Lesson 5: Configuring SSL Certificates

Question 1

What’s the difference between a root CA and an intermediate CA?

Answer 1

An intermediate CA’s public key certificate is signed by another CA. A root CA’s public key certificate is signed by itself. Note that there is a set of root CAs and intermediate CAs that OS X trusts.

Question 2

What’s the problem with just using a self-signed SSL certificate?

Answer 2

Computers and devices accessing services that use a self-signed SSL certificate will see a message that the SSL certificate is not trusted. It is a security risk to teach users to just trust any SSL certificate that causes a warning.

Question 3

What tool do you use to create a new self-signed SSL certificate and a CSR?

Answer 3

Use the Server app to create a new self-signed SSL certificate and a CSR.

Question 4

What do you need before you can create a CSR?

Answer 4

You need a self-signed SSL certificate before you can use it to create a CSR.