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Expand Up @@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ Whatever your use case, `step-ca` is easy to use and hard to misuse, thanks to [

[Website](https://smallstep.com/certificates) |
[Documentation](https://smallstep.com/docs) |
[Installation Guide](#installation-guide) |
[Quickstart](#quickstart) |
[Installation](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-ca/installation) |
[Getting Started](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-ca/getting-started) |
[Contributor's Guide](./docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -103,270 +102,9 @@ ACME is the protocol used by Let's Encrypt to automate the issuance of HTTPS cer
- [Install root certificates](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-cli/reference/certificate/install/) on your machine and browsers, so your CA is trusted
- [Inspect](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-cli/reference/certificate/inspect/) and [lint](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-cli/reference/certificate/lint/) certificates

## Installation Guide
## Installation

These instructions will install an OS specific version of the `step-ca` binary on
your local machine.

Want to build from source? See [our contributor's guide](./docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)

### Mac OS

Install `step` and `step-ca` together, via [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/):

```
$ brew install step
```

### Linux

> **Note:** The [`step` CLI tool](https://github.com/smallstep/cli) is the easiest way to initialize, configure, and control `step-ca`. While `step` is not technically required to run `step-ca`, it is very much recommended.
#### Debian

1. Install `step`.

Download the Debian package from the
[latest `step` release](https://github.com/smallstep/cli/releases/latest):

```
$ wget https://github.com/smallstep/cli/releases/download/vX.Y.Z/step-cli_X.Y.Z_amd64.deb
```

Install the Debian package:

```
$ sudo dpkg -i step-cli_X.Y.Z_amd64.deb
```

2. Install `step-ca`.

Download the Debian package from the [latest `step-ca` release](https://github.com/smallstep/certificates/releases/latest):

```
$ wget https://github.com/smallstep/certificates/releases/download/vX.Y.Z/step-ca_X.Y.Z_amd64.deb
```

Install the Debian package:

```
$ sudo dpkg -i step-ca_X.Y.Z_amd64.deb
```

#### Arch Linux

We are using the [Arch User Repository](https://aur.archlinux.org) to distribute
`step` binaries for Arch Linux.

* The `step` binary tarball can be found [here](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/step-cli-bin/).
* The `step-ca` binary tarball can be found [here](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/step-ca-bin/).

You can use [pacman](https://www.archlinux.org/pacman/) to install the packages.

#### RHEL/CentOS

1. Install `step`.

Download the Linux tarball from the
[latest `step` release](https://github.com/smallstep/cli/releases/latest):

```
$ wget -O step-cli.tar.gz https://github.com/smallstep/cli/releases/download/vX.Y.Z/step_linux_X.Y.Z_amd64.tar.gz
```

Install `step` by unzipping and copying the executable over to `/usr/bin`:

```
$ tar -xf step-cli.tar.gz
$ sudo cp step_X.Y.Z/bin/step /usr/bin
```

2. Install `step-ca`.

Download the Linux package from the [latest `step-ca` release](https://github.com/smallstep/certificates/releases/latest):

```
$ wget -O step-ca.tar.gz https://github.com/smallstep/certificates/releases/download/vX.Y.Z/step-ca_linux_X.Y.Z_amd64.tar.gz
```

Install `step-ca` by unzipping and copying the executable over to `/usr/bin`:

```
$ tar -xf step-ca.tar.gz
$ sudo cp step-ca_X.Y.Z/bin/step-ca /usr/bin
```

See the [`systemctl` setup section](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-ca/certificate-authority-server-production#running-step-ca-as-a-daemon) for a
guide on configuring `step-ca` as a daemon.

### Kubernetes

We publish [helm charts](https://hub.helm.sh/charts/smallstep/step-certificates) for easy installation on kubernetes:

```
helm install step-certificates
```

> <a href="https://github.com/smallstep/autocert"><img width="25%" src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/smallstep/autocert/master/autocert-logo.png"></a>
>
> If you're using Kubernetes, make sure you [check out
> autocert](https://github.com/smallstep/autocert): a kubernetes add-on that builds on `step
> certificates` to automatically inject TLS/HTTPS certificates into your containers.
### Docker

See our [Docker getting started guide](https://smallstep.com/docs/tutorials/docker-tls-certificate-authority)

### Test

<pre><code><b>$ step version</b>
Smallstep CLI/0.10.0 (darwin/amd64)
Release Date: 2019-04-30 19:01 UTC

<b>$ step-ca version</b>
Smallstep CA/0.10.0 (darwin/amd64)
Release Date: 2019-04-30 19:02 UTC</code></pre>

## Quickstart

In the following guide we'll run a simple `hello` server that requires clients
to connect over an authorized and encrypted channel using HTTPS. `step-ca`
will issue certificates to our server, allowing it to authenticate and encrypt
communication.

![Animated terminal showing step certificates in practice](https://github.com/smallstep/certificates/raw/master/docs/images/step-ca-2-legged.gif)

Let's get started!

