Toolkit release notes

The toolkit does not update itself. Download a new version from the overview and run its installer; it replaces the installed version and keeps your settings.

1.1.2 - 2026-10-27Copy Anchor Link

Installers

• The desktop app now installs from a signed MSI, for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2019, 2022 and 2025, with English or German setup dialogs.
• Two variants: the installer downloads the Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime during setup when Windows has none; the offline installer carries it, for servers without internet access. msiexec /i <file> /qn installs silently.
• The portable .exe and the zip are no longer published. actk stays a single .exe.

Desktop app

• Rebuilt on the same core with the components of the aethercert dashboard: the certificate list, the details panel, forms, dialogs and settings look and work like their dashboard counterparts.
• Create CSR creates the key in the Windows key store of this user or this computer, the way certreq does; the key never exists in a file or in the app. Importing the issued certificate links it to that key.
• Guided steps for Create CSR, Import, Sign code and Convert files; Import is a page of its own and never installs a root certificate.
• Certificate details - names, key, extensions, fingerprints - for the store, scan results, imports and converted files.
• The security scan gives remediation advice for every finding.
• Settings now live in %APPDATA%\com.aethercert.toolkit\settings.json. Settings and open certificate requests from 0.1.1 are not carried over.

0.1.1 - 2026-10-26Copy Anchor Link

The first release published for download, for Windows x64.

Certificates (Windows certificate store)

• The personal certificates of the current user and of the computer in two tabs, with search, filters, sortable and resizable columns, a status column, weak key and signature flags, and a details panel with copy buttons.
• New CSR from this certificate for renewal or rekey, always with a new key.
• Export to .pfx, .cer, .crt, full chain, chain only and .key in one step, with presets for Windows / IIS / Exchange, nginx / Apache / HAProxy and "certificate only". A written .key is encrypted by default.
• Import as a guided page: the issued certificate (.cer, .crt, .pem, .p7b) finds its key from Create CSR by itself; .pfx works too. Intermediates go to Intermediate Certification Authorities, roots are never installed.
• The computer store is read-only until Restart as administrator.

Create CSR

• Server (TLS), user (S/MIME, client authentication, optional UPN) and code signing requests, or self-signed certificates.
• The private key is created in the Windows key store by default (Microsoft Software Key Storage Provider, this user or this computer), like certreq - optionally non-exportable. A .key file remains available for servers that take PEM files.
• Host names and IP addresses as separate, validated entries, with this computer's addresses as suggestions.
• Field checks the way CAs apply them, and the equivalent OpenSSL command.
• Leaving with a key that exists only in memory asks first.

Check CSR, Convert files, Sign code

• Check CSR decodes any request and lists what a CA would reject.
• Convert files builds a PFX from certificate, chain and key, or takes a certificate or PFX apart; AES-256 or 3DES for Windows Server 2016 and older.
• Sign code Authenticode-signs exe, dll, sys, msi, cab, cat, PowerShell and Windows Script files with an RFC 3161 timestamp, from the Windows store (including USB tokens and HSMs) or a PFX, and reports success only after Windows verified each signature.

Certificate scanner and security scan

• The scanner sweeps hosts, CIDR networks up to /16 and ranges on any ports, with STARTTLS and RDP, this computer's networks as suggested targets, a duration estimate and the time left. Filters for expired, expiring, untrusted, self-signed, name mismatch and no TLS. Export as CSV or JSON.
• The security scan grades one endpoint A+ to F with the aethercert.com rubric, with remediation advice for every finding.

Desktop app

• Guided workflows with a step list for Create CSR, Import, Sign code and Convert files.
• English and German, light and dark, a sidebar that collapses to icons on narrow windows.
• The actk command line with the same tools.