openssl unable to read/load/import SSL private key from GoDaddy if format is not right

Details

If you're unable to read, load, or import an SSL private key from GoDaddy because the format is not correct, you'll need to make sure the private key is in the proper format that OpenSSL can work with, which is typically PEM-encoded. If the private key is not in the correct format, you can follow these steps to convert it to PEM:

1. Identify the Key Format: Determine the format of the private key you received from GoDaddy. Common formats include DER, PKCS#12 (PFX), or others.
2. Convert the Key to PEM: Use the appropriate OpenSSL command to convert the key to PEM format based on its current format.

For DER Format:

openssl rsa -inform DER -in key.der -out key.pem

For PKCS#12 Format:

openssl pkcs12 -in key.pfx -nocerts -out key.pem

Replace key.der, key.pfx, and key.pem with the actual file names.

3. Password Protection: If the private key was password-protected in the original format, you may be prompted to enter the password during the conversion process.
4. Verify the Converted Key: After conversion, you can verify the private key using the following command:

openssl rsa -in key.pem -check

This command will check the key's integrity and provide information about it.

5. Set Appropriate Permissions: Ensure that the file containing the PEM-encoded private key has the correct permissions (e.g., chmod 600 key.pem) to restrict access.

Once you have the private key in PEM format, you should be able to use it with OpenSSL or other SSL-related tools as needed. Make sure to replace key.der, key.pfx, and key.pem with your actual file names and paths.

Example