CSR Generation Guide

Introduction to CSR Generation

A Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is the first step in obtaining an SSL certificate. The CSR contains your domain name, organization information, and a public key that will be used in your certificate. Understanding how SSL works helps you make informed decisions during this process.

My-SSL provides a free CSR Generator tool that makes this process simple and secure. Your private key is generated locally in your browser and never transmitted to any server. This is part of the broader PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) system that secures internet communications.

Step 1: Common Name (Domain)

The Common Name (CN) is the most important field in your CSR. It specifies which domain your SSL certificate will protect.

What to Enter

• Single domain: Enter your fully qualified domain name (e.g., www.example.com)
• Wildcard certificate: Enter *.example.com to protect all subdomains
• Multiple domains: You can add additional domains as Subject Alternative Names (SANs)

Step 2: Organization Details

For Domain Validation (DV) certificates, organization details are optional since DV only verifies domain ownership.

For Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates, you must provide accurate organization information:

• Organization Name: Your legal business name as registered
• Organizational Unit: Department (e.g., "IT Department", "Web Security")
• City/Locality: City where your organization is located
• State/Province: Full state or province name
• Country: Two-letter country code (e.g., US, GB, DE)

Step 3: Key Size

The key size determines the cryptographic strength of your SSL certificate.

Recommended Options

Recommendation: Use 2048-bit for most websites. Choose 4096-bit for high-security applications like banking or healthcare.

Step 4: Subject Alternative Names (SAN)

Subject Alternative Names allow you to include multiple domain names in a single certificate.

Common Use Cases

• Protect both example.com and www.example.com
• Secure multiple subdomains with one certificate
• Include different domain names for the same website

Step 5: Generate CSR and Private Key

Once you've filled in all the required information, click "Generate CSR" to create your CSR and private key.

What You'll Receive

• CSR File: Submit this to the Certificate Authority when ordering your SSL certificate
• Private Key: Keep this secure for installing your certificate on the server

Next Steps

After generating your CSR:

1. Order your SSL certificate: Visit our SSL Certificates page
2. Submit the CSR: Paste the CSR during the order process
3. Complete validation: Verify domain ownership via email, DNS, or file
4. Install the certificate: Use your private key and certificate files

For the next step, see our SSL Certificate Configuration Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions