VCert Playbook

VCert Playbook functionality solves the "last mile" problem. VCert has historically done a great job fetching certificates, but getting those certificates installed in the right location usually required custom scripting. The Playbook functionality addresses this use case natively.

Throughout this article, we use TLS Protect Datacenter (TLSPDC) to refer to Trust Protection Platform and TLS Protect Cloud (TLSPC) to refer to Venafi Control Plane.

Key features of VCert playbook

Simplified commands: With VCert Playbook, you can avoid long command-line arguments. Instead, use playbook YAML files with VCert to enhance automation and maintenance ease.
Flexible certificate placement: You can designate where to place the certificate and the format in which you want it once received from Venafi. VCert Playbook supports common keystore formats like PEM, JKS, PKCS#12, accommodating folder locations and the Windows CAPI store.
Post-installation actions: Specify any actions that must be carried out after the certificate is installed. This includes restarting services like Apache or Nginx, or running any other scripts needed once the certificate is in the right location.
Smart certificate renewals: VCert Playbook checks if a certificate already exists and whether it's due for renewal before requesting a new one. This functionality lets you run a script regularly without unnecessarily renewing certificates.
Compatibility: VCert Playbook works seamlessly with the three Venafi platforms: TLS Protect Cloud, TLS Protect Datacenter, and Firefly, ensuring it fits your particular environment.

Example use cases

Automated certificate renewal: You can set renewal parameters to have VCert automatically renew certificates before expiration. This approach assumes that VCert is part of a daily cronjob or is executed routinely through other automation methods. By default, renewal occurs at 10% of the remaining certificate lifetime.
Effortless API access updates: When using TLS Protect Datacenter, VCert will automatically update API access and refresh tokens within the playbook. This feature ensures continuous operation without manual intervention. It leverages a refresh token to acquire a new access token when needed, an approach that's particularly effective when paired with a long-lasting refresh/grant token and a short-lived access token, such as a 3-year refresh token and a 1-hour access token.

Getting started

VCert Playbook functionality is invoked using the vcert run command.

Create a YAML playbook file.
- This readme contains all the valid options and formatting for the YAML playbook.
- Sample YAML playbook files are also available in the examples folder
Execute the playbook using the vcert run command:
```
vcert run -f path/to/my/playbook.yaml
```
Set up a cronjob (or Windows scheduled task) to execute the playbook on a regular basis (usually daily). Sample cronjob entry:
```
0 23 * * *     /usr/bin/sudo /usr/local/bin/vcert run -f ~/playbook.yaml >> /var/log/vcert-playbook.log 2>&1
```

Recommended: For a detailed walkthrough for automating certificate lifecycle management using a VCert Playbook for NGINX, check out the guide on Dev Central!

Usage

VCert run playbook functionality is invoked using the vcert run command with additional arguments:

vcert run [OPTIONAL ARGUMENTS]

For example, the following command will execute the playbook in ./path/to/my/playbook.yaml with debug output enabled:

vcert run --file path/to/my/playbook.yaml --debug

VCert playbook arguments

The following arguments are available with the vcert run command:

Argument	Short	Type	Description
`debug`	`-d`	boolean	Enables more detailed logging.
`file`	`-f`	string	The playbook file to be run. Defaults to `playbook.yaml` in current directory.
`force-renew`		boolean	Requests a new certificate regardless of the expiration date on the current certificate.

Playbook samples

Several playbook samples are provided in the examples folder:

Playbook for CAPI store
Playbook for JKS
Playbook for PEM
Playbook for PKCS12
Playbook for multiple installations
Playbook for TLSPC
Playbook for Firefly using client secret authorization
Playbook for Firefly using user/password authorization

Playbook file structure and options

The playbook file is a YAML file that provides access information to either TLS Protect Cloud or TLS Protect Datacenter, defines the details of the certificate to request, and specifies the locations where the certificate should be installed.

The top-level structure of the file is described as follows:

Playbook

Field	Type	Required	Description
certificateTasks	array of CertificateTak objects	Required	One or more CertificateTask objects to be executed by VCert.
config	Config object	Required	Contains one Connection object to either TLS Protect Cloud, TLS Protect Datacenter, or Firefly.

Config

Field	Type	Required	Description
connection	Connection object	REQUIRED	Defines the parameters required to make a connection to one of the following Venafi platforms: TLS Protect Cloud, TLS Protect Datacenter, or Firefly.

