Нужно ли мне конвертировать .CER в .CRT для сертификатов SSL Apache? Если да, то как?
У меня есть файл * .key, но вся документация, которую я нашел в Интернете, указаны файлы * .crt, а мой центр сертификации предоставил мне только файл * .cer.
Файлы * .cer — это то же самое, что * .crt? Если нет, как я могу преобразовать CER в формат CRT?
Расширения файлов для криптографических сертификатов на самом деле не так стандартизированы, как можно было бы ожидать. Windows по умолчанию обрабатывает двойной щелчок по .crt файлу как запрос на импорт сертификата в хранилище корневых сертификатов Windows, но обрабатывает .cer файл как запрос только на просмотр сертификата. Итак, они разные в том смысле, что Windows имеет различное значение для того, что происходит, когда вы дважды щелкаете каждый тип файла.
Но то, как Windows обрабатывает их, когда вы дважды щелкаете по ним, — это почти единственная разница между ними. Оба расширения просто представляют, что они содержат публичный сертификат. Вы можете переименовать файл сертификата, чтобы использовать одно расширение вместо другого в любой системе или файле конфигурации, который я видел. А на платформах, отличных от Windows (и даже в Windows), люди не особо заботятся о том, какое расширение они используют, и рассматривают их как взаимозаменяемые, поскольку между ними нет разницы, если содержимое файла правильное.
Еще больше сбивает с толку то, что существует два стандартных способа хранения данных сертификата в файле: один — «двоичная» кодировка X.509, а другой — «текстовая» кодировка base64, которая обычно начинается с « ——BEGIN CERTIFICATE—— ». Они кодируют одни и те же данные, но по-разному. Большинство систем принимают оба формата, но при необходимости вы можете преобразовать один в другой с помощью openssl или других инструментов. Кодировка в файле сертификата действительно не зависит от того, какое расширение кто-то дал файлу.
CER vs CRT – Know How Both Differ From Each Other & How to Convert It
Here’s How Different File Formats of SSL Certificate Like CER & CRT Differs From Each Other
Having an SSL certificate installed isn’t something you can control. If you don’t have it installed, you’re going to face a warning message, and potentially your website may even fail to load on the browser. However, if you’re new to the SSL certificate, you may face some problems, such as how to install the SSL certificate or what documents to submit to get it issued.
One such issue faced by many is regarding the different file formats of the SSL certificate. Likewise, if you don’t have prior experience with SSL certificates, it’ll be more frustrating for you to find out what all these SSL certificate formats and extensions mean and what you should do with them.
Nonetheless, if you’ve come across any SSL file extensions such as CER or CRT, then don’t worry. We’ll explain it to you and let you know the difference between CER vs. CRT. Yes, we’ll provide you with information about how CER and CRT file extensions differ from each other. Instead of stressing about it, we’ll provide you with the solution. We’ll let you know how main file formats differ from each other.
CER vs. CRT – Here’s How Both Differs From Each Other
CER and CRT both file extensions are related to SSL certificates, and there’s not a significant difference between them, and they’re also quite similar for the SSL certificate. But, there’s a certain difference, which makes it quite substantial. For instance, some servers require CER file extensions while others go well with CRT file extensions.
These file extensions are used for an SSL certificate, and each of them is recorded within Binary DER or ASCII PEM file formats. Also, CER & CRT both file extensions are common among the Unix operating systems.
X.509 Certificate Have Different Filename Extensions
All SSL certificates are known as X.509 certificates. Similarly, these digital certificates also have different file extensions and formats. Some of the commonly used filename extensions that you should know about are:
- .p7c & .p7b – It’s just certificates or CRLs. A PKCS#7 SignedData structure without any data.
- .pfx – The predecessor of PKCS#12 PFX is the file extension that consists of PKCS#12 data. For instance, PFX files get generated in IIS.
- .p12 – It’s a PKCS#7 type of file format, which is password protected. Likewise, it may contain certificates that include private or public keys.
- .pem – PEM (Privacy Enhanced Electronic Mail) is the Base64-encoded DER certificate which is enclosed between the beginning and end line like: “—–BEGIN CERTIFICATE—–” and “—–END CERTIFICATE—–”.
.der, .crt & .cer – These certificates comes in two different file format Base64-encoded and Binary DER format. Likewise, it’s quite commonly used.
Different Servers Have Different File Extensions & Formats
Many servers are available in the market, and they accept certificate files that are formatted and encoded in a specific manner. For instance, if you’re looking to install an SSL certificate on your server, you should know your server accepts which file format and extension. Likewise, some server also accepts multiple file formats.
And, if you have received a particular file format from the CA like Sectigo or Comodo that doesn’t support your website server. In that case, you’ve got an option to convert into the different file formats supported by the server.
Here’s How to Convert CER to CRT
Though CRT and CER formats are quite similar, it’s possible to use both interchangeably by changing their extension. For instance, if your server accepts .CER file extension instead of .CRT extension then you can do so by simply converting it going through below mentioned steps:
- Double click and open the CRT file you received from the CA, such as yourdomainname.crt within the certificate display.
- Click on the tab named Details and select the button Copy to file.
- Click on the Next button and continue with the wizard.
- Click Next after selecting Base-64 encoded X.509 (.CER).
Browse and store your file and type within the filename you’re looking to keep. Lastly, save the file.
CER vs CRT: The Technical Difference & How to Convert Them
Feeling confused about the differences between CER and CRT files? We can help
CER, CRT, DER, PEM, P7B, P7S, PFX, and P12. Do you feel like pulling your hair when you see so many SSL/TLS certificate formats and extensions? Well, you’re not the only one. In our experience, a person dealing with SSL certificates passes through this stage at least once in their life. So, don’t worry as many have been there (and many are yet to arrive). In the meantime, we want to help by making this phase as short as possible for you.
