Introduction
Today, in this article let's play around with one of the interesting and most useful concepts in Azure.
Question: What is using certificates for hosted service in Azure?
In simple terms "It is used to authenticate and manage the security of a hosted service".
Step 1: Start up a Visual Studio command prompt with Administrator access mode.
![visual-studio-command-prompt-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 2: The following command should be used in the command prompt:
makecert -sky exchange -r -n "CN=MVC Corp" -pe -a sha1 -len 2048 -ss My "MVC Corp.cer"
Step 3: Open certmgr.msc.
![certmgr-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 4: Navigate to personal certification and look up for created certificate.
![personal-certification-certmgr-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 5: Export the certificate.
![Export-certification-certmgr-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 6: The Export Certificate Wizard fires up, as in:
![Export-certification-Wizard-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 7: Export with a private key and follow all further screen options.
![Export-Wizard-with-a-private-key-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![Export-Wizard-with-a-private-key1-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![Export-certification-Password-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![Export-Wizard-with-Upload-File-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![Complete-Export-certification-Wizard-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 8: Add a certificate in the Azure portal.
![Add-a-new-Export-certification-certmgr-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![Add-a-new-management-Export-certification-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![management-certification-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
Step 9: Add a certificate file for the hosted service.
![Upload-x.509-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()
![Add-a-new-Export-certification-certmgr-in-WindowAzure.jpg]()