What can I use OpenSSL "ca" command for? What are options supported by the "ca" command?

OpenSSL "ca" command is a CA (Certificate Authority) tool. It can be used to sign CSR (Certificate Signing Request) in a variety of forms and generate CRLs. It also maintains a text database of issued certificates and their status.

Here are options supported by the "ca" command:

C:\Users\fyicenter>\local\OpenSSL-Win32\bin\openssl.exe

OpenSSL> ca -help
unknown option -help
usage: ca args

 -verbose        - Talk alot while doing things
 -config file    - A config file
 -name arg       - The particular CA definition to use
 -gencrl         - Generate a new CRL
 -crldays days   - Days is when the next CRL is due
 -crlhours hours - Hours is when the next CRL is due
 -startdate YYMMDDHHMMSSZ  - certificate validity notBefore
 -enddate YYMMDDHHMMSSZ    - certificate validity notAfter (overrides -days)
 -days arg       - number of days to certify the certificate for
 -md arg         - md to use, one of md2, md5, sha or sha1
 -policy arg     - The CA 'policy' to support
 -keyfile arg    - private key file
 -keyform arg    - private key file format (PEM or ENGINE)
 -key arg        - key to decode the private key if it is encrypted
 -cert file      - The CA certificate
 -selfsign       - sign a certificate with the key associated with it
 -in file        - The input PEM encoded certificate request(s)
 -out file       - Where to put the output file(s)
 -outdir dir     - Where to put output certificates
 -infiles ....   - The last argument, requests to process
 -spkac file     - File contains DN and signed public key and challenge
 -ss_cert file   - File contains a self signed cert to sign
 -preserveDN     - Don't re-order the DN
 -noemailDN      - Don't add the EMAIL field into certificate' subject
 -batch          - Don't ask questions
 -msie_hack      - msie modifications to handle all those universal strings
 -revoke file    - Revoke a certificate (given in file)
 -subj arg       - Use arg instead of request's subject
 -utf8           - input characters are UTF8 (default ASCII)
 -multivalue-rdn - enable support for multivalued RDNs
 -extensions ..  - Extension section (override value in config file)
 -extfile file   - Configuration file with X509v3 extentions to add
 -crlexts ..     - CRL extension section (override value in config file)
 -engine e       - use engine e, possibly a hardware device.
 -status serial  - Shows certificate status given the serial number
 -updatedb       - Updates db for expired certificates
error in ca

⇒ OpenSSL "ca" - Create CSR for Testing

⇐ OpenSSL "ca" Command

⇑ OpenSSL "ca" Command

⇑⇑ OpenSSL Tutorials