How do I generate CSR/Private key pair via SSH

This article explains how to generate CSR/Private Key pair using the command line interface on a Linux operating system.

You will need an SSH client on your local computer if accessing via SSH, something like Putty (for windows) or the Terminal on a linux or mac computer.

For how to see the password you need for access via SSH on our VM plans please see here:
https://help.blacknight.com/entries/22936076-what-is-my-root-administrator-password

After logging in to the server run the following commands to generate the CSR/Private key pair:

openssl req -new -nodes -keyout PRIVATEKEY.FILENAME -out CSR.FILENAME -newkey rsa:2048

for example:

openssl req -new -nodes -keyout private.key -out server.csr -newkey rsa:2048

You will be asked some questions for the CSR, these are:

Country Name (2 letter code): Two letter country code
State or Province Name (full name): State, Province or county
Locality Name (eg, city): Town or City
Organization Name (eg, company): Your Company Inc
Organizational Unit Name (eg, section): We typically recommend this be put as 'web'
Common Name (eg, YOUR name): The common name you want the cert applied to (e.g. www.domain.tld, secure.domain.tld, shop.domain.tld)
Email Address: Your email address

NB: the address and company name apply to the company the domain name corresponds to, if you are a reseller or web developer this would not be your own company name or address

This creates two files. The file private.key contains a private key; do not disclose this file to anyone. Carefully protect the private key.

The server.csr is the file you have to provide to the Certificate Issuing Authority.