How to determine SSL cert expiration date from a PEM encoded certificate?

How to Determine SSL Cert Expiration Date from a PEM Encoded Certificate

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Have you ever found yourself wondering when your SSL certificate is going to expire? Maybe you have the actual certificate file and a Bash shell in Mac or Linux, but you're unsure how to extract the expiration date from it. Don't worry, we've got you covered! In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of determining the SSL cert expiration date from a PEM encoded certificate.

The Problem

The problem at hand is twofold. First, you need to locate the expiration date within the certificate file. Second, you must find a way to extract and display this date using a Bash shell.

Solution 1: Using OpenSSL

The OpenSSL command-line tool is widely used for working with SSL certificates. To determine the SSL cert expiration date, follow these steps:

1. Open your Terminal or Bash shell.

2. Run the following command, replacing certificate.pem with the actual name of your certificate file:

   openssl x509 -enddate -noout -in certificate.pem

   This command will display the end date of the certificate in a human-readable format.

3. If you prefer a more readable format, you can use the following command instead:

   openssl x509 -enddate -noout -in certificate.pem -fingerprint -sha256

   This command not only displays the certificate's expiration date but also provides additional information like its fingerprint.

Solution 2: Using the date command

If you prefer not to rely on OpenSSL, you can also use the date command to extract the expiration date. Here's how:

1. Open your Terminal or Bash shell.

2. Run the following command, replacing certificate.pem with the actual name of your certificate file:

   date -d "$(openssl x509 -enddate -noout -in certificate.pem | cut -d= -f2)" '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'

   This command obtains the certificate's end date using OpenSSL and then formats it into a more readable format using the date command.

Engage with Us

Determining the SSL cert expiration date is crucial for ensuring the security and reliability of your website. By following the solutions outlined in this guide, you now have the necessary tools to extract this information from a PEM encoded certificate.

We hope you found this guide helpful! If you have any questions or other topics you'd like us to cover, feel free to reach out in the comments section below. Stay secure! 🔒

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