softhsm2-util - Online in the Cloud

PROGRAM:

NAME

softhsm2-util - support tool for libsofthsm2

SYNOPSIS

softhsm2-util --show-slots

softhsm2-util --init-token --slot number --label text
[--so-pin PIN --pin PIN]

softhsm2-util --import path [--file-pin PIN] --slot number
[--pin PIN --no-public-key] --label text --id hex

DESCRIPTION

softhsm2-util is a support tool mainly for libsofthsm2. It can also be used with other
PKCS#11 libraries by using the option --module

Read the sections below to get more information on the libsofthsm2 and PKCS#11. Most
applications assumes that the token they want to use is already initialized. It is then
up to the user to initialize the PKCS#11 token. This is done by using the PKCS#11
interface, but instead of writing your own tool you can use the softhsm2-util tool.

Keys are usually created directly in the token, but the user may want to use an existing
key pair. Keys can be imported to a token by using the PKCS#11 interface, but this tool
can also be used if the user has the key pair in a PKCS#8 file. If you need to convert
keys from BIND .private-key format over to PKCS#8, one can use softhsm2-keyconv.

The libary libsofthsm2, known as SoftHSM, provides cryptographic functionality by using
the PKCS#11 API. It was developed as a part of the OpenDNSSEC project, thus designed to
meet the requirements of OpenDNSSEC, but can also work together with other software that
want to use the functionality of the PKCS#11 API.

SoftHSM is a software implementation of a generic cryptographic device with a PKCS#11
interface. These devices are often called tokens. Read in the manual softhsm2.conf(5) on
how to create these tokens and how they are added to a slot in SoftHSM.

The PKCS#11 API can be used to handle and store cryptographic keys. This interface
specifies how to communicate with cryptographic devices such as HSMs (Hardware Security
Modules) and smart cards. The purpose of these devices is, among others, to generate
cryptographic keys and sign information without revealing private-key material to the
outside world. They are often designed to perform well on these specific tasks compared
to ordinary processes in a normal computer.

ACTIONS

--help, -h
Show the help information.

--import path
Import a key pair from the given path. The file must be in PKCS#8-format.
Use with --file-pin, --slot, --pin, --no-public-key, --label, and --id.

--init-token
Initialize the token at a given slot. If the token is already initialized then
this command will reinitialize it, thus erasing all the objects in the token. The
matching Security Officer (SO) PIN must also be provided when doing
reinitialization.
Use with --slot or --free, --label, --so-pin, and --pin.

--show-slots
Display all the available slots and their current status.

--version, -v
Show the version info.

OPTIONS

--file-pin PIN
The PIN will be used to decrypt the PKCS#8 file. If not given then the PKCS#8 file
is assumed to be unencrypted.

--force
Use this option to override the warnings and force the given action.

--free Initialize the first free token.

--id hex
Choose an ID of the key pair. The ID is in hexadecimal with a variable length.
Use with --force when importing a key pair if the ID already exists.

--label text
Defines the label of the object or the token.

--module path
Use another PKCS#11 library than SoftHSM.

--no-public-key
Do not import the public key.

--pin PIN
The PIN for the normal user.

--slot number
The slot where the token is located.

--so-pin PIN
The PIN for the Security Officer (SO).

EXAMPLES

The token can be initialized using this command:

softhsm2-util --init-token --slot 1 --label "A token"

A key pair can be imported using the softhsm tool where you specify the path to the key
file, slot number, label and ID of the new objects, and the user PIN. The file must be in
PKCS#8 format.

softhsm2-util --import key1.pem --slot 1 --label "My key"
--id A1B2 --pin 123456
(Add, --file-pin PIN, if the key file is encrypted.)

AUTHORS

Written by Rickard Bellgrim, Francis Dupont, René Post, and Roland van Rijswijk.

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