How to generate a CSR in nodejs ?

If you are looking to secure your website with SSL/TLS certificates, then generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is the first step towards obtaining one. In Node.js, you can generate a CSR using the PEM module. This article will guide you through the steps of generating a CSR in Node.js using the PEM module.

What is a CSR?

A Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is a message sent from an entity requesting a signed SSL/TLS certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA). The CSR contains information about the entity requesting the certificate, including its public key, which will be used to encrypt the data exchanged with clients. The CA verifies the information in the CSR before issuing a signed certificate.

Generating a CSR in Node.js

To generate a CSR in Node.js, we will use the PEM module. Here are the steps:

Installing PEM module

The first step is to install the PEM module. Open your terminal and type the following command:

npm install pem

Importing the PEM module

To use the PEM module, you need to import it into your Node.js application. Add the following line of code at the beginning of your application:

const pem = require("pem");

Creating a private key

The next step is to create a private key. The private key is used to decrypt the data exchanged with clients. To create a private key, use the following code:

pem.createPrivateKey(2048, function (err, key) {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(key);
});

This will create a private key with a length of 2048 bits and log it to the console.

Creating a CSR

Now that you have a private key, you can create a CSR using the following code:

const options = {
  keyBitsize: 2048,
  commonName: "example.com",
  altNames: ["example.com", "www.example.com"],
  country: "US",
  state: "CA",
  locality: "San Francisco",
  organization: "Example Inc.",
  organizationUnit: "IT",
};
pem.createCSR(options, function (err, csr) {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(csr);
});

This will create a CSR with the specified options and log it to the console. You can then use this CSR to request a signed SSL/TLS certificate from a Certificate Authority.

Conclusion

In this article, we have seen how to generate a CSR in Node.js using the PEM module. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily generate a CSR and request a signed SSL/TLS certificate from a Certificate Authority.