# community.crypto.x509_certificate module – Generate and/or check OpenSSL certificates

Note

This module is part of the community.crypto collection (version 2.9.0).

To install it, use: `ansible-galaxy collection install community.crypto`. You need further requirements to be able to use this module, see Requirements for details.

To use it in a playbook, specify: `community.crypto.x509_certificate`.

- Synopsis

- Requirements

- Parameters

- Attributes

- Notes

- See Also

- Examples

- Return Values

## Synopsis

- It implements a notion of provider (one of `selfsigned`, `ownca`, `acme`, and `entrust`) for your certificate.

- It uses the cryptography python library to interact with OpenSSL.

- Note that this module was called `openssl_certificate` when included directly in Ansible up to version 2.9. When moved to the collection `community.crypto`, it was renamed to community.crypto.x509_certificate. From Ansible 2.10 on, it can still be used by the old short name (or by `ansible.builtin.openssl_certificate`), which redirects to `community.crypto.x509_certificate`. When using FQCNs or when using the collections keyword, the new name community.crypto.x509_certificate should be used to avoid a deprecation warning.

- Please note that the module regenerates existing certificate if it does not match the module’s options, or if it seems to be corrupt. If you are concerned that this could overwrite your existing certificate, consider using the backup option.

- The `ownca` provider is intended for generating an OpenSSL certificate signed with your own CA (Certificate Authority) certificate (self-signed certificate).

- This module allows one to (re)generate OpenSSL certificates.

## Requirements

The below requirements are needed on the host that executes this module.

- acme-tiny >= 4.0.0 (if using the `acme` provider)

- cryptography >= 1.6 (if using `selfsigned` or `ownca` provider)

## Parameters

Parameter | Comments
--- | ---
acme_accountkey_path path | The path to the accountkey for the `acme` provider. This is only used by the `acme` provider.

acme_chain

boolean

Include the intermediate certificate to the generated certificate

This is only used by the `acme` provider.

Note that this is only available for older versions of `acme-tiny`. New versions include the chain automatically, and setting acme_chain to `true` results in an error.

Choices:

- `false` ← (default)

- `true`

acme_challenge_path path | The path to the ACME challenge directory that is served on http://<HOST>:80/.well-known/acme-challenge/ This is only used by the `acme` provider.
acme_directory string added in community.crypto 1.0.0 | The ACME directory to use. You can use any directory that supports the ACME protocol, such as Buypass or Let’s Encrypt. Let’s Encrypt recommends using their staging server while developing jobs. https://letsencrypt.org/docs/staging-environment/. Default: `"https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory"`
attributes aliases: attr string added in Ansible 2.3 | The attributes the resulting filesystem object should have. To get supported flags look at the man page for chattr on the target system. This string should contain the attributes in the same order as the one displayed by lsattr. The `=` operator is assumed as default, otherwise `+` or `-` operators need to be included in the string.

backup

boolean

Create a backup file including a timestamp so you can get the original certificate back if you overwrote it with a new one by accident.

Choices:

- `false` ← (default)

- `true`

csr_content string added in community.crypto 1.0.0 | Content of the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) used to generate this certificate. This is mutually exclusive with csr_path.
csr_path path | Path to the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) used to generate this certificate. This is mutually exclusive with csr_content.
entrust_api_client_cert_key_path path | The path to the private key of the client certificate used to authenticate to the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API. This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.
entrust_api_client_cert_path path | The path to the client certificate used to authenticate to the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API. This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.
entrust_api_key string | The key (password) for authentication to the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API. This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.
entrust_api_specification_path path | The path to the specification file defining the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API configuration. You can use this to keep a local copy of the specification to avoid downloading it every time the module is used. This is only used by the `entrust` provider. Default: `"https://cloud.entrust.net/EntrustCloud/documentation/cms-api-2.1.0.yaml"`
entrust_api_user string | The username for authentication to the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API. This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.

entrust_cert_type

string

Specify the type of certificate requested.

This is only used by the `entrust` provider.

Choices:

- `"STANDARD_SSL"` ← (default)

- `"ADVANTAGE_SSL"`

- `"UC_SSL"`

- `"EV_SSL"`

- `"WILDCARD_SSL"`

- `"PRIVATE_SSL"`

- `"PD_SSL"`

- `"CDS_ENT_LITE"`

- `"CDS_ENT_PRO"`

- `"SMIME_ENT"`

entrust_not_after

string

The point in time at which the certificate stops being valid.

Time can be specified either as relative time or as an absolute timestamp.

