: Generate an API Key Certificate
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Generate an API Key Certificate

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Generate an API Key Certificate

How to use a Palo Alto Networks certificate to encrypt your API Key.
With PAN-OS and Panorama, you can encrypt the PAN-OS API Key using a device certificate when you retrieve your API key. This feature utilizes the PAN-OS device certificate management function to encrypt the API key for enhanced protection.
When using the PAN-OS API key certificate with Panorama:
  • If you generate the API key from Panorama, a secure connection will persist from Panorama to the managed firewalls.
  • The Expire all API Keys button will only affect the local device the API key was generated with.
  1. Generate a Certificate
    For the key generation Algorithm, select an RSA value at or above 3,072 bits.
    • All API Certificates used for API key encryption must meet a minimum threshold of 3,072 bits.
    • Each API Key Certificate must be a self-signed CA Certificate.
    • You must place the Certificate in a shared location.
  2. Edit the DeviceSetupManagementAuthentication settings.
  3. Select the API Key Certificate field to select the certificate you generated in step 1.
    As a best practice, Palo Alto Networks recommends you select a short API Key Lifetime.
  4. Commit the changes for the API Key Certificate to begin encrypting the API key.
    It's important to note that when you start encrypting API keys with a certificate:
    • The firewall will invalidate all existing API keys.
    • If you start managing a firewall with Panorama, Panorama will invalidate any existing API key or keys as the Panorama key will take precedence.
  5. Get Your API Key.
    The newly generated API Key is encrypted using the certificate.
    PAN-OS invalidates generated API keys, when:
    • The user who generated the API key is deleted.
    • The user's password changes.
    • The token lifetime elapses.
    • The API Key certificate is reconfigured
    • The API Key certificate expires.
    • PAN-OS can't decrypt the API key.