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BACnet Insight

the self-signed certificate on different Windows machines
to eliminate the security warning. Instructions are provided
for commonly used browsers – Google Chrome, Microsoft
Edge, and Mozilla Firefox – and how to overcome the
Security Warning message.
Conclusion

HTTPS encrypts the transport of data to ensure data
integrity and prevents information from being modified,
corrupted, or stolen during transmission. SSL/TLS
Digital certificates verify ownership and authenticity to ensure that communication occurs with authorized devices. protocols authenticate users to secure information
© Creative Commons and ensure it won’t be revealed to unauthorized users.
HTTPS requires digital certificates to validate the domain
ownership and integrity. For external networks, you should
obtain this credential from a trusted third-party CA.
are fast, free, and easy to issue. They are appropriate use to implement cryptography-based capabilities and to
for local development, testing, or staging environments, securely communicate across a network. Finally, it also Self-signed certificates are valuable for creating secure
internal network websites and providing secure webpages has a set of providers that supply implementations of a communication channels for internal networks when you
for devices. However, you must be aware of their broad set of cryptographic algorithms. OpenSSL is fully control the environment. They offer quick deployment and
limitations, such as despite the strong encryption they open source. Version 3.0 and above are distributed under cost savings and are ideal for testing, local development,
provide, they lack the backing of recognized authority, so the Apache v2 license.” or internal applications. Understanding these concepts is
browsers on different PCs will display security warnings critical to implementing security for IP devices in general.
for them. If you don’t have OpenSSL on your Windows’s PC, you For the Building Automation world based on BACnet, they
can install an OpenSSL package. If you are accessing provide the foundational knowledge for successful and
Digital Certificates – OpenSSL the HTTPS device from a different PC, a security robust implementation of BACnet/SC.
warning message will appear. You must download
You can generate and install a self-signed certificate the self-signed certificate and install it to your local
using OpenSSL, a commonly used command-line utility machine’s trusted certificate store.
for generating keys, creating certificate signing requests ABOUT THE AUTHOR
(CSRs), and managing certificates. For more information, Contemporary Controls has created
an Application Note: How to Create and Use Self-Signed Harpartap Parmar is a Director of Product
According to OpenSSL documentation at https://docs. SSL Certificates that explains how to add OpenSSL Management at Contemporary Controls,
openssl.org/master/man7/ossl-guide-introduction: and create a self-signed certificate for Windows using which designs and manufactures BACnet
“OpenSSL is a robust, commercial-grade, full-featured Windows Package Manager, WinGet. WinGet is a free and building controls and IP networking
toolkit for general-purpose cryptography and secure open-source package manager designed by Microsoft equipment. Parmar focuses on network
communication. Its features are made available via that allows users to discover, install, upgrade, remove, security, IP routers and their application to
a command line application that enables users to and configure applications on Windows 10, Windows 11, Building Automation. He has over 25 years
perform various cryptography related functions such and Windows Server 2025 computers. The application of experience at Contemporary Controls
as generating keys and certificates. Additionally, it note also explains how to install this self-signed with a range of networking, control, and
supplies two libraries that application developers can certificate on the device, and how to download and install communication products.

Harpartap Parmar
Director of Product Management | Contemporary Controls
hparmar@ccontrols.com | www.ccontrols.com

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