# Store Certificates on Gateway

### Note About Certificate Renewal

{% hint style="warning" %}
When a certificate is renewed, you must update the certificate according to the instructions below, then enforce policy again (even if configuration has not changed) by clicking on "**Enforce**" on the top bar of the web administration application for CloudGuard WAF in the portal, or by using [management API](https://waf-doc.inext.checkpoint.com/references/management-api).
{% endhint %}

### Certificates Usage

In order to use encrypted traffic (HTTPS) a managed reverse proxy must have access to the relevant certificates of the domains and URLs it exposes.

**Example - you have two applications and one API endpoint to protect:**

* [www.acme.com](http://www.acme.com)
* [www.acme.com/sales](http://www.acme.com/sales)
* products.acme.com/catalog 

<table><thead><tr><th width="161.33333333333331">Examples</th><th width="241">Certificates used</th><th>Required action</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Case  1</td><td>You have one wildcard certificate for *.acme.com</td><td>Place the certificate in the desired certificate storage by following the instructions below. CloudGuard WAF will use it for all relevant applications</td></tr><tr><td>Case 2</td><td>You have two certificates: (1) for www.acme.com and (2) for products.acme.com</td><td>Place both certificates in the desired certificate storage by following the instructions below. CloudGuard WAF will automatically use certificate 1 for the first two Applications/APIs and certificate 2 for the last Application   </td></tr></tbody></table>

### Storing certificates locally on CloudGuard WAF Gateway

Follow these steps to store your certificate and private keys on the gateway that can be used by CloudGuard WAF to process HTTPS traffic:

{% hint style="info" %}

* **Pros**: you have full control of your secrets.
* **Cons**: Method fits a single gateway deployment, not an auto-scaled deployment.
  {% endhint %}

#### **Step 1: Download command-line tool**

The tool's purpose is to verify the certificate and key files and generate an output .pkg file with a unique name.

[Linux Download](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/nano-agent/certverify/linux/certverify)\
or run: *`wget https://sc1.checkpoint.com/nano-agent/certverify/linux/certverify && chmod +x certverify`*&#x20;

[Mac Download](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/nano-agent/certverify/darwin/certverify)

[Windows Download](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/nano-agent/certverify/windows/certverify.exe)

{% hint style="info" %}
You can use this tool on any machine where you have the files, before you actually store them on your CloudGuard WAF's Gateway(s). &#x20;
{% endhint %}

#### **Step 2: Run the command-line tool**

&#x20;Linux and Mac:

* &#x20;PEM certificates: *`./certverify --cert {certificate.pem} --key {private-key.key}`*
* &#x20;PFX certificates: *.`/certverify --cert {certificate.pfx} --pass {password}`*

Windows:

* PEM certificates : *`certverify --cert {certificate.pem} --key {private-key.key}`*
* PFX certificates : *`certverify --cert {certificate.pfx} --pass {password}`*&#x20;

{% hint style="success" %}
Repeat this step for each certificate/private key you wish to use.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
Only certificates that contain Subject Alternative Name (SAN) are supported.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
The private key must have .key suffix.
{% endhint %}

The tool will verify the certificate and key files, and generate an output .pkg file with a unique name that includes both.

**Step 3: Store certificate and private key on your CloudGuard WAF Gateway using SCP**

{% hint style="warning" %}
You must store the files in directory /etc/certs on the CloudGuard WAF Gateway or else it will not be identified.\
If the commands below end with an error, navigate to /etc and make sure a directory exists called "certs" (in linux, use the `mkdir` command).
{% endhint %}

The input pkg file for this step is the uniquely named pkg output file of the previous step.

* Linux or Mac: *`./scp {unique-name.pkg} admin@{gateway-ip}:/etc/certs`*&#x20;
* &#x20;Windows: *`"C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP\WinSCP.com" /command "open scp://admin:{password}@{gateway-ip}" "put cert_cert.pkg /etc/certs/" "exit"`*

{% hint style="success" %}
Repeat this step for each certificate/private key you wish to use **and** for each CloudGuard WAF Gateway. &#x20;
{% endhint %}

#### **Step 4: Enforce Policy**

CloudGuard WAF will now use the relevant certificates with HTTPS clients that are trying to access your applications.  &#x20;

#### **Step 5: Change relevant DNS entries**

You can now change your DNS entries as relevant to point to your CloudGuard WAF Gateway IP or to a Load Balancer in front of several CloudGuard WAF's Gateways.&#x20;