Using openssl alternate config file from bash?

Question

I would not like (or cannot) modify the default .cnf openssl config file.

How do tell the openssl command line tool to use a different .cnf file at another location - not the default?

Answer 1

You can override openssl configuration using one of the actions:

• Set OPENSSL_CONF environment variable to point to your custom configuration file
• Use -config option with the commands handling certificate (e.g. req, ca...)
• Most of the definition in the openssl.cnf can be overridden using command line option.

You can also look at man x509v3_config.