And that’s why we’ve come up with this article — to help you clear up any confusion regarding CER vs CRT files.
CER vs CRT: What Is the Difference?
Fundamentally, there is no difference between CER and CRT… and yet there is a difference between the two. No, we’re not trying to refer to Schrödinger’s cat here, so relax. What we mean is that both are the same SSL certificate format — that is Base64 (ASCII) format — they both are different filename extensions. This is important because a server might require your certificate filename extension to be in either of the two extensions.
Feeling even more confused? Yeah, we thought so. Essentially, these extensions are used for certificates, and they’re encoded in binary DER or as ASCII PEM formats. CER & CRT extensions are most commonly used by the Unix family of operating systems.
X.509 Certificate Filename Extensions
Technically, all SSL certificates are regarded as types of X.509 certificates. These digital certificates have different filename extensions and formats. Here’s a brief overview of several common filename extensions:
- .pem — This is a (Privacy-enhanced Electronic Mail) Base64 encoded DER certificate, enclosed between “—–BEGIN CERTIFICATE—–” and “—–END CERTIFICATE—–“
- .cer, .crt, and .der — Although usually in binary DER form, Base64-encoded certificates are also common (see .pem above).
- .p7b and .p7c — PKCS#7 SignedData structure without data, just certificate(s) or CRL(s).
- .p12 — PKCS#12 files may contain certificate(s) (public) and private keys (password protected).
- .pfx — PFX is the predecessor of PKCS#12. This type of file usually contains data in PKCS#12 format (e.g., with PFX files generated in IIS).
Different Servers Require Different Formats & Extensions
As you likely know, there are tons of servers out there. And the (bad) thing about them is that they accept certificate files that are encoded and formatted in a certain manner. So, if you want to install an SSL certificate on your server, you must be aware of the format and extension requirements of your specific server. The good news? Some servers accept multiple certificate file formats.
If they don’t, though, you may find yourself needing to convert a certificate to a different file type. Lucky for you, we know how to do that.
How to Convert Files from CRT to CER
Because CER and CRT files are basically synonymous, they can be used interchangeably by simply changing the extension. So, in case your server requires you to use the .CER file extension, you can convert to .CRT extension easily by implementing the following steps:
- Double-click on the yourwebsite.crt file to open it into the certificate display.
- Click on the Details tab, and then select the Copy to file button.
- Click Next in the certificate wizard.
- Choose Base-64 encoded X.509 (.CER), and then click on Next.
- Now, browse to store your file and type in the filename that you want to keep
- Finally, save the file.
Congratulations! You’ve successfully converted your certificate from CRT to CER.
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What is the difference between .CER and .CRT? [closed]
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Is there a difference between .cer and .crt. I know they both are same SSL certificate format, but don’t know what is the difference between them.
If there no difference, why 2 different extensions?
2 Answers 2
Extensions are useless, as are filenames. They DO NOT count. Only the content counts. The software does not care how you call your filenames, holding certificates and private keys, it could be foobar.42 and would work as well (as long as the content is correct).
The names are only to aid the humans to more easily know what it is about. It is customary for example to use the site name as filename to clearly identify it, and then use «some» extension, on one side for a certificate ( .cert or .crt or .cer ) and a private key ( .key ). You also have certificate signing requests (something you generate before getting the certificate), which are often .csr .
You may find .pem sometimes also, which is ambiguous: PEM is a format to encode a content, you can encode a certificate or a key, so just by .pem you do not know what it is about where .crt vs .key at least make the difference clear.
Now, .cert would probably be the most obvious choice. but since we inherit from some past arbitrary limits of some past OS, we often prefer 3 letters for extensions, at most, so pick your poison between shortening .cert either to .cer or .crt (the latter seems to me more often found). Also for the same silly past arbitrary decisions, some OS attaches specific actions on specific files based on their name. Your OS may treat the same file differently if it ends in .crt vs ending in .cer . But this is all configuration and local preferences, again only the content really matters.
In a good world, where everyone can be trusted, we might not need encryption, identification, certificates and such. But such world does not exist unfortunately, bad guys are everywhere, and thus came along the need for encryption, and symmetric keys were born. 1 key that is the same for both the client and the server to encrypt & decrypt the data is all that is needed. The process is fast, as the key is usually 256 bits in length only. All good.
One concern though is, how do we distribute the key securely?
Born was the public key infrastructure system, PKI or PKIX(X for X.509), where the public key is distributed to encrypt, and the private key,(not distributed, therefore secure), to decrypt. These are called asymmetric keys, which are usually at least 2048 bits, more robust, but you guess well, slower.
Then we needed a standard to construct those keys, X.500 came along, and evolved into X.509 v3 which is encoded in either .DER(binary) or .PEM(which is just a base-64 encoding of the DER, enclosed between "——BEGIN CERTIFICATE——" and "——END CERTIFICATE——). So, sometimes, you might see .DER, sometimes .PEM certificates.
Together with .DER and .PEM, we also have other related certificates formats such as .CER and .CRT.
The difference, a good explanation taken from here:
.CRT = The CRT extension is used for certificates. The certificates may be encoded as binary DER or as ASCII PEM. The CER and CRT extensions are nearly synonymous. Most common among *nix systems
CER = alternate form of .crt (Microsoft Convention) You can use MS to convert .crt to .cer (.both DER encoded .cer, or base64[PEM] encoded .cer) The .cer file extension is also recognized by IE as a command to run a MS cryptoAPI command
Hopefully, the above has given you a background and some idea of the oh-so-many certificate extensions lying around and which can be quite confusing at times, especially for the new comer.