A simple example on how to do client authentication with certificates - mutual TLS (mTLS).
Required tools as OpenSSL, Docker and Node.js need to be installed on the machine running the project.
Before running the example create certificate authority (CA), server and client certificates with the create_certs.sh script.
A detailed description of each step can be found within the script.
./scripts/create_certs.sh
# Output
Enter path for certificates directory (default: certs): ./certs
Enter certificate authority (CA) name (default: mtls_ca): my_ca
# ...With the above example a directory certs will be created in the root directory and puts the following certificates in there:
- Certificate Authority
- ca.crt
- ca.key
- ca.srl
- Server
- server.crt
- server.csr -- Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
- server.key
- Client
- client.crt
- client.csr -- Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
- client.key
When starting the application notice the comments below and adjust the code if necessary.
Make sure docker and docker-compose are up and running.
Also be aware that ports 3000, 80 and 443 are not occupied already. In case the ports are used by another application, adapt the configuration in ./docker-compose.yml, ./nginx-server/proxy.conf and ./node-server/server.js.
If there has been chosen a certificates directory different to the default path ./certs, please adjust the path inside ./docker-compose.yml.
...
volumes:
- ./{directory to certificates}/server.crt:/etc/ssl/server.crt
- ./{directory to certificates}/server.key:/etc/ssl/server.key
- ./{directory to certificates}/ca.crt:/etc/nginx/client_certs/ca.crt
...All requirements are met? - Let's get ready to spin up the servers with
docker-compose build
docker-compose upAlternatively combine both commands into one:
docker-compose up --build Both servers NGINX and the Node JS Express server should be available then.
In order to verify the server is working correctly, start testing with an appropriate tool of any choice. Below examples are executed with cURL.
curl https://localhost \
--cacert certs/ca.crt \
--key certs/client.key \
--cert certs/client.crt
# successfull response with message should be returnedIt depends on how the machine you're testing with is set up: not just NGINX can be called also the Node JS application can be directly accessed with client certificates.
curl https://localhost:3000 \
--cacert certs/ca.crt \
--key certs/client.key \
--cert certs/client.crt
# successfull response with message should be returnedOf course - nobody is perfect. While testing some errors can occur...
A list of errors ...
curl: (60) SSL certificate problem: unable to get local issuer certificateCheck if ca.crt file is provided and the correct one hase been chosen.
<html>
<head><title>403 Forbidden</title></head>
<body>
<center><h1>403 Forbidden</h1></center>
<hr><center>nginx/1.17.10</center>
</body>
</html>Make sure the command consists of all necessary client certificates needed to authenticate with the server.
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE.md file for details
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