Connection

Field	Type	TLSPDC	TLSPC	FIREFLY	Description
credentials	Credentials object	Required	Required	Required	A Credential object that defines the credentials used to authenticate to the selected provider `platform`.
platform	string	Required	Required	Required	For TLS Protect Datacenter, either `tpp` or `tlspdc`. For TLS Protect Cloud, either `vaas` or `tlspc`. For Firefly, use `firefly`.
trustBundle	string	Optional	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspdc` or `firefly`. Defines path to PEM-formatted trust bundle that contains the root (and optionally intermediate certificates) to use to trust the TLS connection. If omitted, will attempt to use operating system trusted CAs.
url	string	Required	Optional	Required	URL of the Venafi platform to connect to. If url string does not include `https://`, it will be added automatically. For connection to TLS Protect Datacenter, `url` must include the full API path (for example `https://tpp.company.com/vedsdk/` For TLS Protect Cloud you can specify the url using this parameter https://api.venafi.cloud (US region) or https://api.venafi.eu (EU region). If not set, will default to US region.

Credentials

Field	Type	TLSPDC	TLSPC	FIREFLY	Description
accessToken	string	Optional	Optional	n/a	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspdc` for authenticating to the REST API. If omitted, invalid, or expired, vcert will attempt to use the Credential.p12Task or Credential.refreshToken to get a valid accessToken. Upon successful refresh, this value will be overwritten with the new valid accessToken.
apiKey	string	n/a	Optional	n/a	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspc` for authenticating to the REST API.
clientId	string	Optional	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspc` to map to the API integration to be used. If omitted, uses `vcert-sdk` as default. Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` along with `clientSecret` to follow a `credentials authorization flow`.
clientSecret	string	n/a	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` along with `clientId` to follow a `credentials authorization flow` to get an authorization token from the OAuth2 Provider.
externalJWT	string	n/a	Optional	n/a	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspc` along with `tokenURL` to request a new authorization token from a service account.
idP	IdentityProvider object	n/a	n/a	Required	Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` to request a new authorization token to the OAuth2 Provider.
p12Task	string	Optional	n/a	n/a	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspdc` to reference a configured CertificateTasks.name to be used for certificate authentication. Will be used to get a new accessToken when `accessToken` is missing, invalid, or expired. Referenced `certificateTask` must have an installation of type `pkcs12`.
password	string	n/a	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` along with `user` to follow a `password authorization flow` to request a new authorization token from the OAuth2 Provider.
refreshToken	string	Optional	n/a	n/a	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspdc` to refresh the `accessToken` if it is missing, invalid, or expired. If omitted, the `accessToken` will not be refreshed when it expires. When a refresh token is used, a new accessToken and refreshToken are issued and the previous refreshToken is then invalid (one-time use only). vCert will attempt to update the refreshToken and accessToken fields upon refresh.
scope	string	Optional	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspdc` to determine the scope of the token when refreshing the access token, or when getting a new grant using a `pkcs12` certificate. Defaults to `certificate:manage` if omitted. Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` to determine the scope of the token to be requested to the OAuth2 provider. Some providers may have default scopes while others dont.
tokenURL	string	n/a	Optional	n/a	Used when Connection.platform is `tlspc` along with `externalJWT` to request a new authorization token from a service account.
user	string	n/a	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` along with `password` to follow a `password authorization flow` to request a new authorization token from the OAuth2 Provider.

IdentityProvider

Field	Type	TLSPDC	TLSPC	FIREFLY	Description
audience	string	n/a	n/a	Optional	Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` to map the audience for the authorization token request from the OAuth2 Provider. Not all OAuth2 providers require this value.
tokenURL	string		n/a	Required	Used when Connection.platform is `firefly` to request a new authorization token to the OAuth2 Provider.

