---
name: "make-ssl-cert"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "ssl-cert"
version: "1.1.3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/make-ssl-cert"
---

# make-ssl-cert(8)

Debconf wrapper for openssl

## NAME

make-ssl-cert - Debconf wrapper for openssl

## SYNOPSIS

**make-ssl-cert** \[*OPTION*\]... *template* *output-certificate*\
 **make-ssl-cert \[*OPTION*\]... generate-default-snakeoil**\

## DESCRIPTION

make-ssl-cert is a simple debconf to openssl wrapper to create self-signed certificates. It requires a source template (Ex: /usr/share/ssl-cert/ssleay.cnf) and it will place the new generated certificate in the specified output file.\
 Invoked with "generate-default-snakeoil", it will generate /etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem and /etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key.

## OPTIONS

A summary of options are included below.

- **--force-overwrite**

  Always create a new certificate, even if the file already exists. For backwards compatibility with 1.0.x, this option can be given as last argument, too.

- **--no-overwrite**

  Never overwrite an existing file, even if the old certificate's key length is too small or if it uses an obsoltete signature algorithm.

- **--expiration-days *N***

  Make the new certificate expire in *N* days. Default is 3650.

## SEE ALSO

[*openssl*(1)](/openssl/1.md)

## AUTHOR

The program author is Thom May \<thom@debian.org\>, manual page was written for completeness by Fabio M. Di Nitto \<fabbione@fabbione.net\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).