Cryptography and Security: OpenSSL Toolkit and Digital Certificates

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CSC8419
Cryptography and Security
Assignment 3
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Contents
1. Abstract...............................................................................................................................................3
2. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................3
3. OpenSSL toolkit...................................................................................................................................4
4. Algorithms that are supported by OpenSSL are as follow:..................................................................6
5. Digital signature:................................................................................................................................10
6. How the SSL works in the digital certificate:-....................................................................................14
7. Conclusion:-.......................................................................................................................................15
8. References:........................................................................................................................................16
List of Figures:-
Figure 1: SSL toolkit for Digital certificate.....................................................................................9
Figure 2: SSL protocols.................................................................................................................10
Figure 3: SSL handshake order......................................................................................................11
Figure 4: SSL Protocol Stack........................................................................................................11
Figure 5: SSL record protocol.......................................................................................................12

1. Abstract
Secure Socket Layer is the full form of the term SSL that is a commercial-grade and robust type
of toolkit used for the protocols like SSL (Secure sockets layer) and TLS (Transport layer
security). OpenSSL is library based software generated for the purpose of securing the
communications over the networks of computer. It is used widely by the servers of internet,
enveloping the majorly used websites of HTTPS. OpenSSL includes an open source
methodology for implementing the protocols of TLS and SSL. This is basically a technique used
for security purposes in the organizations, companies and businesses for securing their
application and websites.
2. Introduction
In this assignment report, generation of certificates done digitally is described with the use of the
toolkit of OpenSSL. This is done for the purpose of securing the applications of web, websites
and the other connections of network available. The objective of creating this assignment is to
develop a basic understanding and knowledge for a person to be aware of the necessity about the
toolkit of OpenSSL along with its usage for the security of data. Also, with the cryptography
involved in OpenSSL; different utility functions are provided to implement in the form of C
programming language. The OpenSSL is also a protocol of networking which is developed and
designed for securing the communications and connections done within a network. Furthermore,
the algorithms and certificates involved in OpenSSL are also discussed in this report for having a
detailed overview.

3. OpenSSL toolkit
The toolkit of OpenSSL is a kind of security tool based on digital; this toolkit was developed for
the purpose of ensuring digital system security on advance level. This project was established in
the year 1998 consisting of a combination of tools for encryption. This toolkit acts as a tool of
cryptography that involves the protocol and SSL for the transport layer protection purpose for
further generation of digital certificates. Various arguments and commands are provided by the
users that make this a tool that follows the codes of high command line very strictly. If an
organization wants to secure their website from all threats available on the internet, they need to
apply for a SSL certificate from their webhost provider such as GoDaddy and HostGator for their
respective website, this condition is also applied for ensuring the security in particular mobile
applications also (either android or ios). After getting verified by their respective webhosts,
organizations can secure their websites and applications in a very efficient and authentic way.
Along with the improvement and development in the technologies introduced recently in the IoT
field has revolutionised the usage of internet along with access of various information and data
presented on internet by different visitors and users using the medium of internet worldwide. For
the purpose of providing enhanced security digitally for various types of communications done
between the servers of web, OpenSSL is used. Encryption is necessary for the data flowing
through the internet and hence for meeting the requirements of encryption very effectively, SSL
certificates were introduced. After the implementation of “AEAS” in OpenSSL toolkit, the
encryption level and efficiency for the network connections along with the support of digital
certificates has been improved very rapidly (Adeenze-Kangah & Chen 2019, p 022045).
In today’s scenario, digitalization is achieved in almost everything and every sector for
proposing more and more flexibility. This provides better access and management for the users
to implement changes anytime and anywhere. Flexibility also leads to some issues related with
the privacy and authentication of websites and applications. With more flexibility, chances of
malicious attacks also increases vastly which can further lead to degradation of a website or
application which cannot be avoided with a hand-written signature as they can be used by others
also which can result in unwanted data transfer over the internet. For fixing problems of this
kind, OpenSSL toolkit is introduced to issue the digital certificates for having a licensed

authentication in websites and applications with advanced level of security for the data and files
attached through a signature (consisting device information, requirement of system, secure bits
and codes) attached along them for factors of security and authenticity.
Through the current improvements and modifications, various approaches have made for
implementing and managing the certificates developed differently with the help of toolkit of
OpenSSL. The library of OpenSSL contains a large number of certificates generated for the
purpose of providing the necessary and proper advanced security to the channel that connects the
server with the client. Also the link of communication between the server and client is secured
with the implementation of digital certificates made by the OpenSSL toolkit. The languages that
are used for issuing the digital certificates via toolkit are Java, C, and C++ etc.
OpenSSL: OpenSSL toolkit is commercial-grade and robust which is used for Secure Socket
Layer and transport layer network security. It is a general cryptography library and license of the
OpenSSL is providing under Apache Licence.
OpenSSL is a tool that ensures the security of network and related to the standards of
cryptography. OpenSSL Feature is used for management and creation of the public and private
key to secure the network access. It creates X.509 certificate and provides data decryption and
encryption by using Ciphers. OpenSSL tests the server and client of SSL/TLS and handles
encrypted mail with MIME sign. Commands and codes are used to control the OpenSSL toolkit
to provide a secure layer for data transmission.
SSL Certificate: SSL certificate is used to minimize the time of troubleshooting and it checks,
verify and convert the problem by using the SSL toolkit. SSL checker is the tool that is providing
help to diagnose the problem by using the certificate installation (Adeenze-Kangah & Chen
2019, p 022045).