CertificateTask

Field	Type	Required	Description
installations	array of Installation objects	Required	Specifies one or more locations in which format and where the certificate requested will be stored.
name	string	Required	The name of the certificate task within the playbook. Used in output messages to distinguish tasks when multiple certificate tasks are defined. Also, referred to by Credential.p12Task when specifying a certificate to use to refresh Credential.accessToken. If more than one CertificateTask exists, each name must be unique.
renewBefore	string	Optional	Configure auto-renewal threshold for certificates. Either by days, hours, or percent remaining of certificate lifetime. For example, `30d` renews certificate 30 days before expiration, `10h` renews the certificate 10 hours before expiration, or `15%` renews when 15% of the lifetime is remaining. Use `0` or `disabled` to disable auto-renew. Default is `10%`.
request	Request object	Required	The Request object specifies the details about the certificate to be requested such as CommonName, SANs, etc.
setEnvVars	array of strings	Optional	Specify details about the certificate to be set as environment variables before the Installation.afterInstallAction is executed. Supported options are `thumbprint`, `serial`, and `base64` (which sets the entire base64 of the certificate retrieved as an environment variable). Environment variables will be named `VCERT_TASKNAME_THUMBPRINT`, `VCERT_TASKNAME_SERIAL`, or `VCERT_TASKNAME_BASE64` accordingly, where `TASKNAME` is the uppercased CertificateTask.name.

Installation

Field	Type	Format PEM	Format JKS	Format PKCS12	Format CAPI	Description
afterInstallAction	string	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional	Execute this command after this installation is performed (both enrollment and renewal). On *nix, this uses `/bin/sh -c '<afterInstallAction>'`. On Windows, this uses `powershell.exe '<afterInstallAction>'`.
backupFiles	boolean	Optional	Optional	Optional	n/a	When `true`, backup existing certificate files before replacing during a renewal operation. Defaults to `false`.
capiFriendlyName	string	n/a	n/a	n/a	Optional	Specifies the friendly name to be used for the installed certificate in Windows CAPI store. If not set, the certificate Common Name will be used instead. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to set this field as it will be made Required in a future release
capiIsNonExportable	boolean	n/a	n/a	n/a	Optional	When `true`, private key will be flagged as 'Non-Exportable' when stored in Windows CAPI store. Defaults to `false`.
capiLocation	string	n/a	n/a	n/a	Required	Specifies the Windows CAPI store to place the installed certificate. Typically `"LocalMachine\My"` or `"CurrentUser\My"`. NOTE: If the location is contained within `"`, the backslash `\` must be properly escaped (i.e. `"LocalMachine\\My"`).
chainFile	string	Required	n/a	n/a	n/a	Specifies the file path and name for the chain PEM bundle (Example `/etc/ssl/certs/myChain.cer`).
file	string	Required	Required	Required	n/a	Specifies the file path and name for the certificate file (PEM) or PKCS#12 / JKS bundle. Example `/etc/ssl/certs/myPEMfile.cer`, `/etc/ssl/certs/myPKCS12.p12`, or `/etc/ssl/certs/myJKS.jks`.
format	string	Required	Required	Required	Required	Specifies the format type for the installed certificate. Valid types are `PKCS12`, `PEM`, `JKS`, and `CAPI`.
jksAlias	string	n/a	Required	n/a	n/a	Specifies the certificate alias value within the Java Keystore.
jksPassword	string	n/a	Required	n/a	n/a	Specifies the password for the Java Keystore.
keyFile	string	Required	n/a	n/a	n/a	Specifies the file path and name for the private key PEM file (Example `/etc/ssl/certs/myKey.key`).
keyPassword	string	Optional	n/a	n/a	n/a	Specifies the password to encrypt the private key for PEM type. If not specified, the private key will be stored in an unencrypted PEM format.
useLegacyP12	boolean	n/a	n/a	Optional	Optional	Default is false. Instructs vcert to use legacy encryption (3DES-SHA1 instead of AES-256-CBC) when encoding the keystore to maintain compatibility with Windows 2016 and earlier & OpenSSL versions 1.1/1.2. This is required for CAPI installs on Windows 2016.
~~location~~	string	n/a	n/a	n/a	DEPRECATED	Use `capiLocation` instead.
p12Password	string	n/a	n/a	Required	n/a	Specifies the password to encrypt the PKCS12 bundle.

