How to Create a Local Certificate Authority
Securing an internal server is a necessary piece of the corporate security puzzle, and one of the ways to do that is to use Secure Socket Layer, or SSL, certificates. These certificates identify the server and provide encryption for the connection between the client and server. Commercial certificate providers can issue a certificate for your internal server but at a cost. If the server is purely internal, then you can create your own local certificate authority, or CA, and save the money you would have spent.
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Instructions
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Click "Start," "Control Panel," and double-click "Add or Remove Programs." Click "Add/Remove Windows Components."
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Double-click "Application Server," double-click "Internet Information Services" and double-click "World Wide Web Service." Select "Active Server Pages."
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Click "OK" three times to close the dialog boxes. Select "Certificate Services" and click "Yes" if you want to continue, and then click "Next" on the "Windows Components" page.
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On the "CA Type" page, select either "Enterprise root CA" or "Stand-alone root CA." The former must be installed on a domain member and will automatically issue certificates to authorized requestors. The latter requires that certificates be issued by the administrator.
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Provide a common name for the certificate authority on the "CA Identifying Information" page and click "Next." Click "Next" on the "Certificate Database Settings" page to accept the defaults, or modify the settings and click "Next."
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Click "Finish" on the summary page to close the wizard. Your CA is now ready to issue certificates.
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