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Use Case Summary:: Tool Certbot | PDF | Transport Layer Security | Public Key Certificate
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Use Case Summary:: Tool Certbot

The document outlines the use cases for SSL certificates across different environments, including web servers, internal servers, and cloud servers, recommending tools like Certbot, Step CA, and CFSSL. It emphasizes the importance of automating certificate issuance and renewal, using strong key sizes, and enforcing mTLS for internal communications. Key security practices and links to relevant tools are also provided to enhance cybersecurity measures.

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babywitchs132
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13 views3 pages

Use Case Summary:: Tool Certbot

The document outlines the use cases for SSL certificates across different environments, including web servers, internal servers, and cloud servers, recommending tools like Certbot, Step CA, and CFSSL. It emphasizes the importance of automating certificate issuance and renewal, using strong key sizes, and enforcing mTLS for internal communications. Key security practices and links to relevant tools are also provided to enhance cybersecurity measures.

Uploaded by

babywitchs132
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ssl

Use Case Summary:


Environment Certificate Best Tool(s)
Needs

Web servers Public, trusted Certbot


HTTPS (Lets Encrypt)
Internal servers Private TLS/mTLS, Step CA, CFSSL
internal PKI
Cloud servers (VMs, Automated Step CA, OpenSSL
containers ) issuance, mTLS,
ACME, short lived
certs

1. Web Servers (Public HTTPS)

Tool: Certbot (Lets encrypt client)

Use case:
Secure public sites (web apps, dashboards, APIs) with trusted, free TLS certificates.

Features:
• Auto validates domain via HTTP-01 or DNS-01
• Issues 90 day certs with auto renewal
• Supports Apache, NGINX, and standalone web servers

Cybersecurity benefits:
• Publicly trusted CA (Lets Encrypt)
• Secure ACME protocol
• Auto renews reduces human error

Example command:
# For NGINX
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx

Renewal:
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

2. Internal Servers (DBs, admin panels, APIs, etc.)


3.

Tool: Step CA , CFSSL

Use case:
Issue internal, private TLS/mTLS certificates for
• Admin panels
• Internal dashboards / servers
• Internal APIs / microservices
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• Secure cloud workloads

Cybersecurity benefits:
• Zero trust ready identity aware issuance
• Short lived certs (default: 24h secure by design)
• Supports ACME, mTLS, OIDC
• Easy to rotate certs without manual revocation

Quick setup:
# Install and initialize CA
curl -fsSL https://github.com/smallstep/cli/releases/latest/download/step-linux-amd64.tar.gz
| tar xz
sudo mv step /usr/local/bin

# Initialize CA
step ca init
Then run
# Issue a TLS cert
step ca certificate internal.myapi.local internal.crt internal.key
Use ACME clients to auto issue/renew certs works like let's encrypt but private

3. Cloud Servers / Containers / VMs

Best Tools: Step CA , CFSSL ,OpenSSL

Use case: Secure communications between cloud workloads (e.g NGINX backend API, service mesh, gRPC).

Cybersecurity considerations:
• Automate short lived certs in CI/CD
• Integrate ACME clients or cert manager (Kubernetes) with Step CA
• Enforce TLS for internal APIs (not just edge)

Key Security Practices (All Servers)


Practice Recommendation

Strong key sizes Use 2048-bit RSA


minimum or better
(4096/ECDSA)
Short lived Prefer < 90-day
certificates certs with
automation (Step
CA)
ACME automation Use Certbot (public)
or Step CA (private)
Protect CA keys Use TPM/HSM if
possible for CA key
storage
Audit logs Log certificate
issuance and
revocation

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Practice Recommendation

Secure renewal Use systemd/cron,


processes monitor expiration
dates
mTLS for internal Enforce in service
communication mesh / cloud API
traffic

Tool Purpose Link

Certbot Public HTTPS certs https://


from Lets Encrypt certbot.eff.org
Step CA Modern internal CA https://
for mTLS, ACME smallstep.com/
docs/step-ca
CFSSL Private CA https://github.com/
(Cloudflare) cloudflare/cfssl
OpenSSL Traditional CLI tool https://
for certs/keys www.openssl.org
cert-manager Kubernetes ACME https://cert-
automation manager.io/docs/
mkcert Localhost dev https://github.com/
certificates FiloSottile/mkcert

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