How to use vSphere Certificate Manager to Replace SSL Certificates

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article explains when and how to use vSphere Certificate Manager.

Use of vSphere Certificate Manager:

The vSphere Certificate Manager can be used to:

Implement Default Certificates
Replace VMCA Certificate with a custom CA Certificate
Replace all vSphere Certificates and Keys with custom CA Certificates and Keys

Implement Default Certificates (use Option 4 or 8):

This option is the most preferred with the least amount of overhead in implementing, it is used when you do not plan on implementing custom CA Certificates signed by either an enterprise CA (like a Microsoft Windows CA) or a Commercial CA (Verisign, GoDaddy, etc.).
In this environment, the vSphere certificates are generated and issued by the VMware Certificate Authority (VMCA) and stored by the vSphere Endpoint Certificate Store (VECS).
These certificates are not trusted outside of vSphere by default.
If Machine SSL & Solution User Certificates are expired, use Option 8 (Reset all Certificates).

Replace VMCA Certificate with a custom CA Certificate (use Option 2):

In this environment, you will replace the default VMCA Certificate and Key with a custom CA Certificate and Key from either an enterprise CA (like a Microsoft Windows CA) or a Commercial CA (Verisign, GoDaddy, etc.).
The VMCA will then be used to generate new vSphere certificates that will be signed by the previously imported custom CA Certificate and Key.
These certificates issued by the VMCA will be trusted outside of vSphere.
VMware does not recommend operating VMCA as a subordinate (or intermediate) certificate authority. If you choose this option, you might encounter significant complexity and the potential for a negative impact to your security, and an unnecessary increase in your operational risk. For example, a rogue administrator with full access to the vCenter could mint fully trusted and valid certificates that are trusted all the way up to the organization’s Root CA

Replace all vSphere Certificates and Keys with custom CA Certificates and Keys (use Option 5):

In this environment, you will replace the Machine Certificate and all Solution User Certificates with custom CA Certificates signed by either an enterprise CA (like a Microsoft Windows CA) or a Commercial CA (Verisign, GoDaddy, etc.).
The VMCA is not responsible for issuing these certificates.

Please note that in vSphere 7.x you can perform steps 1 and 2 through the vCenter user interface.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x

Resolution

Process to Update the Machine SSL certificate or generate a certificate signing request:

Note: In vSphere vCenter 7.x/8.x, in the user interface, you can update the Machine SSL certificate or generate a certificate signing request by going to

Menu > Administration > Certificates > Certificate Management.

In the Machine SSL Certificate section, select the Actions pull-down menu.

Note: In Windows based vCenter, you must be logged in as an administrator or "Run as Administrator" if user access control is enabled.

To launch the vSphere Certificate Manager, execute the following commands:

Windows vCenter Server: C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\vmcad\certificate-manager
vCenter Server Appliance: /usr/lib/vmware-vmca/bin/certificate-manager

When you run the certificate-manager command, you are presented with the 8 options as shown in the screenshots for Windows and appliance respectively.

Details of the Options:

Option #	Detail	Required Information
1	Replace the Machine SSL certificate with a Custom CA Certificate Machine SSL Certificate provides a sub-option to generate Certificate Signing Request(s) and Key(s) for Machine SSL certificate.	[email protected] password. Path to a custom Certificate and Key for the Machine Certificate. Path to a custom Certificate for the VMCA Root
2	Replace the VMCA Root certificate with a Custom CA Signing Certificate and Replace all Certificates. This option provides a sub-option to generate Certificate Signing Request(s) and Key(s) for VMCA Root Signing certificate.	[email protected] password Configure the certool.cfg file at /usr/lib/vmware-vmca/share/config/certool.cfg (used by VMCA when generating certificates) Root Signing Cert Root Signing Key Optional Information: Do you wish to replace all Solution User certificates with custom CA? YES: Paths to the custom Certificates and Keys for the Solution Users (vpxd, vpxd-extension, vsphere-webclient, machine). Note: You can also perform this step later using Option 5. NO: VMCA will generate new Certificates/Keys for Solution Users using the provided Custom CA Signing Certificate. Note: You can also perform this step later using Option 6. Do you wish to replace Machine SSL Certificate with custom CA? YES: Path to a custom Certificate and Key for the Machine Certificate. Note: You can also perform this step later using Option 1. NO: VMCA will generate a new Certificate/Key for Machine using the provided Custom CA Signing Certificate. Note: You can also perform this step later using Option 3.
3	Replace the Machine SSL certificate with a VMCA Generated Certificate	[email protected] password Configure the certool.cfg file (used by VMCA when generating certificates)
4	Regenerate a new default VMCA Root Certificate and Replace all Certificates	[email protected] password Configure the certool.cfg file (used by VMCA when generating certificates)
5	Replace the Solution User Certificates with Custom CA Certificates	[email protected] password Path to the custom Root CA Certificate Path to the custom Certificate and Key for vpxd Solution User Path to the custom Certificate and Key for vpxd-extension Solution User Path to the custom Certificate and Key for vSphere-webclient Solution User Path to the custom Certificate and Key for machine Solution User If vCenter Server is 7.0, the path to the Custom Certificate and Key for hvc & wcp Solution Users
6	Replace the Solution User Certificates with VMCA generated Certificates	[email protected] password
7	Revert last performed operation by re-publishing old certificates	[email protected] password
8	Reset all certificates	[email protected] password Configure the certool.cfg file (used by VMCA when generating certificates)

Note 2: The Certool.cfg is located at:

C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\vmcad\certool.cfg
Configuration file locations in vCenter Server Appliance and Platform Service Controler Appliance(External PSC):
- vCenter Server Appliance: /usr/lib/vmware-vmca/share/config/certool.cfg
- External Platform Service Controller Appliance: /usr/lib/vmware-vmca/share/config/certool.cfg

The default configuration of certool.cfg should look like the following Screenshot:

If the PNID on the vCenter is unknown, it can be obtained with this command for Windows or the VCSA respectively:

Windows vCenter Server 6.x:

"C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\vmafdd\vmafd-cli.exe" get-pnid --server-name localhost

vCenter Server Appliance 6.x/7.x/8.x:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli get-pnid --server-name localhost

Additional Information

Note: Currently, vCenter Server integrates only with VMCA. The vSphere Certificate Manager and VMCA cannot be used to issue certificates to any other products.

Log file locations:

The vSphere Certificate Manager stores a certificate-manager.log file in these locations:
- Windows vCenter Server 6.x: C:\ProgramData\VMware\vCenterServer\logs\vmca\certificate-manager.log
- vCenter Server Appliance 6.x/7.x/8.x: /var/log/vmware/vmcad/certificate-manager.log
The certool.cfg file is located at:

C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\vmcad\certool.cfg
Configuration file locations in vCenter Server Appliance and Platform Service Controler Appliance:
- vCenter Server Appliance: /usr/lib/vmware-vmca/share/config/certool.cfg
- Platform Service Controller Appliance: /usr/lib/vmware-vmca/share/config/certool.cfg

Impact/Risks:

Changing vCenter Server certificates may impact connected products ie: SRM, vSphere Replication, Horizon View, etc.