# Install fetch-crl with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts

Retrieve certificate revocation lists (CRLs). Version 3.0.23 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:fetch-crl
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install fetch-crl
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install fetch-crl
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: security/fetch-crl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install fetch-crl
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: fetch-crl from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install fetch-crl
```

  Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: fetch-crl from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:fetch-crl
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/fetch-crl>
- **Version:** 3.0.23
- **Source summary:** Retrieve certificate revocation lists (CRLs)
- **Homepage:** <https://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/FetchCRL3>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/dlgroep/fetch-crl>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://github.com/dlgroep/fetch-crl#readme>
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Source archive:** <https://dist.eugridpma.info/distribution/util/fetch-crl3/fetch-crl-3.0.23.tar.gz>
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00

## Executables

- clean-crl (cli)
- fetch-crl (cli)
- clean-crl (alias)
- fetch-crl (alias)

## Uses from macOS

- perl

## Install behavior

- Post-install hook: not defined
- Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-07-08
- Package-manager version: 3.0.23
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/FetchCRL3
- info: No package-manager update timestamp was available.
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

fetch-crl is a small but operationally important PKI utility for retrieving certificate revocation lists for installed trust anchors. Its home is grid and research-computing infrastructure rather than end-user security tooling: it reads trust-anchor metadata, downloads CRLs, verifies and formats them, and installs them where OpenSSL, NSS, or other consumers can find them.

### Project history

The fetch-crl3 line is a complete rewrite of earlier fetch-crl 1.x and 2.x tools. The project README credits the original fetch-crl to Fabio Hernandez for the EU DataGrid project, notes significant contributions from Steve Traylen, and identifies David Groep as the author of the version 3 rewrite at Nikhef.

### Adoption history

Official Nikhef documentation frames fetch-crl around IGTF-style trust-anchor deployments and points users to the IGTF distribution area for packages. That places the tool in the long-running grid-PKI maintenance path where administrators need repeatable CRL refreshes for certificate authorities rather than an interactive certificate-management application.

### How it is used

Typical use is unattended Unix administration: fetch-crl reads /etc/fetch-crl.conf by default, can merge drop-in files from /etc/fetch-crl.d, and defaults trust-anchor metadata to /etc/grid-security/certificates. Version 3 added stateful retrieval, HEAD requests, multiple output formats, proxy controls, retry/fallback URLs, per-trust-anchor suppression, and parallel retrieval.

### Why package nerds care

For package maintainers, fetch-crl is interesting because it is glue code at the boundary between PKI policy, filesystem layout, init or cron scheduling, and library-specific certificate stores. Its version 3 rewrite removed dependencies on shell helpers such as wget and lynx, making the packaged behavior more self-contained and predictable.

### Timeline

- EU DataGrid era: Original fetch-crl developed by Fabio Hernandez.
- 2010-2013: fetch-crl3 copyright period in the README for David Groep and Nikhef-related research-grid work.
- 3.0: Complete Perl rewrite, preserving the role of earlier 1.x and 2.x utilities while adding stateful retrieval and multiple output formats.
- 3.0.23: Official Nikhef documentation lists proxy handling improvements as the package changes in that documentation.

### Related projects

- fetch-crl is closely tied to IGTF trust-anchor metadata, OpenSSL hash-directory conventions, NSS databases, and grid-security certificate directories.

### Sources

- <https://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/FetchCRL3>
- <https://github.com/dlgroep/fetch-crl>
- <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dlgroep/fetch-crl/master/README>
- <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dlgroep/fetch-crl/master/CHANGES>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.


## Configuration files

- Unix: /etc/fetch-crl.conf, /etc/fetch-crl.d/
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** fetch-crl
- **Version Scheme:** 0
- **Revision:** 0
- **Bottle Stable Root URL:** <https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core>
- **Deprecated:** no
- **Disabled:** no
- **Keg Only:** no
- **URL Keys:** stable

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - fetch-crl - 3.0.23-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: fetch-crl from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Downloads Certificate Revocation Lists | https://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/FetchCRL3
- Ubuntu apt - fetch-crl - 3.0.22-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: fetch-crl from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Downloads Certificate Revocation Lists | https://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/FetchCRL3
- dnf - fetch-crl - 3.0.23-7.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: fetch-crl from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Downloads Certificate Revocation Lists | https://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/FetchCRL3
- MacPorts - fetch-crl: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: security/fetch-crl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Related links

- [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata.
- [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata.
- [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata.
- [Documentation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/documentation-tools/) - Matched documentation, manual, or publishing metadata.
- [easy-rsa](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/easy-rsa/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificates, cli, openssl, pki, security.
- [certstrap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/certstrap/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificates, cli, pki, security.
- [cfssl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cfssl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificates, cli, pki, security.
- [redwax-tool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/redwax-tool/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificates, cli, pki, security.
- [step](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/step/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificate-management, certificates, cli, pki, security.
- [sslmate](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sslmate/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificate-management, cli, pki, security.
- [dnsrobocert](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dnsrobocert/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificate-management, cli, security.
- [minica](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/minica/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: certificates, cli, pki, security.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/fetch-crl.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/fetch-crl.yml)


## Sources

- Nucleus package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- package-page enrichment
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package version freshness
- av.db category and tag curation
- package relationship graph
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