A valid absolute time format is `ASN.1 TIME` such as `2019-06-18`.

A valid relative time format is `[+-]timespec` where timespec can be an integer + `[w | d | h | m | s]`, such as `+365d` or `+32w1d2h`).

Time will always be interpreted as UTC.

Note that only the date (day, month, year) is supported for specifying the expiry date of the issued certificate.

The full date-time is adjusted to EST (GMT -5:00) before issuance, which may result in a certificate with an expiration date one day earlier than expected if a relative time is used.

The minimum certificate lifetime is 90 days, and maximum is three years.

If this value is not specified, the certificate will stop being valid 365 days the date of issue.

This is only used by the `entrust` provider.

Please note that this value is not covered by the ignore_timestamps option.

Default: `"+365d"`

entrust_requester_email string | The email of the requester of the certificate (for tracking purposes). This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.
entrust_requester_name string | The name of the requester of the certificate (for tracking purposes). This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.
entrust_requester_phone string | The phone number of the requester of the certificate (for tracking purposes). This is only used by the `entrust` provider. This is required if the provider is `entrust`.

force

boolean

Generate the certificate, even if it already exists.

Choices:

- `false` ← (default)

- `true`

group string | Name of the group that should own the filesystem object, as would be fed to chown. When left unspecified, it uses the current group of the current user unless you are root, in which case it can preserve the previous ownership.

ignore_timestamps

boolean

added in community.crypto 2.0.0

Whether the “not before” and “not after” timestamps should be ignored for idempotency checks.

It is better to keep the default value `true` when using relative timestamps (like `+0s` for now).

Choices:

- `false`

- `true` ← (default)

mode

any

The permissions the resulting filesystem object should have.

For those used to /usr/bin/chmod remember that modes are actually octal numbers. You must either add a leading zero so that Ansible’s YAML parser knows it is an octal number (like `0644` or `01777`) or quote it (like `'644'` or `'1777'`) so Ansible receives a string and can do its own conversion from string into number.

Giving Ansible a number without following one of these rules will end up with a decimal number which will have unexpected results.

As of Ansible 1.8, the mode may be specified as a symbolic mode (for example, `u+rwx` or `u=rw,g=r,o=r`).

If `mode` is not specified and the destination filesystem object does not exist, the default `umask` on the system will be used when setting the mode for the newly created filesystem object.

If `mode` is not specified and the destination filesystem object does exist, the mode of the existing filesystem object will be used.

Specifying `mode` is the best way to ensure filesystem objects are created with the correct permissions. See CVE-2020-1736 for further details.

ownca_content string added in community.crypto 1.0.0 | Content of the CA (Certificate Authority) certificate. This is only used by the `ownca` provider. This is mutually exclusive with ownca_path.

ownca_create_authority_key_identifier

boolean

Create a Authority Key Identifier from the CA’s certificate. If the CSR provided a authority key identifier, it is ignored.

The Authority Key Identifier is generated from the CA certificate’s Subject Key Identifier, if available. If it is not available, the CA certificate’s public key will be used.

This is only used by the `ownca` provider.

Note that this is only supported if the `cryptography` backend is used!

Choices:

- `false`

- `true` ← (default)

ownca_create_subject_key_identifier

string

Whether to create the Subject Key Identifier (SKI) from the public key.

A value of `create_if_not_provided` (default) only creates a SKI when the CSR does not provide one.

A value of `always_create` always creates a SKI. If the CSR provides one, that one is ignored.

A value of `never_create` never creates a SKI. If the CSR provides one, that one is used.

This is only used by the `ownca` provider.

Note that this is only supported if the `cryptography` backend is used!

Choices:

- `"create_if_not_provided"` ← (default)

- `"always_create"`

- `"never_create"`

ownca_digest string | The digest algorithm to be used for the `ownca` certificate. This is only used by the `ownca` provider. Default: `"sha256"`

ownca_not_after

string

The point in time at which the certificate stops being valid.

Time can be specified either as relative time or as absolute timestamp.

Time will always be interpreted as UTC.

Valid format is `[+-]timespec | ASN.1 TIME` where timespec can be an integer + `[w | d | h | m | s]` (for example `+32w1d2h`).

If this value is not specified, the certificate will stop being valid 10 years from now.

Note that this value is not used to determine whether an existing certificate should be regenerated. This can be changed by setting the ignore_timestamps option to `false`. Please note that you should avoid relative timestamps when setting ignore_timestamps=false.

This is only used by the `ownca` provider.

On macOS 10.15 and onwards, TLS server certificates must have a validity period of 825 days or fewer. Please see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210176 for more details.

