How Can I Import a .CER Certificate into a Java Keystore for Client Authentication?

Importing .CER Certificates into Java Keystores

In the process of developing a Java webservice client, you may encounter the need to import a .CER certificate into a Java keystore for client authentication purposes. This certificate may be provided in base64 encoded format, and cannot be directly loaded into a keystore using standard methods due to its type as a trustedCertEntry.

Understanding Certificates and Private Keys

Certificates are publicly accessible documents that contain the public key and additional information such as the owner's name and country, signed by a trusted authority to verify their authenticity. Private keys, on the other hand, are not publicly available and are required for authentication.

Converting .CER to .PFX

One workaround for importing a .CER certificate is to convert it to a .PFX file using Internet Explorer's import and export functionality. PFX files contain both the certificate and the private key, allowing them to be directly loaded into keystores.

Alternative Approach for Importing .CER Certificates

However, if a direct conversion to .PFX is not preferred, you can import a .CER certificate into a Java keystore using the following steps:

1. Open a command prompt as an administrator.
2. Navigate to the Java SDK's bin directory (e.g., bin).
3. Execute the following command:

keytool -importcert -file mycertificate.cer -keystore mykeystore.jks -alias myalias

Additional Information

Remember that the certificate alone is not sufficient for authentication; the corresponding private key is also required. If you are unable to import the .CER certificate directly, it may be necessary to contact the certificate issuer for the matching private key.

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