What is CERTUTIL Windows command?

The certutil command in Windows is a versatile tool that allows users to perform various operations related to certificates and cryptographic services. From generating key pairs to retrieving certificate information, certutil is an essential command-line utility for managing certificates on Windows operating systems. With certutil, users can export and import certificates, verify digital signatures, decode certificates, and much more. This command provides a wide range of functionalities for handling certificates efficiently and securely.

CERTUTIL Syntax:

certutil [Options] [Parameters]

Caution

Exercise caution when using the certutil command as it can have implications on the system’s security and cryptographic operations.

CERTUTIL Options:

Option	Description
-addstore	Add certificate to the specified store
-delstore	Delete certificate from the specified store
-?	Help on commands
-?1	Help on expanded set of commands
-importPFX	Import PFX file into a certificate store
-exportPFX	Export PFX file from a certificate store
-view	View a certificate or CRL
-getreg	Query registry values or certificate locations

Parameters:

Parameter	Description
filename	The path to the file containing certificates
storename	The name of the certificate store
-v	Verify certificate chain
-f	Force overwrite when importing certificates

CERTUTIL Command Usage Examples:

Check Certificate Details

certutil -dump certificate.cer

Displays detailed information about a specific certificate stored in a file.

Export Certificate to a File

certutil -exportPFX -p password -f certificate.cer exportedCertificate.pfx

Exports a certificate from a file to a PFX file using a specified password for protection.

Install Root Certificate

certutil -addstore ROOT certificate.cer

Installs a root certificate into the trusted root certification authorities store.

Verify Certificate Chain

certutil -verify -urlfetch certificate.cer

Checks and verifies the certificate chain of a specified certificate using URL fetching.

List Certificate Templates

certutil -template

Displays a list of available certificate templates on the local system.

Tip

When using the certutil command in CMD, ensure you have the necessary permissions to perform the requested actions, as it can manipulate certificates and certificate stores, which are critical components of the Windows operating system. Always double-check the syntax of your commands to prevent inadvertently making changes to certificates or the certificate store.

How do I use certutil in CMD?

To use the certutil command in CMD, execute the following command:

certutil -hashfile C:\Path\To\File.txt MD5

What is the command to decode a base64 encoded file using certutil in CMD?

To decode a base64 encoded file using certutil in CMD, use the following command:

certutil -decode C:\Path\To\EncodedFile.b64 C:\Path\To\DecodedFile.txt

How can I view the details of a certificate file using certutil in CMD?

To view the details of a certificate file using certutil in CMD, run the following command:

certutil -dump C:\Path\To\Certificate.cer

How do I export a certificate from a certificate store using certutil in CMD?

To export a certificate from a certificate store using certutil in CMD, use the command:

certutil -store -export -p "Password" "Thumbprint" "C:\Path\To\ExportedCert.cer"

What is the command to install a certificate to a certificate store using certutil in CMD?

To install a certificate to a certificate store using certutil in CMD, use the following command:

certutil -f -addstore "TrustedPublisher" "C:\Path\To\Certificate.cer"

How can I retrieve a list of installed certificates from a specific store using certutil in CMD?

To retrieve a list of installed certificates from a specific store using certutil in CMD, run the following command:

certutil -store "TrustedPublisher"

What is the command to check the certification authority information using certutil in CMD?

To check the certification authority information using certutil in CMD, execute the following command:

certutil -config - -ping

How do I verify an issued certificate chain using certutil in CMD?

To verify an issued certificate chain using certutil in CMD, use the following command:

certutil -verify -urlfetch C:\Path\To\CertificateChain.p7b

Applications of the CERTUTIL Command

• Encoding and Decoding data in various formats
• File Verification
• Certificate services management
• Cryptographic operations
• Key storage and retrieval
• PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) operations