Can’t Import SSL Cert Into NMC

[BillP]

This question was originally posted by Jayson on APC forums on 5/23/2018

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I’m attempting to import an SSL cert into the NMC via the SSL Certificate Configuration page, and no matter what I do, the cert isn’t imported and instead just continues to use the built in self-signed cert. I have a wildcard cert I need to use. Am I doing something wrong here?

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 5/24/2018

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Hi Jayson,

I'd read through here: http://forums.apc.com/spaces/7/ups-management-devices-powerchute-software/forums/general/9842/why-do... 

Another thing to confirm that is mentioned in the above thread and in the NMC Security Handbook is that you're importing your certificate through our APC Security Wizard which is an unfortunate requirement to uploading a cert onto an NMC device.

After reviewing the above thread and comment, let me know what device/firmware you're using, what your Cert Auth is (the software it uses), and let's go from there. This may be a process error or something we're in the process of fixing but if its not, we'll try to get to the bottom of it.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Jayson on APC forums on 5/24/2018

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Angela,

Thanks for your response. I have tried the APC Security Wizard, but after loading the .cer file, it’s asking me for a private key file in a format I’m not familiar with (see screenshot). I’m using the NMC 630, latest firmware. The Cert Auth is GoDaddy, and it’s a wildcard cert. How do I get the private key exported in that format? This is all on Windows 2016 btw.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 5/24/2018

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Hmm this may be a problem. Let me explain why.

Typically, the process to get a cert onto the NMC starts with creating a certificate signing request through the APC Security Wizard. When you do this, you get the actual .csr and then you get a private key which is .p15 which the NMC's cryptography library requires.

So, you would've had a private key if you use APC Security Wizard to make the .csr to submit to Go Daddy. What is a problem here is that we don't allow a user to use their own private key - another unfortunate fact.

I am going to double check tomorrow but I don't think there is a way this will work because you need that private key to be generated. I understand what you have is a wildcard cert, which we have a version of APC Security Wizard that allows you to request a wildcard cert..

And I don't think it will work if you just try and go back and create a CSR now and get a private key because it will be a private key mismatch.

What had you used as a CSR originally to get this wildcard cert?

(Believe me I know this is an annoying process and we hope to get away from it some day..)

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Jayson on APC forums on 5/25/2018

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Angela,

Thank you again for your very detailed response. I created the CSR via the cert mechanisms in Windows, then exported with Digicert after I got the .cer from GoDaddy. And don’t sweat it, I can secure it via the reverse proxy we use, and using the self-signed cert should be ok for our internal use (I’ll be able to convince the network team to make an exception for this given your very detailed explanation).

This is unfortunate though b/c it makes you have to purchase a certificate strictly for use with the NMC, but seriously, don’t sweat it. So long as we can SSL it with our reverse proxy, we should be ok. We can call this resolved (for now at least).

thanks again for your fast and thorough responses!

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 5/25/2018

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Hi Jayson,

OK, I understand. So I think this would've worked if you used the Security Wizard to make the .csr originally. Or, it would've also worked if we allowed users to upload/use their own private key.

I did explain what I thought was a bit of a "loophole" here to development so we'll keep it in mind moving forward since I think your situation makes sense and is a valid use case other users may have. Seems silly you'd have to get a separate cert for just the NMC.

I'll be here for any further questions (well, next week after the holiday weekend ).

[cdaniels_apc · Accepted solution]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 7/6/2020

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Hey all,
Because installing private SSL's on NMC is a reoccurring theme, I decided to create a discussion after some progress was made during a support chat.

https://forums.apc.com/spaces/7/ups-management-devices-powerchute-software/forums/general/95305/uplo...

[ITNess4499]

I know that this topic is old but I would love to provide some modern information that I have gathered from this thread. As mentioned in this thread there are two versions of the APC NMCSecurityWizardCLI utility. There is Version 1.0.0 and 1.0.1.

I tried to used both to create a new Certificate Signing Request and both seemed to work, but would fail when trying to actually sign from a Microsoft PKI. I would receive error "CERTSRV_E_NO_CERT_TYPE" from Certificate Services. 

For reference we are using Windows Server 2019.

I then tried to use the APC Network Management Card Security Wizard to create a Certificate Request and I ran into the same issue.

I discovered that the issue I was experience was that the NMC in Windows Certificate Services was not processing the request as a "WebServer" request. It did not know what type of request was being made.

Here is what finally worked for me:

1. Using the APC Network Management Card Security Wizard and select "Certificate Signing Request", I created a new certificate request. Follow the steps in the Wizard.
2. From my Certificate Services server, I opened an elevated command prompt (THIS IS IMPORTANT you must open the command prompt as an Administrator)
3. Enter the following command: certreq -submit -attrib "CertificateTemplate:Webserver"
4. You will get a File Explorer windows open, navigate to the Certificate Request File and select it.
5. You may be asked to select with CA you want to sign the request with. Select your CA.
6. A new File Explorer window opens and you will now enter a name and the location you want to save the signed certificate to.
7. Command Prompt should respond with "Certificate retrieved(Issued) Issued"
8. Finally, open APC Network Management Card Security Wizard but this time select "Import Signed Certificate"
9. Navigate to your signed certificate as well as the key file that was generated in Step 1. 
10. APC Network Management Card Security Wizard will then generate a completed SSL Certificate that you can then use to upload to your APC's NMC. 

After uploading the certificate to the NMC, the status of the NMC remained at "Loading Certificate..." for quite some time. As I am writing this thread in fact it is still in that status; more than 15 minutes have elapsed. I will follow up once my certificate has completed uploading as is verified in the browser. 

Also another thing to note, you can safely close your bowser while you wait for the "Loading Certificate..." to complete. You can sign in and go back to the SSL configuration page to see if the status of it has changed. 

I hope that this information is helpful to someone else out there.