I have been trying to generate a private key for a thawte certificate and I keep getting this error after I fill out the password phrase:

OpenSSL> genrsa -des3 -rand file1.txt:file2.txt:file3.txt -out www.domain.com
key 512260215 semi-random bytes loaded
Generating RSA private key, 512 bit long modulus
.++++++++++++
................++++++++++++
e is 65537 (0x10001)
Enter PEM pass phrase:
Verifying password - Enter PEM pass phrase:
Verify failure
81327:error:0906406D:PEM routines:DEF_CALLBACK:problems getting password:/usr/sr
c/secure/lib/libcrypto/../../../crypto/openssl/crypto/pem/pem_lib.c:114:
81327:error:0906906F:PEM routines:PEM_ASN1_write_bio:read key:/usr/src/secure/li
b/libcrypto/../../../crypto/openssl/crypto/pem/pem_lib.c:366:
error in genrsa

---------------------------------


Anyone know what is going wrong?
Help is very much appreciated!

Kind regards,

JamesBond

You might have better luck by posting the question in the OpenSSL user discussion list: http://www.openssl.org/support/

Thanks, I'll try that as well..

# openssl genrsa 1024 > private.key
# openssl req -new -key private.key -out server.csr
<answer questions>
For a cert to use temporarily til Thawte give you one:
# openssl req -new -x509 -key private.key > server.crt

I hope this helps. :)

Regards,
Vince.

Hi Vince, thanks for your help

just wondering about a few things.

You used 1024 instead of 512, does this work also for the $125 certificates?

I read on thawte.com that 1024 is for the 128-bit encryption, but from what I understand only the $300 thawte certificates offer that.

It also says on the thawte website to use random files to generate the private key (like i did in the example)

This is not necessary then I suppose?