# Use .cer file ( security certifciates ) with default elastic search installation

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** elastic-stack-security\
**Created:** [March 31, 2023, 8:59am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032 "2023-03-31T08:59:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nilesh\_Jethwani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nilesh_jethwani/32/118570_2.png) [@Nilesh\_Jethwani](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nilesh_Jethwani)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 8:59am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032/1 "2023-03-31T08:59:40Z")

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I have been provided 3 certificate files from one of the providers  
intermediate.cer  
root.cer  
main.cer

I want to use the above in my default elasticsearch deployment.  
Currently http.p12 is being used ( default)

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**Author:** ![TimV](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/timv/32/13162_2.png) [@TimV](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/TimV)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032/2 "2023-04-06T04:50:09Z")

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You will need a private key for the `main.cer` - do you have one?

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**Author:** ![Nilesh\_Jethwani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nilesh_jethwani/32/118570_2.png) [@Nilesh\_Jethwani](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nilesh_Jethwani)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032/3 "2023-04-06T13:23:16Z")

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Yes. I have been provided pkcs8 key file..

What config changes would i need

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**Author:** ![TimV](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/timv/32/13162_2.png) [@TimV](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/TimV)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 6:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032/4 "2023-04-11T06:41:36Z")

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The files you have are PEM encoded files.

You can use the settings described here: [Security settings in Elasticsearch | Elasticsearch Guide [8.7] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/8.7/security-settings.html#_pem_encoded_files_2) to configure your nodes to use PEM certificates + keys for TLS on the HTTP port.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nilesh\_Jethwani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nilesh_jethwani/32/118570_2.png) [@Nilesh\_Jethwani](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nilesh_Jethwani)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 10:13am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032/5 "2023-04-11T10:13:39Z")

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Thanks for the info.

I have used below settings and got the ES stack up.  
xpack.security.http.ssl.enabled: true  
xpack.security.http.ssl.key:   
xpack.security.http.ssl.certificate: certs/main.cer

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 10:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/use-cer-file-security-certifciates-with-default-elastic-search-installation/329032/6 "2023-05-09T10:14:10Z")

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