Apply an SSL certificate to Web Help Desk in Linux via command line interface

This procedure applies to the SolarWinds WebHelpDesk VA (Virtual Appliance). To apply an SSL Certificate to WHD in Linux via CLI, complete the steps below.

1. SSH to the machine as a user with sudo access.
2. Change the directory to the WHD home folder:

   cd /usr/local/webhelpdesk/conf

3. Edit the file /usr/local/webhelpdesk/conf/whd.conf and uncomment the line for HTTPS_PORT=443. 
4. Look for KEYSTORE_PASSWORD= and take note of the password.
5. Delete the alias tomcat from the keystore. You may also backup the keystore before doing this:

   sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -delete -alias tomcat -keystore keystore.jks -storepass [the password from step 3]

6. Generate a new key with alias tomcat:

   SHA1 Signature Algorithm: sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -genkey -alias tomcat -keystore keystore.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity <val_days> -storepass [the password from step 3] 
   
   SHA2 Signature Algorithm: sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -genkey -alias tomcat -keystore keystore.jks -keyalg RSA -sigalg SHA256withRSA -keysize 2048 -validity <val_days> -storepass [the password from step 3]

   <val_days>= days that the key is valid, 365 for 1 year and 730 for 2 years.then
   • Enter a CN that matches the site used in the certificate For example, if Web Help Desk is hosted at support.example.com, your CN must be support.example.com. 
   • Enter an Organization Unit (OU) that helps distinguish this certificate from others for your organization.  
   • Enter an Organization Name (O), typically name for your organization.  
   • Locality Name (L). This is typically a city name. 
   • Enter a State Name (ST). This should be the unabbreviated city and state/province/region/territory of your organization. 
   • Enter a Country (C) This should be the two letter ISO 3166 country code for your country.  
   • Email (E) is generally optional, but may be used by your CA as the address to which the certificate will be mailed.
7. Generate a CSR file or Certificate Signing Request file:

   sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -certreq -alias tomcat -keystore keystore.jks -file <[filename].csr> -storepass [the password from step 3]

8. Grab a copy of that .csr file and send it to your root CA to request for a signed certificate.
9. Once you have already downloaded the signed certificate and root certificates, you can then import them as follows:
   1. Copy the files to the VA using an SFTP client (like FileZilla or WinSCP) and take note of the location. 
   2. Import the Root and intermediate CA certificates (repeat the same step below for every certificate and change the alias to a different name):

      sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -import -trustcacerts -alias root -file </path/to/Root CA file> -keystore keystore.jks -storepass [the password from step 3]

   3. Import the singed primary CA for WHD (tomcat):

      sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -import -trustcacerts -alias tomcat -file </path/to/your.whd.authenticated cert> -keystore keystore.jks -storepass [the password from step 3]

10. You may also refer to this topic in the WHD Administrator Guide but this will require a separate download of the OpenSource tool - Portecle .
11. Verify the keystore file by running the following command:

    sudo ../bin/jre/bin/keytool -v -list -keystore keystore.jks -storepass [the password from step 3]