Application Server. The suggested location is [app-path]/server/custom/my-ssl-keystore
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Open the file [app-path]/server/server.properties with a text editor (e.g. Notepad).
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Locate the section titled SSL Key/Certificate.
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Remove the # (hash) comment marker from all lines starting with "server.ssl".
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Define the location of your keystore, keystore password and key password as chosen previously. The file should look something like this:
server.ssl.keystore=custom/my-ssl-keystore
server.ssl.keystore-password=default
server.ssl.key-password=default
NOTE: On Mac OS, specify the FULL path to your keystore, e.g. /Applications/PaperCut NG/server/custom/my-ssl-keystore
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Restart the PaperCut NG Application Server and verify all is working. If the server fails to start, error messages are recorded in logs located in the server's logs directory.
Now that you have a working SSL certificateSSL certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details, such as a company's domain name, your company name, your address, your city, your state and your country. When installed on a web server, it activates the padlock and the HTTPS protocol (over port 443) and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser. When a browser connects to a secure site it retrieves the site's SSL certificate and checks that it has not expired, it has been issued by a Certification Authority the browser trusts, and that it is being used by the website for which it has been issued. If it fails on any one of these checks the browser will display a warning to the end user letting them know that the site is not secured by SSL. SSL certificates can be either self-signed or CA signed. for your PaperCut NG server, it's time to set a reminder in your calendar (or similar) to ensure that your SSL certificate is renewed before it expires! Go do that now!