Install a certificate using PowerShell on a remote server

Question

I want to install a certificate (X.509) created using makecert.exe on a remote server. I cannot use psexec or something like that, but must use PowerShell.

• Server Operating System: Windows Server 2008 R2
• PowerShell Version: 4

Question: How to install a certificate using PowerShell on a remote server.

Answer 1

To import a PFX file, you can use Import-PfxCertificate, for example

Import-PfxCertificate -FilePath YOUR_PFX_FILE.pfx -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString -String "THE_PFX_PASSWORD" -AsPlainText -Force)

To do this on a remote computer, you can use Invoke-Command -ComputerName(and use the UNC path for the PFX file).

Answer 2

: ServerA SSL, ServerB , SSL

• ( ServerB):

  $afMachineName = "SomeMachineNameOrIp"
  $certSaveLocation = "c:\temp\Cert.CER"
  

• (ServerA ServerB):

  Function enableRemotePS() {
      Enable-PSRemoting -Force
      Set-Item wsman:\localhost\client\trustedhosts $afMachineName -Force
      Restart-Service WinRM
  }
  

• ( ServerB):

  Function saveCert([string]$machineName,[string]$certSaveLocation) {
      Invoke-Command -ComputerName $machineName -ArgumentList $certSaveLocation -ScriptBlock {
          param($certSaveLocation)
          $cert = dir Cert:\LocalMachine\Root | where {$_.Subject -eq "CN=YOURCERTNAME" };
          $certBytes = $cert.Export("cert");
          [system.IO.file]::WriteAllBytes($certSaveLocation, $certBytes);
      }
  
      Copy-Item -Path \\$machineName\c$\temp\CertAF.CER -Destination $certSaveLocation
  }
  

• ( ServerB)

  Function importCert([string]$certSaveLocation) {
      $CertToImport = New-Object System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate2 $certSaveLocation
  
      $CertStoreScope = "LocalMachine"
      $CertStoreName = "Root"
      $CertStore = New-Object System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Store $CertStoreName, $CertStoreScope
  
      # Import The Targeted Certificate Into The Specified Cert Store Name Of The Specified Cert Store Scope
      $CertStore.Open([System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.OpenFlags]::ReadWrite)
      $CertStore.Add($CertToImport)
      $CertStore.Close()
  }