Added notes on self-signed certificates

[freeradius.git] / raddb / certs / README

diff --git a/raddb/certs/README b/raddb/certs/README
index 2173e42..685fbdb 100644 (file)
--- a/raddb/certs/README
+++ b/raddb/certs/README
@@ -4,22 +4,32 @@ To make a set of default (i.e. test) certificates, simply type:
 $ ./bootstrap
 
   The "openssl" command will be run against the sample configuration
-files included here, and will make certificates for a certificate
-authority (i.e. root CA), and a server certificate.
+files included here, and will make a self-signed certificate authority
+(i.e. root CA), and a server certificate.  This "root CA" should be
+installed on any client machine needing to do EAP-TLS, PEAP, or
+EAP-TTLS.
 
   The Microsoft "XP Extensions" will be automatically included in the
 server certificate.  Without those extensions Windows clients will
 refuse to authenticate to FreeRADIUS.
 
+  In general, you should use self-signed certificates for 802.1x (EAP)
+authentication.  When you list root CAs from other organizations in
+the "CA_file", you permit them to masquerade as you, to authenticate
+your users, and to issue client certificates for EAP-TLS.
+
   If FreeRADIUS was configured to use OpenSSL, then simply starting
-the server in root in debugging mode will also create test
+the server in root in debugging mode should also create test
 certificates, i.e.:
 
 $ radiusd -X
 
   That will cause the EAP-TLS module to run the "bootstrap" script in
 this directory.  The script will be executed only once, the first time
-the server has been installed on a particular machine.
+the server has been installed on a particular machine.  This bootstrap
+script SHOULD be run on installation of any pre-built binary package
+for your OS.  In any case, the script will ensure that it is not run
+twice, and that it does not over-write any existing certificates.
 
   If you already have CA and server certificates, rename (or delete)
 this directory, and create a new "certs" directory containing your