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Setting Up OpenSSL On Windows 10 Machine

Introduction

Open SSL project is open-source project that maintains the Open SSL software. It is a general-purpose cryptography library that is used to implement SSL and TLS protocols. Some of the uses of the Open SSL software is to

  • Generate private keys
  • Install self-signed or signed SSL/TLS certificates
  • Identify certificate information

In one of my projects, I need to decrypt the private key information from a signed certificate. Using OpenSSL, you can verify the private key information to check the validity and legitimacy. In this article, we will see how to set up Open SSL software on Windows 10 machine. The same steps can be performed for Windows 11 too.

Download the Official Library Repository

Below steps tells how to download the required openssl files from GitHub repo.

Step 1

Validate if you have open SSL already configured. If there is no initial setup from the command prompt when you type in ‘OpenSSL’ you will be getting a message saying that

‘openssl’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file’.

Step 2 - Create a folder for OpenSSL.

At first create a folder in local directory. In this case, I created it in C:\Install\OpenSSLLibrary. The folder can be created anywhere.

Make sure there are no files existing.

Step 3

Clone the OpenSSL folder from the official Git page maintained by the OpenSSL project team. The official open SSL library is located at git.openssl.org.

For this step you need to have git installed on your windows machine. Please check the references section on how to install ‘Git’ on Windows machines. This Git install is a straightforward process as it has binary available, and it configures the required settings during the install.

Now go to the folder from the command prompt where the openssl folder is created. In my case it is c:\Install\OpenSSLLibrary.

Now run the following command that copies the openssl library and files into this folder

git clone git://git.openssl.org/openssl.git

you should see message ‘Cloning into ‘openssl’ and should finish in sometime after that.

Now validate a subfolder ‘openssl’ is created and underneath it you have all the required files copied over from the git repository.

The above steps finishes downloading the required libraries to the folder.

Setup OpenSSL

Now we need to install the dependencies to configure the OpenSSL. The below steps need to be performed in following order

  • Install PERL
  • Install NASM
  • Validating the PATH from the Environment variables.
  • Configuring Openssl

Now we will perform the steps.

Step 1

Install the PERL. OpenSSL recommends to install Strawberry Perl from the below link

http://strawberryperl.com/. Since my windows OS is 64-bit, I have chosen to download the 64-bit MSI

Now you should have the required setup file downloaded to the local directory. In my case, it is ‘Downloads’ folder.

Double click on the set-up file and follow the steps. In my case, I have defaulted to the values from the install screens.

Accept the License Agreement.

Here I left the default. You can change to required folder if needed.

You should see below message

Once finished click on ‘Finish’. This confirms that PERL is downloaded and set up on your machine.

Install NASM

NASM stands for Net Assembler and is available at https://www.nasm.us/

Step 1

Download the latest version from the home page by clicking on version no.

Step 2

Now it will take to download page, with various builds. Since my OS is 64-bit, I am selecting Win64

Now click on the .exe file which should download to local directory. In my case, it got downloaded to ‘Downloads’ folder.

Step 3

Now go to the file and double click on the install.

If you get below message which prompts for privileged account, right click on setup and chose ‘Run as administrator'.

  • It will ask for the user options I chose default.

  • Next step is to choose components. I left it default.

  • Next, it will ask for install path. Please make a note of this path, as this is required to set up PATH in environment variables.

  • Next it will ask for start menu folder. Left it as default.

  • The install should take less than 2 minutes and show status as ‘Completed’. Click on close

Setting up Environment Variables

Now the PERL and NASM software is configured, now it’s time to check the environment variables.

Step 1

For this from the windows start menu and search for ‘Environment Variables’ and click on ‘Edit the system environment variables.

Step 2

Click on the ‘Environment Variables’ in the ‘System Properties’ window.

Step 3

Look for Path under ‘System Variables’.

Step 4

If you observe the Environment Variables for Strawberry PERL has been configured, but not for NASM (Net Assembler).

For NASM the path value needs to be set up manually.

Step 5

Click on ‘New’ and enter the install location where NASM has been installed. In my case it is C:\Program Files\NASM

Step 6

Click on Ok for 3 times and exit out of the Environment Variables window.

The above steps finish the configuration of Environment Variables.

Configuring Open SSL

Now we have all the pre-requisites set up for Openssl, now it’s time to finish the final steps.

Step 1

Open the cmd prompt as an administrator.

Step 2

Change the directory to the Openssl folder. In my case it is C:\Install\OpenSSLLibrary\openssl

Step 3

Type In below command

perl Configure

At the end, you should get message ‘Open SSL has been successfully configured’.

Validation

Now close the admin command prompt and open the normal command prompt and type in ‘Openssl’. You should see Openssl command prompt.

Conclusion

Thus, in this article, we have seen what Openssl is and how this is configured on windows machines.

References

  1. https://github.com/openssl/openssl
  2. https://www.openssl.org/
  3. https://github.com/openssl/openssl/blob/master/NOTES-WINDOWS.md
  4. https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/blogs/how-to-install-git-for-windows


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