### Prerequisites

* [`step`](#installation-guide)
* [golang](https://golang.org/doc/install)

### Let's get started!

#### 1. Run `step ca init` to create your CA's keys & certificates and configure `step-ca`:

<pre><code><b>$ step ca init</b>
✔ What would you like to name your new PKI? (e.g. Smallstep): <b>Example Inc.</b>
✔ What DNS names or IP addresses would you like to add to your new CA? (e.g. ca.smallstep.com[,1.1.1.1,etc.]): <b>localhost</b>
✔ What address will your new CA listen at? (e.g. :443): <b>127.0.0.1:8080</b>
✔ What would you like to name the first provisioner for your new CA? (e.g. you@smallstep.com): <b>bob@example.com</b>
✔ What do you want your password to be? [leave empty and we'll generate one]: <b>abc123</b>

Generating root certificate...
all done!

Generating intermediate certificate...
all done!

✔ Root certificate: /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/certs/root_ca.crt
✔ Root private key: /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/secrets/root_ca_key
✔ Root fingerprint: 702a094e239c9eec6f0dcd0a5f65e595bf7ed6614012825c5fe3d1ae1b2fd6ee
✔ Intermediate certificate: /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/certs/intermediate_ca.crt
✔ Intermediate private key: /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/secrets/intermediate_ca_key
✔ Default configuration: /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/config/defaults.json
✔ Certificate Authority configuration: /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/config/ca.json

Your PKI is ready to go. To generate certificates for individual services see 'step help ca'.</code></pre>

This command will:

- Generate [password protected](https://github.com/smallstep/certificates/blob/master/docs/GETTING_STARTED.md#passwords) private keys for your CA to sign certificates
- Generate a root and [intermediate signing certificate](https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/128779/why-is-it-more-secure-to-use-intermediate-ca-certificates) for your CA
- Create a JSON configuration file for `step-ca` (see [configuration docs](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-ca/configuration) for details)

You can find these artifacts in `$STEPPATH` (or `~/.step` by default).

#### 2. Start `step-ca`:

You'll be prompted for your password from the previous step, to decrypt the CA's private signing key:

<pre><code><b>$ step-ca $(step path)/config/ca.json</b>
Please enter the password to decrypt /Users/bob/src/github.com/smallstep/step/.step/secrets/intermediate_ca_key: <b>abc123</b>
2019/02/18 13:28:58 Serving HTTPS on 127.0.0.1:8080 ...</code></pre>

#### 3. Copy our `hello world` golang server.

```
$ cat > srv.go <<EOF
package main
import (
"net/http"
"log"
)
func HiHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/plain")
w.Write([]byte("Hello, world!\n"))
}
func main() {
http.HandleFunc("/hi", HiHandler)
err := http.ListenAndServeTLS(":8443", "srv.crt", "srv.key", nil)
if err != nil {
log.Fatal(err)
}
}
EOF
```

#### 4. Get an identity for your server from the Step CA.

<pre><code><b>$ step ca certificate localhost srv.crt srv.key</b>
✔ Key ID: rQxROEr7Kx9TNjSQBTETtsu3GKmuW9zm02dMXZ8GUEk (bob@example.com)
✔ Please enter the password to decrypt the provisioner key: abc123
✔ CA: https://localhost:8080/1.0/sign
✔ Certificate: srv.crt
✔ Private Key: srv.key

<b>$ step certificate inspect --bundle srv.crt</b>
Certificate:
Data:
Version: 3 (0x2)
Serial Number: 140439335711218707689123407681832384336 (0x69a7a1d7f6f22f68059d2d9088307750)
Signature Algorithm: ECDSA-SHA256
Issuer: CN=Example Inc. Intermediate CA
Validity
Not Before: Feb 18 21:32:35 2019 UTC
Not After : Feb 19 21:32:35 2019 UTC
Subject: CN=localhost
...
Certificate:
Data:
Version: 3 (0x2)
Serial Number: 207035091234452090159026162349261226844 (0x9bc18217bd560cf07db23178ed90835c)
Signature Algorithm: ECDSA-SHA256
Issuer: CN=Example Inc. Root CA
Validity
Not Before: Feb 18 21:27:21 2019 UTC
Not After : Feb 15 21:27:21 2029 UTC
Subject: CN=Example Inc. Intermediate CA
...</code></pre>

Note that `step` and `step-ca` handle details like [certificate bundling](https://smallstep.com/blog/everything-pki.html#intermediates-chains-and-bundling) for you.

#### 5. Run the simple server.

<pre><code><b>$ go run srv.go &</b></code></pre>

#### 6. Get the root certificate from the Step CA.

In a new Terminal window:

<pre><code><b>$ step ca root root.crt</b>
The root certificate has been saved in root.crt.</code></pre>

#### 7. Make an authenticated, encrypted curl request to your server using HTTP over TLS.

<pre><code><b>$ curl --cacert root.crt https://localhost:8443/hi</b>
Hello, world!</code></pre>

*All Done!*

Check out the [Getting Started](./docs/GETTING_STARTED.md) guide for more examples
and best practices on running Step CA in production.
See our installation docs [here](https://smallstep.com/docs/step-ca/installation).

## Documentation

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