[ssl] How can I generate a self-signed certificate with SubjectAltName using OpenSSL?

Can someone help me with the exact syntax?

It's a three-step process, and it involves modifying the openssl.cnf file. You might be able to do it with only command line options, but I don't do it that way.

Find your openssl.cnf file. It is likely located in /usr/lib/ssl/openssl.cnf:

$ find /usr/lib -name openssl.cnf
/usr/lib/openssl.cnf
/usr/lib/openssh/openssl.cnf
/usr/lib/ssl/openssl.cnf

On my Debian system, /usr/lib/ssl/openssl.cnf is used by the built-in openssl program. On recent Debian systems it is located at /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf

You can determine which openssl.cnf is being used by adding a spurious XXX to the file and see if openssl chokes.

First, modify the req parameters. Add an alternate_names section to openssl.cnf with the names you want to use. There are no existing alternate_names sections, so it does not matter where you add it.

[ alternate_names ]

DNS.1        = example.com
DNS.2        = www.example.com
DNS.3        = mail.example.com
DNS.4        = ftp.example.com

Next, add the following to the existing [ v3_ca ] section. Search for the exact string [ v3_ca ]:

subjectAltName      = @alternate_names

You might change keyUsage to the following under [ v3_ca ]:

keyUsage = digitalSignature, keyEncipherment

digitalSignature and keyEncipherment are standard fare for a server certificate. Don't worry about nonRepudiation. It's a useless bit thought up by computer science guys/gals who wanted to be lawyers. It means nothing in the legal world.

In the end, the IETF (RFC 5280), browsers and CAs run fast and loose, so it probably does not matter what key usage you provide.

Second, modify the signing parameters. Find this line under the CA_default section:

# Extension copying option: use with caution.
# copy_extensions = copy

And change it to:

# Extension copying option: use with caution.
copy_extensions = copy

This ensures the SANs are copied into the certificate. The other ways to copy the DNS names are broken.

Third, generate your self-signed certificate:

$ openssl genrsa -out private.key 3072
$ openssl req -new -x509 -key private.key -sha256 -out certificate.pem -days 730
You are about to be asked to enter information that will be incorporated
into your certificate request.
What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.
...

Finally, examine the certificate:

$ openssl x509 -in certificate.pem -text -noout
Certificate:
    Data:
        Version: 3 (0x2)
        Serial Number: 9647297427330319047 (0x85e215e5869042c7)
    Signature Algorithm: sha256WithRSAEncryption
        Issuer: C=US, ST=MD, L=Baltimore, O=Test CA, Limited, CN=Test CA/[email protected]
        Validity
            Not Before: Feb  1 05:23:05 2014 GMT
            Not After : Feb  1 05:23:05 2016 GMT
        Subject: C=US, ST=MD, L=Baltimore, O=Test CA, Limited, CN=Test CA/[email protected]
        Subject Public Key Info:
            Public Key Algorithm: rsaEncryption
                Public-Key: (3072 bit)
                Modulus:
                    00:e2:e9:0e:9a:b8:52:d4:91:cf:ed:33:53:8e:35:
                    ...
                    d6:7d:ed:67:44:c3:65:38:5d:6c:94:e5:98:ab:8c:
                    72:1c:45:92:2c:88:a9:be:0b:f9
                Exponent: 65537 (0x10001)
        X509v3 extensions:
            X509v3 Subject Key Identifier:
                34:66:39:7C:EC:8B:70:80:9E:6F:95:89:DB:B5:B9:B8:D8:F8:AF:A4
            X509v3 Authority Key Identifier:
                keyid:34:66:39:7C:EC:8B:70:80:9E:6F:95:89:DB:B5:B9:B8:D8:F8:AF:A4

            X509v3 Basic Constraints: critical
                CA:FALSE
            X509v3 Key Usage:
                Digital Signature, Non Repudiation, Key Encipherment, Certificate Sign
            X509v3 Subject Alternative Name:
                DNS:example.com, DNS:www.example.com, DNS:mail.example.com, DNS:ftp.example.com
    Signature Algorithm: sha256WithRSAEncryption
         3b:28:fc:e3:b5:43:5a:d2:a0:b8:01:9b:fa:26:47:8e:5c:b7:
         ...
         71:21:b9:1f:fa:30:19:8b:be:d2:19:5a:84:6c:81:82:95:ef:
         8b:0a:bd:65:03:d1