Configure SSL certificate on Server 2012

Question

I am trying to install the SSL certificate on my server 2012. The steps I followed are: 1. I created a CSR certificate by going to IIS- Server certificate- create a certificate request. I filled out the form of common name, organization city etc. and I saved the information for the certificate as a text file (.txt) and I tried also saving as .p7b. When I go again to IIS- server certificates- complete certificate request, and then "File name containing the certification authority's response" I click the ... but it doesn't recognize the text file I saved from the CSR step as a certificate. Any idea how can I convert it as a certificate? Thank you

Answer 1

1. You should update your operating system. Server 2012 mainstream support ended on 10/9/2018.

2. You created a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) not a certificate. Now you need someone to sign it. Depending on your requirements in terms of trust you may:

   • Submit the certificate request to a public CA (or use LetsEncrypt but most ACME client applications produce the CSR themselves).
   • Build your own (real) Certificate Authority to sign your certificate - a non trivial task to set up and keep running!
   • Self sign your request with tolls like OpenSSL or PowerShell (create self signed but not from CSR), MakeCert (create self signed but not from CSR).