Obtaining all certificates in a chain; both intermediate and root

12,877

Solution 1

I finally had time to look into this, and it turns out it's super easy! I was only missing ONE option to the openssl command: the showcerts option. Below is an example for obtaining certificates suitable for connecting to Facebook's image server.

Note: I also found out that to authenticate an SSL connection you do NOT want to add the certificate of the endpoint you are connecting to in your keystore. You only want the intermediate and root Certificate Authorities. In some cases, only the root CA or else you will get an exception. See this great blog post for more info.

 $ openssl s_client -connect graph.facebook.com:443 -showcerts
CONNECTED(00000003)
depth=2 /C=US/O=DigiCert Inc/OU=www.digicert.com/CN=DigiCert High Assurance EV Root CA
verify error:num=20:unable to get local issuer certificate
verify return:0
---
Certificate chain
 0 s:/C=US/ST=California/L=Palo Alto/O=Facebook, Inc./CN=*.facebook.com
   i:/C=US/O=DigiCert Inc/OU=www.digicert.com/CN=DigiCert High Assurance CA-3
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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-----END CERTIFICATE-----
 1 s:/C=US/O=DigiCert Inc/OU=www.digicert.com/CN=DigiCert High Assurance CA-3
   i:/C=US/O=DigiCert Inc/OU=www.digicert.com/CN=DigiCert High Assurance EV Root CA
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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-----END CERTIFICATE-----
 2 s:/C=US/O=DigiCert Inc/OU=www.digicert.com/CN=DigiCert High Assurance EV Root CA
   i:/C=US/O=Entrust.net/OU=www.entrust.net/CPS incorp. by ref. (limits liab.)/OU=(c) 1999 Entrust.net Limited/CN=Entrust.net Secure Server Certification Authority
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----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-----END CERTIFICATE-----
---
Server certificate
subject=/C=US/ST=California/L=Palo Alto/O=Facebook, Inc./CN=*.facebook.com
issuer=/C=US/O=DigiCert Inc/OU=www.digicert.com/CN=DigiCert High Assurance CA-3
---
No client certificate CA names sent
---
SSL handshake has read 4285 bytes and written 309 bytes
---
New, TLSv1/SSLv3, Cipher is RC4-MD5
Server public key is 1024 bit
Compression: NONE
Expansion: NONE
SSL-Session:
    Protocol  : TLSv1
    Cipher    : RC4-MD5
    Session-ID: A2AD56513E9EB36D5E4EC193977882BEEC5EC64D07D8E4310C562CC3A4571913
    Session-ID-ctx: 
    Master-Key: 3AC56DD593C864A17D00B08CEFEDB299607491C5E2ABAFE14E2AABADDC8A734B888CC6389BDBE40782EA5ED6E3EAFE4A
    Key-Arg   : None
    Start Time: 1300747299
    Timeout   : 300 (sec)
    Verify return code: 0 (ok)
---

Solution 2

There are several possibilities to obtain the certificate chain of an SSL connection with HttpClient 4.1

(1) TrustStrategy#isTrusted() can be used to examine chains of certificate presented by the remote server during the ssl handshake while the secure connection is being established.

(2) HttpRoutedConnection#getSSLSession() can be used to obtain a reference to the details of an established SSL session, which among many things should contain a complete certificate chains of the remote server.

Solution 3

The SSL Certificate Chain resolver downloads all intermediate certificates for a certificate and concatenates them with the given certificate.

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Neil Traft
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Neil Traft

A software engineer with >10 years of professional experience in Python, Java, and C++. I have experience in robotics, machine learning, cloud computing, and statistical data analysis. In a prior life I had some experience in 3D visualization, user interfaces, and Android apps. I hold a master's degree in computer science with a focus on robotics. ntraft.com @ntraft

Updated on June 04, 2022

Comments

  • Neil Traft
    Neil Traft over 1 year

    I'm working in Java with Apache's HTTPClient and trying to connect to graph.facebook.com. I'm getting "SSLPeerUnverifiedException: No peer certificate" errors, so I guess Facebook's CA isn't in the default keystore. So I need to create my own keystore with all the certificates that I want to trust, yes? So I found the following command for obtaining the certificate:

    echo | openssl s_client -connect graph.facebook.com:443 2>&1 | \
     sed -ne '/-BEGIN CERTIFICATE-/,/-END CERTIFICATE-/p' > mycert.pem
    

    Don't know what's going on there, but it seems to have worked. I added the cert to a Bouncy Castle formatted keystore. I created an SSLSocketFactory using the new keystore, but it still doesn't work.

    My first guess was, perhaps I don't have all the certificates in the chain (apparently these things come in chains). So how do I know whether there are so-called "intermediate" CAs involved? And how do I grab those certificates? Am I even on the right track?

  • Mike Howsden
    Mike Howsden almost 5 years
    The blogpost link in your answer no longer works. :(

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