4. Algorithms that are supported by OpenSSL are as follow:
Cipher: The algorithm is used for performing decryption and encryption in a well-defined
sequence. Encipherment is the term which indicates the conversion of information in the form of
code or cipher. For symmetric encryption in the code used, the OpenSSL enc command for
verifying the public key in the operation by using pkeyutl tool. Cipherlist syntax is a converter
that converts chipper list in the form of SSL chipper list that is used to determine the toolkit of
cipherlist. Cipherlist contains the strings of chipper that separated by the colons. RC4-SHS single
chipper is used to represent the string of cipher.
String of cipher:
DEFAULT: it determines the complete time and length of the string.
EXPORT: The syntax is the export tool that provides 40 and 56-bit encryption code. EXPORT40
and EXPORT56 are used to define the bits of the string (Sullivan and Burger 2019, p 233-258).
Cryptography Hash functions: Hash value is represented in the bytes that map input into the
number. Asymmetric cryptography needs the pseudo number that counts the number and
character. This is the key and command based function that is used to secure the information of
the user and network.
OpenSSL is a toolkit that includes the protocols and C language codes for the encryption of the
information and files. The result of the OpenSSL is implementing secure communication for
internet data transmission over the network.
OpenSSL Use case:
It creates a secure communication between receiver and sender. OpenSSL creates encryption for
sender information by using public key to secure the information of the sender. The receiver
side decrypts the information in the human language to understand actual information.
OpenSSL encryption command:

The above command is used to specify ciphername with the file encryption.
The above command allows the user to find the available algorithms of encryption that is
supported by enc. The output of the command and size of key is defined on the mode of the
execution of operation.
Output of the above command is specifying the input and advantage of the decryption key.
OpenSSL is a command that used for public key and HTTPS language for providing security for
the information. CSR signing certificate request is containing key pair of information in the form
of public key. OpenSSL program includes FIPS 140-2 standard for computer security that stands
for NIST. License of the OpenSSL is the license of Apache Licence 1.0. SSL certificate is
categorized into the two parts key pairs and .cer file (DiLuoffo, Michalson and Sunar 2019, p
1904). It provides protection form the attack and identifies the attacker that attack the network.
The cryptography is the technique which is used for secure data transmission and provides
security for the network and transport layer security. SSL certificate required installation for the
organization to secure data communication. Firstly initiate the connection between the entire
network server and the browser for secure data connection. The certificate is included HTTP
language and command to operate the secure information sharing with the decryption and
encryption of data. SSL certificate is issued by the Authority of Root certificate and it is 2048 bit
certificate that is distributed for installation. The certificate is used for the following use:
 It ensures the identification if the remote area based computer.
 The certificate has introduced an identity for the individual computer.
 The certificate controls the software that is come from the software publisher.

 The OpenSSL certificate is creating protection for the email to secure the information of
the user and provide security for network layers.
GlobalSign is the public key application that includes security functions for the specific
organization. It enables the data for encryption and permits key policies of the certificates. The
syntax of the OpenSSL toolkit is specifying the name of input file and also specifies the name
individual output file. In the syntax of the OpenSSL (e) symbol is used to indicate the encryption
and (d) symbol is providing the information about the decryption. Mostly key based command is
used for securing the information of the user. The main step of the SSL certificate is creating
CSR for providing certificate Authority.
Key Algorithm: key algorithm is used for generating private and public for the information of
files and used RSA algorithm for converting of keys. RAS algorithm is required 2048 bits length
of key for SSL certificate. Private Key is the primary key of encryption that ensures the security
for the information and individual information contains unique identity. The software of
OpenSSL is downloaded for the server and installed on the computer for securing the files of the
individual user (Veladanda et al. 2019, p 406).
Setting of OpenSSL:
The following steps are used for setting the OpenSSL certificate:
 The first step is generating a public symmetric key for the certificates that divide into the
key and file format.
 The file extension of the Certificate is p12 that contains both private and public key that
is required for client and personal browser.
 Public certificate file end with the .pem and .cer.
Difference between the DER Format and PEM format:
Der format:
It is a type of binary certificate and the keys are encoded in the form of DER format. It does not
contain the BEGIN and END certificate.

PEM Format:
This is a common format of certificate that is encoded in Base64 of ASCII file. It is like the
format of Apache file format.

5. Digital signature:
Digital signature is a tool or algorithm that is used for providing security for the information that
is mainly used in the banking sector for identifying the user. It is an authentication process that
enables secure access in the network of the organization. It is validating the software, massage
and the digital document. It is providing evidence for the identity of the user and provides states
of the electronic document.
It is created by Signing software like email creation that is in the form of one-way hash. Hashing
algorithm is used for digital signature. Digital signature ensures information sharing by secure
data transmission (Hartman and Andzulis 2019, p36).
Figure 1: SSL toolkit for Digital certificate
SSL protocol

The below figure has described the protocol of SSL toolkit. The protocols are providing support
for the certificate. It allows the message passing through the server certificate to the server for
issuing certificate for the browser.
Figure 2: SSL protocols
Handshake sequence between the server and client is used to establish the SSL session. This
session is depending on the server that configures for requested server to provide certificate. It is
reusable and avoids the penalty of repeating steps.

Figure 3: SSL handshake order
SSL protocol stack is containing SSL protocols and Cipher specification with the alert SSL
protocol to control the information transmission through secure information sharing. The last
layer of the SSL protocol stack is Internet protocol that contains the information and identity of
the remote area based computer. And TCP layer is used to support secure data transmission for
information between the client-server and the browser (He, Furuhed and Raza 2019, p 117-127).
Figure 4: SSL Protocol Stack
SSL Record protocol ensures the transformation of the applications and controls SSL data
between the server and client. It fragmented the higher level data into the small unit of massage.
The protocol attaches digest sign and compresses them before transmission of the data.