Certificate procedure – Step 5: Export the private key and store in a safe location

This post is a continuation of my previous post in which I have assigned a certificate to the website.

In this last post, we'll be exporting the private key to a secure location for legal requirements:
1. Open the IIS manager and browse to the website that has the certificate assigned
2. Right click the website and choose Properties, then go to the tab Directory Security. Here choose View Certificate.

3. Go to the tab Details and click Copy to File.

4. After the Welcome Screen, you will see that now we have the option to Yes, Export the Private Key and click Next.
5. Choose the options you desire, I always use these:

6. Next you will be required to supply a password and a location. When you click Finish, you should receive a Success message.


OK, you are done: a certificate created which is used to secure a website and the private key is exported to a secure location for recovery purposes.

I hope the series can help you.

Have fun!

Post series:
1. Certificate procedure for Push Mail with Exchange 2003 SP2 and ISA 2006
2. Certificate procedure - Step 1: Creating a certificate request
3. Certificate procedure – Step 2: Request a certificate
4. Certificate procedure – Step 3: Issuing the certificate
5. Certificate procedure – Step 4: Assign the certificate to your website in IIS
6. Certificate procedure – Step 5: Export the private key and store in a safe location

Certificate procedure – Step 4: Assign the certificate to your website in IIS

OK, following my previous posts, the certificate can now be used to assign it to a website (or whatever you want to use it for).

The assignment of the certificate is also pretty straightforward:
1. Open the IIS manager and browse to your website.

2. Go the Directory Security tab and click on Server Certificate.

3. A wizard will open, click Next on the Welcome Screen and choose Process the pending request and install the certificate.

4. Browse to your newly created certificate and click Next. Then choose the default SSL port 443 and click Next.
5. You can overview the summary and click Next if the displayed information is correct.

6. As a last step, Finish the wizard to assign your certificate.

That's it. Your website is now secured. As a last step I'll be exporting the private key to a safe location for recovery purposes.

Post series:
1. Certificate procedure for Push Mail with Exchange 2003 SP2 and ISA 2006
2. Certificate procedure - Step 1: Creating a certificate request
3. Certificate procedure – Step 2: Request a certificate
4. Certificate procedure – Step 3: Issuing the certificate
5. Certificate procedure – Step 4: Assign the certificate to your website in IIS
6. Certificate procedure – Step 5: Export the private key and store in a safe location

Certificate procedure – Step 3: Issuing the certificate

Now that we have created our certificate request, we’ll be issuing it ourselves with our Certification Authority (CA) for testing purposes.

A very quick and simple process:
1. Open the Certification Authority console and browse to Pending Certificates. Once there, right click on the certificate and under “all tasks” choose Issue.

2. Then, go to Issued Certificates, right click on the issued certificate and click on “Copy to file” to save the certificate to a safe location.


Post series:
1. Certificate procedure for Push Mail with Exchange 2003 SP2 and ISA 2006
2. Certificate procedure - Step 1: Creating a certificate request
3. Certificate procedure – Step 2: Request a certificate
4. Certificate procedure – Step 3: Issuing the certificate
5. Certificate procedure – Step 4: Assign the certificate to your website in IIS
6. Certificate procedure – Step 5: Export the private key and store in a safe location