Handling Client Certificates

The following applies only, when you use Internet Explorer.

You can select a client certificate during script recording. Client certificates facilitate authentication against certain Web sites. APIs are now available for importing certificates to and deleting certificates from the Microsoft certificate store, which is used by Internet Explorer and the Silk Performer browser-driven load testing feature.

The certificate APIs work with Microsoft Windows 7 or later, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 or later, and Internet Explorer 8 or later.

Certificate handling for browser-based Web load testing works independently of certificate handling for protocol-based Web testing. This means that certificates need to be imported manually via Internet Explorer's Internet Options menu entry (or the management console snap-in certmgr.msc). If authentication works with Internet Explorer 8 it will also work for browser-based load testing.

  1. When importing your certificate, disable strong private key protection:
    1. On the Certificate Import wizard Password page, uncheck the Enable strong private key protection checkbox.
  2. Disable server certificate revocation:
    1. Open Internet Explorer's Tools menu and select Internet Options. The Internet Options dialog opens.
    2. Click the Advanced tab.
    3. Uncheck the Check for server certificate revocation* checkbox.
    4. Click OK.
  3. Activate prompting of the client certificate selection dialog box:
    1. Open Internet Explorer's Tools menu and select Internet Options. The Internet Options dialog opens.
    2. Click the Security tab.
    3. Click Custom Level... The Security Settings page opens.
    4. Scroll down to Don't prompt for client certificate selection when no certificates or only one certificate exists and select the Disable option box.
    5. Click OK.
    6. Restart Internet Explorer.