Default: `"+3650d"`

ownca_not_before

string

The point in time the certificate is valid from.

Time can be specified either as relative time or as absolute timestamp.

Time will always be interpreted as UTC.

Valid format is `[+-]timespec | ASN.1 TIME` where timespec can be an integer + `[w | d | h | m | s]` (for example `+32w1d2h`).

If this value is not specified, the certificate will start being valid from now.

Note that this value is not used to determine whether an existing certificate should be regenerated. This can be changed by setting the ignore_timestamps option to `false`. Please note that you should avoid relative timestamps when setting ignore_timestamps=false.

This is only used by the `ownca` provider.

Default: `"+0s"`

ownca_path path | Remote absolute path of the CA (Certificate Authority) certificate. This is only used by the `ownca` provider. This is mutually exclusive with ownca_content.
ownca_privatekey_content string added in community.crypto 1.0.0 | Content of the CA (Certificate Authority) private key to use when signing the certificate. This is only used by the `ownca` provider. This is mutually exclusive with ownca_privatekey_path.
ownca_privatekey_passphrase string | The passphrase for the ownca_privatekey_path resp. ownca_privatekey_content. This is only used by the `ownca` provider.
ownca_privatekey_path path | Path to the CA (Certificate Authority) private key to use when signing the certificate. This is only used by the `ownca` provider. This is mutually exclusive with ownca_privatekey_content.
ownca_version integer | The version of the `ownca` certificate. Nowadays it should almost always be `3`. This is only used by the `ownca` provider. Default: `3`
owner string | Name of the user that should own the filesystem object, as would be fed to chown. When left unspecified, it uses the current user unless you are root, in which case it can preserve the previous ownership.
path path / required | Remote absolute path where the generated certificate file should be created or is already located.
privatekey_content string added in community.crypto 1.0.0 | Path to the private key to use when signing the certificate. This is mutually exclusive with privatekey_path.
privatekey_passphrase string | The passphrase for the privatekey_path resp. privatekey_content. This is required if the private key is password protected.
privatekey_path path | Path to the private key to use when signing the certificate. This is mutually exclusive with privatekey_content.

provider

string

Name of the provider to use to generate/retrieve the OpenSSL certificate. Please see the examples on how to emulate it with community.crypto.x509_certificate_info, community.crypto.openssl_csr_info, community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_info and ansible.builtin.assert.

The `entrust` provider was added for Ansible 2.9 and requires credentials for the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API.

Required if state is `present`.

Choices:

- `"acme"`

- `"entrust"`

- `"ownca"`

- `"selfsigned"`

return_content

boolean

added in community.crypto 1.0.0

If set to `true`, will return the (current or generated) certificate’s content as certificate.

Choices:

- `false` ← (default)

- `true`

select_crypto_backend

string

Determines which crypto backend to use.

The default choice is `auto`, which tries to use `cryptography` if available.

If set to `cryptography`, will try to use the cryptography library.

Choices:

- `"auto"` ← (default)

- `"cryptography"`

selevel string | The level part of the SELinux filesystem object context. This is the MLS/MCS attribute, sometimes known as the `range`. When set to `_default`, it will use the `level` portion of the policy if available.

selfsigned_create_subject_key_identifier

string

Whether to create the Subject Key Identifier (SKI) from the public key.

A value of `create_if_not_provided` (default) only creates a SKI when the CSR does not provide one.

A value of `always_create` always creates a SKI. If the CSR provides one, that one is ignored.

A value of `never_create` never creates a SKI. If the CSR provides one, that one is used.

This is only used by the `selfsigned` provider.

Note that this is only supported if the `cryptography` backend is used!

Choices:

- `"create_if_not_provided"` ← (default)

- `"always_create"`

- `"never_create"`

selfsigned_digest string | Digest algorithm to be used when self-signing the certificate. This is only used by the `selfsigned` provider. Default: `"sha256"`

selfsigned_not_after

aliases: selfsigned_notAfter

string

The point in time at which the certificate stops being valid.

Time can be specified either as relative time or as absolute timestamp.

Time will always be interpreted as UTC.

Valid format is `[+-]timespec | ASN.1 TIME` where timespec can be an integer + `[w | d | h | m | s]` (for example `+32w1d2h`).

If this value is not specified, the certificate will stop being valid 10 years from now.

Note that this value is not used to determine whether an existing certificate should be regenerated. This can be changed by setting the ignore_timestamps option to `false`. Please note that you should avoid relative timestamps when setting ignore_timestamps=false.

