SOFTHSM2-UTIL(1)SOFTHSM2-UTIL(1)NAMEsofthsm2-util - support tool for libsofthsm2
SYNOPSISsofthsm2-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
DESCRIPTIONsofthsm2-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 func‐
tionality 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.
SEE ALSOsofthsm2-keyconv(1), softhsm2-migrate(1), softhsm2.conf(5)SoftHSM 29 October 2014 SOFTHSM2-UTIL(1)
