Is there a way to extract a "private certificate key" from Chrome and import it into Firefox?

Question

This is a classical Catch-22 situation. I was using online banking the other day under Chrome. I had to order a digital certificate so that I could extend my privileges. The stupid thing is that when I got approved and opened the certificate installation menu, I saw only versions for IE/Firefox available. What the heck, I said, and chose FF - the result I got was Error 202 - ERR:CERT:INVALID. I opened FF, got to the same page, and tried to install the damn thing from there, but got a message basically saying that I must have been given a private key which obviously FF doesn't find.

I read a bit, and it turned out that I really must have been given such a key but only to the browser that I ordered the cert with, i.e. Chrome. The worst thing is that if I deactivate my order, and reissue a new cert, this time from FF, I MUST go to a bank office (!!!WTF), but I am currently studying abroad, so I can't just go back.

Is there a way, that I could extract that key from Chrome's profile, and import it into FF under Windows ? I will be glad to know

Solution

Chrome uses the same Windows certificate store as Internet Explorer, so:

a) Try using IE to install your new certificate, then export it from Certificate Manager.

b) Run Certificate Manager and open Certificate Enrollment Requests - the private key should be there, although I have no idea how to import it to Firefox so that it would accept the issued certificate later.

Comments

[Arjan]

No chance to repeat opening "the certificate installation menu" again, but in Chrome? It's really just some URL, I assume?

[Arjan]

(The thing that the browser needs --and that is currently known to Chrome-- might not only be the private key, but also the certificate signing request?)

[user1686]

@Arjan: The CSR has already been submitted and signed, and is no longer needed.