Renew / Recreate User Certificates

Hello Daniel Andryszak

To renew or issue certificates for others using a single Windows Server CA, you need admin rights and a certificate template that grants "Enroll" and "Autoenroll" permissions to the target users or groups. Use the Certification Authority MMC or the certreq tool with a valid request file to generate certificates.

If you're logged in as yourself, renewals apply to your account. To create certificates for others, either log in as them or use a certificate template with a CA-signed request. After issuing, export the certificate (with or without the private key) and deliver it securely.

Oh, in case you need a step by step guide to Issuing User Certificates via Windows Server CA, this is how:

1. Configure Certificate Template:
   • Open the Certification Authority console.
   • Go to Certificate Templates, right-click the appropriate template (e.g., “User”), and select Properties.
   • Under the Security tab, ensure the users or groups have “Enroll” permissions.
2. Duplicate and Customize Template (Optional but Recommended):
   • Right-click the “User” template and choose Duplicate Template.
   • On the new template, enable “Allow private key to be exported” if you plan to export the certificate with the key.
   • Publish the new template to the CA.
3. Generate Certificate Request:
   • Use the MMC Certificates snap-in or certreq tool to generate a certificate request for each user.
   • You can do this on a secure admin machine or script it if you have many users.
4. Submit and Issue Certificate:
   • Submit the request to the CA via MMC or certreq -submit.
   • Once approved, download the issued certificate.
5. Export Certificate:
   • Use MMC to export the certificate (with private key if needed) in .PFX format.
   • Set a strong password during export.
6. Distribute Securely:
   • Send the .PFX file securely to each user (e.g., encrypted email or secure file transfer).
   • Instruct users to import it via MMC or double-click and follow the wizard.

Hello Daniel Andryszak

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