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Add --cert and --key flags to step certificate inspect for mTLS - #1707

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DarpanAdhikari wants to merge 1 commit into
smallstep:masterfrom
DarpanAdhikari:oss/inspect-client-cert
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DarpanAdhikari wants to merge 1 commit into
smallstep:masterfrom
DarpanAdhikari:oss/inspect-client-cert

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@DarpanAdhikari

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Name of feature:

--cert/<--key> flags for step certificate inspect to present a TLS client certificate when inspecting a remote server.

Pain or issue this feature alleviates:

Closes #65 — when debugging mTLS-protected environments it was impossible to inspect a server's certificate remotely because the server rejected connections that did not present a valid client certificate.

Why is this important to the project (if not answered above):

step certificate inspect is the primary troubleshooting command for TLS; supporting mTLS peers makes it useful for inspecting certificates inside (or in front of) mTLS-enforced networks.

Is there documentation on how to use this feature? If so, where?

Yes — usage text plus an EXAMPLES section on the inspect command in command/certificate/inspect.go:

$ step certificate inspect https://service.example.com --cert ./client.crt --key ./client.key

In what environments or workflows is this feature supported?

Any remote connection made by inspect (https/tls/tcp/smtps/ldaps) when a client certificate pair is provided. --cert and --key must be used together.

In what environments or workflows is this feature explicitly NOT supported (if any)?

Local (non-URL) certificate/CSR inspection, where no TLS connection is made. Consistent with existing remote-only flags like --roots and --servername.

Supporting links/other PRs/issues:

Fixes #65

Allow step certificate inspect to present a client certificate and key when
connecting to a remote server, enabling inspection of certificates served by
mTLS-protected endpoints. The --cert and --key flags must be provided together.

Fixes smallstep#65
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CLAassistant commented Sep 19, 2026

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Thank you for your submission! We really appreciate it. Like many open source projects, we ask that you sign our Contributor License Agreement before we can accept your contribution.
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@github-actions github-actions Bot added the needs triage Waiting for discussion / prioritization by team label Sep 19, 2026
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Add optional flags to pass client cert for step certificate inspect

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