[GH-ISSUE #429] is it safe to install a certificate generated by mkcert from other people? #283

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opened 2026-02-25 22:33:01 +03:00 by kerem · 2 comments
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Originally created by @dfang on GitHub (Feb 24, 2022).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert/issues/429

what if i install a certificate generated by mkcert to my mac from xyz.com and trusted it? is it safe? can he (the man who generated the certificate) decrypt what i searched on https://www.google.com or what i bought on https://amazon.com?

Originally created by @dfang on GitHub (Feb 24, 2022). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert/issues/429 what if i install a certificate generated by mkcert to my mac from xyz.com and trusted it? is it safe? can he (the man who generated the certificate) decrypt what i searched on https://www.google.com or what i bought on https://amazon.com?
kerem closed this issue 2026-02-25 22:33:01 +03:00
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@FiloSottile commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2022):

It is not safe to install a root generated by mkcert (this process). That will indeed allow them to intercept connections to any site.

Installing a specific site certificate (that generated by mkcert example.com for example) will only allow intercepting connections to that specific site.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1049983281 --> @FiloSottile commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2022): It is not safe to install a _root_ generated by mkcert ([this process](https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert#installing-the-ca-on-other-systems)). That will indeed allow them to intercept connections to any site. Installing a specific site certificate (that generated by `mkcert example.com` for example) will only allow intercepting connections to that specific site.
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@dfang commented on GitHub (Feb 25, 2022):

very clear, thanks !

<!-- gh-comment-id:1050862832 --> @dfang commented on GitHub (Feb 25, 2022): very clear, thanks !
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