crypto-utils/certwatch.xml

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<!DOCTYPE refentry PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.2//EN"
  "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.2/docbookx.dtd">
<refentry>

  <refentryinfo>
    <productname>crypto-utils</productname>
    <date>April 2005</date>
  </refentryinfo>

  <refmeta>
    <refentrytitle>certwatch</refentrytitle>
    <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
  </refmeta>
  
  <refnamediv>
    <refname>certwatch</refname>
    <refpurpose>generate SSL certificate expiry warnings</refpurpose>
  </refnamediv>

  <refsynopsisdiv>
    <cmdsynopsis>
      <command>certwatch</command>
      <arg choice="opt">OPTION...</arg>
      <arg choice="plain"><replaceable>filename</replaceable></arg>
    </cmdsynopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>
  
  <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>

    <para>The <command>certwatch</command> program is used to issue
    warning mail when an SSL certificate is about to expire.</para>

    <para>The program has two modes of operation: normal mode and
    quiet mode.  In normal mode, the certificate given by the
    <replaceable>filename</replaceable> argument is examined, and a
    warning email is issued to standard output if the certificate is
    outside its validity period, or approaching expiry.  If the
    certificate cannot be found, or any errors occur whilst parsing
    the certificate, the certificate is ignored and no output is
    produced.  In quiet mode, no output is given, but the exit status
    can still be used.</para>

  </refsect1>


  <refsect1>
    <title>Options</title>

    <variablelist>

      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>--quiet</option>, <option>-q</option></term>

        <listitem><simpara>Enable quiet mode; no output is produced
        whether the certificate is expired or not</simpara></listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>--period <replaceable>days</replaceable></option>, 
        <option>-p <replaceable>days</replaceable></option></term>

        <listitem><simpara>Specify the number of days within which an
        expiry warning will be produced; default is 30.  Expiry
        warnings are always produced if, on the day of invocation, the
        certificate is not yet valid, has already expired, or is due
        to expire either that day or the following
        day.</simpara></listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>--address <replaceable>address</replaceable></option>,
        <option>-a <replaceable>address</replaceable></option></term>

        <listitem><simpara>Specify the address used in the To field of
        the warning e-mail issued if quiet mode is not enabled.  The
        default is <literal>root</literal>.</simpara></listitem>
      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1>
    <title>Diagnostics</title>
    
    <para>The exit code indicates the state of the certificate:</para>
    
    <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><emphasis>0</emphasis></term>
        
        <listitem><simpara>The certificate is outside its validity
        period, or approaching expiry</simpara></listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term><emphasis>1</emphasis></term>
        
        <listitem><simpara>The certificate is inside its validity
        period, or could not be parsed</simpara></listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1>
    <title>Notes</title>

    <para>The <command>certwatch</command> program is run daily by
    <command>crond</command> from the file
    <filename>/etc/cron.daily/certwatch</filename> to warn about the
    imminent expiry of SSL certificates configured for use in the
    Apache HTTP server.  This warning can be disabled by adding the
    line: <literal>NOCERTWATCH=yes</literal> to the file
    <filename>/etc/sysconfig/httpd</filename>.  Options to pass to
    certwatch can be specified in that file in the
    <literal>CERTWATCH_OPTS</literal> environment variable.</para>

  </refsect1>

  <refsect1>
    <title>Files</title>

    <para><filename>/etc/cron.daily/certwatch</filename></para>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1>
    <title>See also</title>

    <para>genkey(1)</para>
  </refsect1>

</refentry>