# openssl.cnf and unable to find 'distinguished_name' in confi

## ahuacatlan

Hi,

On a new install of Gentoo, following this virtual mail hosting guide:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/virt-mail-howto.xml

At step: 5.  SSL Certs for Postfix and Apache

I encounter the following:

server1 ssl # pwd

/etc/ssl

server1 ssl # ls

certs  misc  openssl.cnf  postfix  private

server1 ssl # cd misc

server1 misc # ./CA.pl -newreq-nodes

Generating a 512 bit RSA private key

..............++++++++++++

..............................++++++++++++

writing new private key to 'newkey.pem'

-----

unable to find 'distinguished_name' in config

problems making Certificate Request

21895:error:0E06D06C:configuration file routines:NCONF_get_string:no value:conf_lib.c:329:group=req name=distinguished_name

Request is in newreq.pem, private key is in newkey.pem

server1 misc #

Any ideas?

Thanks

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## bunder

i've never had to do that.

i've done this before though...

 *Quote:*   

> # openssl req -new > new.cert.csr
> 
> # openssl rsa -in privkey.pem -out new.cert.key
> 
> # openssl x509 -in new.cert.csr -out new.cert.cert -req -signkey new.cert.key -days 365

 

which is the next step in the doc...  i think it's safe to skip the error. 

cheers

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## ahuacatlan

I'm getting a similar error when I go on to the next step as well:

```
# openssl req -new > new.cert.csr

Generating a 512 bit RSA private key

...............++++++++++++

..................++++++++++++

writing new private key to stdout

Enter PEM pass phrase:

Verifying - Enter PEM pass phrase:

-----

unable to find 'distinguished_name' in config

problems making Certificate Request

16341:error:0E06D06C:configuration file routines:NCONF_get_string:no value:conf_lib.c:329:group=req name=distinguished_name

# 

```

----------

