[Technical Notice] How to Generate an SSL Certificate and Enable SSL Service

[alexhon]

Article ID: GV1-12-08-08-j
Released Date: 08/08/2012


Applied to
GV-DVR / NVR
GV-IP Camera
GV-Recording Server/GV-Video Gateway

Summary
The GV-DVR / NVR, GV-IP Camera and GV-Recording Server/GV-Video Gateway all support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to ensure the security and privacy of remote connection. To enable the SSL service, you need to import an SSL Certificate file and/or a Private Key file into the server or GV device. The document will guide you through the steps of generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and a Private Key (RSA) through a third-party tool. Then verify the CSR by a SSL authority to obtain a SSL Certificate. Finally, import the SSL Certificate and Private Key files into the server or GV device.

Note: The CSR verification by an SSL authority is normally a charged service.

Instructions

1. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and Private Key (RSA) through a third-party tool.
   1. We use the following third-party tool as the example: http://www.gogetssl.com/eng/support/onl ... generator/
      You will be requested to type your server’s IP address and your personal information to get started.

      

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   2. The Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and Private Key (RSA) contents are created as the example below.

      

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   3. Copy the RSA Private Key contents, and paste into a plain text file.

      

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   4. Save the file with a .cer extension. Then your Private Key file is created, e.g.

      

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      Note: If you want to import the Private Key to the GV-Recording Server/GV-Video Gateway, you need to save the file with a .key extension.
2. Verify the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) by an SSL authority.
   1. Take the Symantec as the example: http://www.symantec.com/products-soluti ... amily/ssl/
   2. Follow the instructions described on the above website. In certain step, you will be requested to paste the CSR contents which are generated in the above Step1.

      

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   3. Finally, you will receive an e-mail notification of the certificate as the example below.

      

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   4. Copy the certificate contents, and paste into a plain text file.

      

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   5. Save the file with a .cer extension. Then your SSL Certificate file is created, e.g.

      

      Screenshot_8.jpg (2.42 KiB) Viewed 4916 times

      Note: If you want to import the Certificate to the GV-Recording Server/GV-Video Gateway, you need to save the file with a .crt extension.
3. Import the SSL Certificate and Private Key files to the server or GV device.
   1. On the GV-DVR / NVR, click the Network button, select WebCam Server and click the Server tab to display the following dialog box. Select Enable SSL, click the Browse button of Certificate file to import the SSL Certificate file (.cer), and click the Browse button of Private key file to import the Private Key file (.cer).

      

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   2. On the Web Interface of GV-IP Camera, select Network and select Advanced TCP/IP to display the following page. Enable HTTPS Settings and select Use customized certification and private key. Click the Browse button of Certificate to import the SSL Certificate file (.cer), and click the Browse button of Private Key to import the Private Key file (.cer).
      
      Note: These SSL options are only enabled after you install a memory card in the GV-IP Camera. And save the created SSL Certificate and Private Key files in the memory card first.
      

      

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   3. On the Web Interface of GV-Recording Server/GV-Video Gateway, select Network to display the following page. Enable SSL, click the Browse button of Certificate File (.crt) to import the SSL Certificate file, and click the Browse button of Certificate Key File (.key) to import the Private Key file.
      

      

      Screenshot_11.jpg (47.04 KiB) Viewed 4916 times

      Note: You might obtain a Certificate Chain File from some SSL authorities. In this case, you can also import the file to the server.