Create a self-signed x509 certificate with python cryptography library

selfsigned.py

# Copyright 2018 Simon Davy
#
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# of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
# in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
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# copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
# furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
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# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
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# SOFTWARE.

# WARNING: the code in the gist generates self-signed certs, for the purposes of testing in development. 
# Do not use these certs in production, or You Will Have A Bad Time. 
#
# Caveat emptor
#

from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import ipaddress

def generate_selfsigned_cert(hostname, ip_addresses=None, key=None):
    """Generates self signed certificate for a hostname, and optional IP addresses."""
    from cryptography import x509
    from cryptography.x509.oid import NameOID
    from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import hashes
    from cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend
    from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
    from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import rsa
    
    # Generate our key
    if key is None:
        key = rsa.generate_private_key(
            public_exponent=65537,
            key_size=2048,
            backend=default_backend(),
        )
    
    name = x509.Name([
        x509.NameAttribute(NameOID.COMMON_NAME, hostname)
    ])
 
    # best practice seem to be to include the hostname in the SAN, which *SHOULD* mean COMMON_NAME is ignored.    
    alt_names = [x509.DNSName(hostname)]
    
    # allow addressing by IP, for when you don't have real DNS (common in most testing scenarios 
    if ip_addresses:
        for addr in ip_addresses:
            # openssl wants DNSnames for ips...
            alt_names.append(x509.DNSName(addr))
            # ... whereas golang's crypto/tls is stricter, and needs IPAddresses
            # note: older versions of cryptography do not understand ip_address objects
            alt_names.append(x509.IPAddress(ipaddress.ip_address(addr)))
    
    san = x509.SubjectAlternativeName(alt_names)
    
    # path_len=0 means this cert can only sign itself, not other certs.
    basic_contraints = x509.BasicConstraints(ca=True, path_length=0)
    now = datetime.utcnow()
    cert = (
        x509.CertificateBuilder()
        .subject_name(name)
        .issuer_name(name)
        .public_key(key.public_key())
        .serial_number(1000)
        .not_valid_before(now)
        .not_valid_after(now + timedelta(days=10*365))
        .add_extension(basic_contraints, False)
        .add_extension(san, False)
        .sign(key, hashes.SHA256(), default_backend())
    )
    cert_pem = cert.public_bytes(encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM)
    key_pem = key.private_bytes(
        encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM,
        format=serialization.PrivateFormat.TraditionalOpenSSL,
        encryption_algorithm=serialization.NoEncryption(),
    )

    return cert_pem, key_pem

how an I save this generated cert and key to a file ?

The function returns python bytestrings, so write them out as normal?

e.g.

open('key.pem', 'wb').write(key_pem)
open('cert.pem', 'wb').write(cert_pem)