Export, import, and upload the token-signing certificate

10/19/2018 2:59 PM

11/13/2019 9:55 PM

This article describes how to export, import, and upload the token-signing certificate from the Microsoft^® Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) 2.0 server.

AD FS is installed in the Microsoft Windows Server^® operating system to provide users with sign-on access to Windows systems and applications

See the Microsoft TechNet website (© Microsoft 2018, available at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/, obtained on November 20, 2018) for more information about AD FS. 

Web Help Desk

1. Export the token-signing certificate from the AD FS server.
2. Import the certificate into the Web Help Desk trust store (cacerts).
3. Upload the certificate into the Web Help Desk Admin Console. 

Export the token-signing certificate from the AD FS server 

1. Open AD FS 2.0 and navigate to Service > Certificates.
   Here, you will find the Token-signing certificate for your AD FS server that is used to authenticate your Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) connection from Web Help Desk.
2. Click the Token-signing certificate.
3. In the Actions section, click View Certificate.
4. Click the Details tab, click Copy to File, and then click Next.
5. Select Base-64 encoded X.509 (.CER), and click Next.
6. Click Browse, select a location, enter a file name,, and then click Save.

   Entering a new file name will not impact the setup.

7. Click Next, and then click Finish.
8. Copy the exported file to the Web Help Desk server. 

Import the certificate into the Web Help Desk trust store (cacerts) 

1. Upload the certificate into the Web Help Desk Admin Console Stop Web Help Desk (Stop and start Web Help Desk). 
2. Open a Run dialog box and execute:
   C:\Program Files\WebHelpDesk\Portecle.bat
3. Click File > Open Keystore file and navigate to:
   C:\Program Files\WebhelpDesk\bin\jre\lib\security
4. Select All Files, select cacerts, and then click Open.
5. Enter the following default password:
   changeit
   All common Certificate Authority (CA) certificates display in the file. 
6. Select Tools > Import Trusted Certificates.
7. Locate and select the exported file, and click Import.

   If the Import Trusted Certificate window displays, click OK.

   The exported certificate details display.

8. Click OK, and then click Yes.
9. Enter a certificate name alias that displays in the list of common CA certificates, and click OK.

   The certificate alias does not affect the setup.

10. Click OK.
    The imported certificate displays in the list. 
11. Select File > Save Keystore.
    If you cannot save the file and an error message displays:
    1. Open Portecle as an Administrator by navigating to the location of the Portecle.bat file.
    2. Right-click the file and select Run as Administrator.
12. Start Web Help Desk (Stop and start Web Help Desk). 

Upload the certificate into the Web Help Desk Admin Console 

1. Open a web browser and navigate to the Web Help Desk Admin Console.
2. Log in to the console as an administrator.
3. Click Setup > General > Authentication.
4. Click the Authentication Method drop-down method and select SAML 2.0.
5. Enter the sign-in page URL.
6. Enter the Logout URL.
7. Next to Verification certificate, click Upload. 
8. Locate and select the exported file, and then click Open.
9. Click Save when the certificate is uploaded

Disclaimer: Please note, any content posted herein is provided as a suggestion or recommendation to you for your internal use. This is not part of the SolarWinds software or documentation that you purchased from SolarWinds, and the information set forth herein may come from third parties. Your organization should internally review and assess to what extent, if any, such custom scripts or recommendations will be incorporated into your environment.  You elect to use third party content at your own risk, and you will be solely responsible for the incorporation of the same, if any.