OpenSSL: Unable to Load Certificate

Question

Problem

OpenSSL complains that it can't load a certificate

Example:

openssl x509 -in certificate.crt -text -noout
unable to load certificate

Answer 1

The issue is that OpenSSL for some reason can't parse a certificate if there are extra new lines in the certificate file, even though some other implementations can do it just fine. Check that your certificate looks like this:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- 
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
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

And not like this:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
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

-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Another problem might be that your certificate isn't PEM encoded, but instead DER encoded.

In this case, if you open the certificate file in Notepad for example, you will just see a lot of random characters instead of the -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----