How to Generate CSR, Keys and Import Code Signing Certificate in Azure KeyVault HSM?

In the current digital scenario, where cyber threats like malware tampering, SQL injection, and data theft are on the rise, data security is paramount for every developer or publishing organization by emphasizing securely managing the code signing certificates.

Here,Microsoft Azure Key Vault, along with HSM, is a highly popular choice since it offers a reliable and robust solution for data security, safe key management, and the certificate generation process.

For enabling Azure Key Vault HSM for the code signing process, you must have certain prerequisites, like a Microsoft Azure account, an active HSM subscription, and Microsoft Azure PowerShell installed on your system.

Let us discover the step-by-step process for creating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), managing Private Keys, and importing a Code Signing Certificate in the Azure Key Vault.

1. Configuring Azure Key Vault with Hardware Security Module (HSM)

• Firstly, you need to login to the Azure portal from portal.azure.com
• Create a new Key Vault resource by enabling the Use HSM option to leverage the hardware security module.

2. Generating the Private Key in the Azure HSM Key Vault

• Access the Azure Key Vault resource you have created in Step 1.
• Navigate to the Keys section.
• Click on the Generate/Import Option for generating New Key.
• Now, select the HSM-backed key type an choose the desired key size and additional configurations if required.
• Finally, click the Generate option to successfully create your private key in the HSM.

3. Creating Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

• Navigate to the Certificates section in the Azure Key vault resource.
• For Creating a new certificate click on the Generate/Import option.
• Kindly insert the required details such as the subject name and key usage.
• Select the private key generated in the HSM as the key to associate with the certificate.
• Click on the Create option to generate the CSR.

4. Submitting CSR to the Certificate Authority

• Retrive the CSR from the Azure Key Vault and submit it your desired trusted Certificate Authority(CA)
• Complete the validation process as per CA's instructions.
• The CA will issue the requested code signing certificate to you.

5. Importing the Code Signing Certificate

• Similar to the Step 3, navigate to the Certificate section in the Azure Key vault resource.
• Click on the certificate that you have created.
• For importing the code signing certificate select the Import option.
• Finally, provide the Certificate File including required details and password if applicable followed by clicking on the Import button which will successfully import your code signing certificate into the Azure Key Vault HSM vault.

Conclusion

To summarize, following this 5-Step process enables you to smoothly create the Private Keys, CSR, and import the code signing certificate in Azure Key Vault HSM, which you can utilize to digitally sign your code or applications securely.