Request

Field	Type	Required	Description
appInfo	string	Optional	- Sets the origin attribute on the certificate object in TPP. Only valid when Connection.platform is `tpp`.
cadn	string	Optional	- Specify the DN path to the CA Template to use when requesting the certificate. (i.e. "\VED\Policy\CA Templates\internal-ca"). Only valid when Connection.platform is `tpp`.
chain	string	Optional	- Determines the ordering of certificates within the returned chain. Valid options are `root-first`, `root-last`, or `ignore`. Defaults to `root-last`.
csr	string	Optional	- Specifies where the CSR and PrivateKey are generated: use `local` to generate the CSR and PrivateKey locally, or `service` to have the PrivateKey and CSR generated by the specified Connection.platform. Defaults to `local`.
fields	array of CustomField objects	Optional	- Sets the specified custom field on certificate object. Only valid when Connection.platform is `tpp`.
issuerHint	string	Optional	- Used only when Request.validDays is specified to determine the correct Specific End Date attribute to set on the TPP certificate object. Valid options are `DIGICERT`, `MICROSOFT`, `ENTRUST`, `ALL_ISSUERS`. If not defined, but `validDays` are set, the attribute 'Specific End Date' will be used. Only valid when Connection.platform is `tpp`.
keyCurve	string	Required	when Request.keyType is `ECDSA`, `EC`, or `ECC`. Valid values are `P256`, `P384`, `P521`, `ED25519`.
keySize	integer	Optional	- Specifies the key size when specified Request.keyType is `RSA`. Supported values are `1024`, `2048`, `4096`, and `8192`. Defaults to 2048.
keyType	string	Optional	- Specify the key type of the requested certificate. Valid options are `RSA`, `ECDSA`, `EC`, `ECC` and `ED25519`. Default is `RSA`.
location	Location object	Optional	- Use to provide the name/address of the compute instance and an identifier for the workload using the certificate. This results in a device (node) and application (workload) being associated with the certificate in the Venafi Platform. Example: `node:workload`.
nickname	string	Optional	- Specify the certificate object name to be created in TPP for the requested certificate. If not specified, TPP will use the Subject.commonName. Only valid when Connection.platform is `tpp`.
sanDNS	array of string	Optional	- Specify one or more DNS SAN entries for the requested certificate.
sanEmail	array of string	Optional	- Specify one or more Email SAN entries for the requested certificate.
sanIP	array of string	Optional	- Specify one or more IP SAN entries for the requested certificate.
sanUPN	array of string	Optional	- Specify one or more UPN SAN entries for the requested certificate.
sanURI	array of string	Optional	- Specify one or more URI SAN entries for the requested certificate.
subject	Subject object	Required	- defines the Subject information for the requested certificate.
validDays	string	Optional	- Specify the number of days the certificate should be valid for. Only supported by specific CAs, and only if Connection.platform is `tpp`. The number of days can be combined with an "issuer hint" to correctly set the right parameter for the desired CA. For example, `"30#m"` will specify a 30-day certificate from a Microsoft issuer. Valid hints are `m` for Microsoft, `d` for Digicert, `e` for Entrust. If an issuer hint is not specified, the generic attribute 'Specific End Date' will be used.
zone	string	Required	- Specifies the Policy Folder (for TPP) or the Application and Issuing Template to use (for VaaS). For TPP, exclude the "\VED\Policy" portion of the folder path. NOTE: if the zone is not contained within `"`, the backslash `\` must be properly escaped (i.e. `Certificates\\vCert`).

CustomField

Custom Fields are only supported by TLS Protect Datacenter (TLSPC) platform

Field	Type	Required	Description
name	string	Required	Adds a custom-field entry with name to the certificate object. The custom field must already be defined in TPP.
value	string	Required	Specifies the custom-field value to the certificate object.

Location

Field	Type	Required	Description
instance	string	Required	Specifies the name of the installed node (typically the hostname).
replace	boolean	Optional	Replace the current object with new information. Defaults to `false`.
tlsAddress	string	Required	Specifies the IP address or hostname and port where the certificate can be validated by the Venafi Platform. Example: `192.168.100.23:443`.
workload	string	Optional	Use to provide an identifier for the workload using the certificate. Example: `workload`.
zone	string	Optional	Use to provide a different policy folder for the device object to be created in, when platform is TPP. If excluded, the device object is created in the same policy folder as the certificate. Example: `Installations\Agentless\Datacenters\PHX`

Subject

Field	Type	Required	Description
commonName	string	Required	Specifies the CN= (CommonName) attribute of the requested certificate.
country	string	Optional	Specifies the C= (Country) attribute of the requested certificate.
locality	string	Optional	Specifies the L= (City) attribute of the requested certificate.
organization	string	Optional	Specifies the O= (Organization) attribute of the requested certificate.
orgUnits	array of string	Optional	Specifies one or more OU= (Organization Unit) attribute of the requested certificate.
state	string	Optional	Specifies the S= (State) attribute of the requested certificate.

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