This is only used by the `selfsigned` provider.

On macOS 10.15 and onwards, TLS server certificates must have a validity period of 825 days or fewer. Please see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210176 for more details.

Default: `"+3650d"`

selfsigned_not_before

aliases: selfsigned_notBefore

string

The point in time the certificate is valid from.

Time can be specified either as relative time or as absolute timestamp.

Time will always be interpreted as UTC.

Valid format is `[+-]timespec | ASN.1 TIME` where timespec can be an integer + `[w | d | h | m | s]` (for example `+32w1d2h`).

If this value is not specified, the certificate will start being valid from now.

Note that this value is not used to determine whether an existing certificate should be regenerated. This can be changed by setting the ignore_timestamps option to `false`. Please note that you should avoid relative timestamps when setting ignore_timestamps=false.

This is only used by the `selfsigned` provider.

Default: `"+0s"`

selfsigned_version integer | Version of the `selfsigned` certificate. Nowadays it should almost always be `3`. This is only used by the `selfsigned` provider. Default: `3`
serole string | The role part of the SELinux filesystem object context. When set to `_default`, it will use the `role` portion of the policy if available.
setype string | The type part of the SELinux filesystem object context. When set to `_default`, it will use the `type` portion of the policy if available.
seuser string | The user part of the SELinux filesystem object context. By default it uses the `system` policy, where applicable. When set to `_default`, it will use the `user` portion of the policy if available.

state

string

Whether the certificate should exist or not, taking action if the state is different from what is stated.

Choices:

- `"absent"`

- `"present"` ← (default)

unsafe_writes

boolean

added in Ansible 2.2

Influence when to use atomic operation to prevent data corruption or inconsistent reads from the target filesystem object.

By default this module uses atomic operations to prevent data corruption or inconsistent reads from the target filesystem objects, but sometimes systems are configured or just broken in ways that prevent this. One example is docker mounted filesystem objects, which cannot be updated atomically from inside the container and can only be written in an unsafe manner.

This option allows Ansible to fall back to unsafe methods of updating filesystem objects when atomic operations fail (however, it doesn’t force Ansible to perform unsafe writes).

IMPORTANT! Unsafe writes are subject to race conditions and can lead to data corruption.

Choices:

- `false` ← (default)

- `true`

## Attributes

Attribute | Support | Description
--- | --- | ---
check_mode | Support: full | Can run in `check_mode` and return changed status prediction without modifying target.
diff_mode | Support: full | Will return details on what has changed (or possibly needs changing in `check_mode`), when in diff mode.
safe_file_operations | Support: full | Uses Ansible’s strict file operation functions to ensure proper permissions and avoid data corruption.

## Notes

Note

- All ASN.1 TIME values should be specified following the YYYYMMDDHHMMSSZ pattern.

- Date specified should be UTC. Minutes and seconds are mandatory.

- For security reason, when you use `ownca` provider, you should NOT run community.crypto.x509_certificate on a target machine, but on a dedicated CA machine. It is recommended not to store the CA private key on the target machine. Once signed, the certificate can be moved to the target machine.

- For the `selfsigned` provider, csr_path and csr_content are optional. If not provided, a certificate without any information (Subject, Subject Alternative Names, Key Usage, etc.) is created.

## See Also

See also

community.crypto.x509_certificate_pipe

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.x509_certificate_pipe module.

community.crypto.openssl_csr

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_csr module.

community.crypto.openssl_csr_pipe

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_csr_pipe module.

community.crypto.openssl_dhparam

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_dhparam module.

community.crypto.openssl_pkcs12

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_pkcs12 module.

community.crypto.openssl_privatekey

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_privatekey module.

community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_pipe

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_pipe module.

community.crypto.openssl_publickey

  The official documentation on the community.crypto.openssl_publickey module.

## Examples

    - name: Generate a Self Signed OpenSSL certificate
      community.crypto.x509_certificate:
        path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible.com.crt
        privatekey_path: /etc/ssl/private/ansible.com.pem
        csr_path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.csr
        provider: selfsigned

    - name: Generate an OpenSSL certificate signed with your own CA certificate
      community.crypto.x509_certificate:
        path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible.com.crt
        csr_path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.csr
        ownca_path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible_CA.crt
        ownca_privatekey_path: /etc/ssl/private/ansible_CA.pem
        provider: ownca

    - name: Generate a Let's Encrypt Certificate
      community.crypto.x509_certificate:
        path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible.com.crt
        csr_path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.csr
        provider: acme
        acme_accountkey_path: /etc/ssl/private/ansible.com.pem
        acme_challenge_path: /etc/ssl/challenges/ansible.com/

