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KB-7006

How to use custom SSL certificate with Haltdos GUI / Controller​

Overview​

This guide explains how to configure the Controller service to use a custom SSL certificate in PKCS#12 (.p12) format.

Prerequisites​

  • Valid .p12 certificate file
  • Keystore password
  • Private key password
  • Root/sudo access
  • SSH access
Note

The PKCS12 certificate alias should be named as haltdos.

Steps to Follow:​

Step 1 — Create environment file​

Create an environment configuration file:

touch /opt/haltdos/controller/env

Add following configurations:

KEY_STORE_PATH = </path/to/cert.p12>
SSL_KEYSTORE_PASS = <keystore_password>
SSL_KEY_PASS = <private_key_password>

Save the file after editing.

PKCS 12 env

VariableDescription
KEY_STORE_PATHAbsolute path to the .p12 certificate file
SSL_KEYSTORE_PASSPassword used to protect the keystore
SSL_KEY_PASSPassword for the private key inside the keystore

Step 2 — Update systemd service​

Edit the Controller systemd service file:

vi /etc/systemd/system/controller.service

OR

nano /etc/systemd/system/controller.service

Add:

EnvironmentFile=/opt/haltdos/controller/env

Save the file.

Controller Service Env File

Step 3 — Reload systemd​

Reload Systemd Daemon:

systemctl daemon-reload

Step 4 — Restart Controller​

Restart the service:

systemctl restart controller
note

This will cause WAF service to restart and downtime on the application for 2-5 seconds.

Verification​

Check service status:

systemctl status controller

Controller Status

If configured correctly, the Controller will start with SSL enabled using the provided .p12 certificate.

Common Issues​

Service fails to start​

  • Verify file path is correct
  • Confirm passwords are correct
  • Check permissions on .p12 file

Permission error​

Ensure the controller user can read the certificate:

chmod 640 cert.p12
chown controller:controller cert.p12