easy-rsa ☆

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Description:
CLI utility to build and manage a PKI CA

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 3.2.5@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Security

Tags: pki ssl tls security encryption openssl

Install: brew install easy-rsa

About:
Easy-RSA is a command-line utility for simplifying the creation of a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) using OpenSSL. It automates the complex process of generating a Certificate Authority (CA), server and client certificates, and managing the associated keys. This tool is essential for setting up secure communications, particularly for OpenVPN installations.

Key Features:

Automated PKI certificate generation and management
Supports both X.509 and elliptic curve (EC) cryptography
Simplifies the process of signing certificate requests
Provides a clean CLI interface for complex OpenSSL operations

Use Cases:

Setting up a private Certificate Authority for internal networks
Generating server and client certificates for OpenVPN
Establishing trust for TLS/SSL services within a closed environment

Alternatives:

OpenSSL CLI – The native tool offers more granular control but requires manual, complex command-line operations for PKI management.
Smallstep CLI – A more modern alternative with built-in ACME support, but with a heavier footprint and different configuration philosophy.

License: GPL-2.0-only

Dependencies: openssl@3

Bottles available for: all

Important Notes:

By default, keys will be created in:
  $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/easy-rsa/pki

The configuration may be modified by editing and renaming:
  $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/easy-rsa/vars.example

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 13, 2024 6:35pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	cfde3980