    - name: Force (re-)generate a new Let's Encrypt Certificate
      community.crypto.x509_certificate:
        path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible.com.crt
        csr_path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.csr
        provider: acme
        acme_accountkey_path: /etc/ssl/private/ansible.com.pem
        acme_challenge_path: /etc/ssl/challenges/ansible.com/
        force: true

    - name: Generate an Entrust certificate via the Entrust Certificate Services (ECS) API
      community.crypto.x509_certificate:
        path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible.com.crt
        csr_path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.csr
        provider: entrust
        entrust_requester_name: Jo Doe
        entrust_requester_email: jdoe@ansible.com
        entrust_requester_phone: 555-555-5555
        entrust_cert_type: STANDARD_SSL
        entrust_api_user: apiusername
        entrust_api_key: a^lv*32!cd9LnT
        entrust_api_client_cert_path: /etc/ssl/entrust/ecs-client.crt
        entrust_api_client_cert_key_path: /etc/ssl/entrust/ecs-key.crt
        entrust_api_specification_path: /etc/ssl/entrust/api-docs/cms-api-2.1.0.yaml

    # The following example shows how to emulate the behavior of the removed
    # "assertonly" provider with the x509_certificate_info, openssl_csr_info,
    # openssl_privatekey_info and assert modules:

    - name: Get certificate information
      community.crypto.x509_certificate_info:
        path: /etc/ssl/crt/ansible.com.crt
        # for valid_at, invalid_at and valid_in
        valid_at:
          one_day_ten_hours: "+1d10h"
          fixed_timestamp: 20200331202428Z
          ten_seconds: "+10"
      register: result

    - name: Get CSR information
      community.crypto.openssl_csr_info:
        # Verifies that the CSR signature is valid; module will fail if not
        path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.csr
      register: result_csr

    - name: Get private key information
      community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_info:
        path: /etc/ssl/csr/ansible.com.key
      register: result_privatekey

    - assert:
        that:
          # When private key was specified for assertonly, this was checked:
          - result.public_key == result_privatekey.public_key
          # When CSR was specified for assertonly, this was checked:
          - result.public_key == result_csr.public_key
          - result.subject_ordered == result_csr.subject_ordered
          - result.extensions_by_oid == result_csr.extensions_by_oid
          # signature_algorithms check
          - "result.signature_algorithm == 'sha256WithRSAEncryption' or result.signature_algorithm == 'sha512WithRSAEncryption'"
          # subject and subject_strict
          - "result.subject.commonName == 'ansible.com'"
          - "result.subject | length == 1"  # the number must be the number of entries you check for
          # issuer and issuer_strict
          - "result.issuer.commonName == 'ansible.com'"
          - "result.issuer | length == 1"  # the number must be the number of entries you check for
          # has_expired
          - not result.expired
          # version
          - result.version == 3
          # key_usage and key_usage_strict
          - "'Data Encipherment' in result.key_usage"
          - "result.key_usage | length == 1"  # the number must be the number of entries you check for
          # extended_key_usage and extended_key_usage_strict
          - "'DVCS' in result.extended_key_usage"
          - "result.extended_key_usage | length == 1"  # the number must be the number of entries you check for
          # subject_alt_name and subject_alt_name_strict
          - "'dns:ansible.com' in result.subject_alt_name"
          - "result.subject_alt_name | length == 1"  # the number must be the number of entries you check for
          # not_before and not_after
          - "result.not_before == '20190331202428Z'"
          - "result.not_after == '20190413202428Z'"
          # valid_at, invalid_at and valid_in
          - "result.valid_at.one_day_ten_hours"  # for valid_at
          - "not result.valid_at.fixed_timestamp"  # for invalid_at
          - "result.valid_at.ten_seconds"  # for valid_in

## Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key | Description
--- | ---
backup_file string | Name of backup file created. Returned: changed and if backup is `true` Sample: `"/path/to/www.ansible.com.crt.2019-03-09@11:22~"`
certificate string added in community.crypto 1.0.0 | The (current or generated) certificate’s content. Returned: if state is `present` and return_content is `true`
filename string | Path to the generated certificate. Returned: changed or success Sample: `"/etc/ssl/crt/www.ansible.com.crt"`

### Authors

- Yanis Guenane (@Spredzy)

- Markus Teufelberger (@MarkusTeufelberger)

### Collection links

Issue Tracker Repository (Sources) Submit a bug report Request a feature Communication