java.security
Class KeyStore

java.lang.Object
  java.security.KeyStore

public class KeyStore

extends Object

This class represents an in-memory collection of keys and certificates. It manages two types of entries:

• Key Entry

  This type of keystore entry holds very sensitive cryptographic key information, which is stored in a protected format to prevent unauthorized access.

  Typically, a key stored in this type of entry is a secret key, or a private key accompanied by the certificate chain for the corresponding public key.

  Private keys and certificate chains are used by a given entity for self-authentication. Applications for this authentication include software distribution organizations which sign JAR files as part of releasing and/or licensing software.

• Trusted Certificate Entry

  This type of entry contains a single public key certificate belonging to another party. It is called a trusted certificate because the keystore owner trusts that the public key in the certificate indeed belongs to the identity identified by the subject (owner) of the certificate.

  This type of entry can be used to authenticate other parties.

Each entry in a keystore is identified by an "alias" string. In the case of private keys and their associated certificate chains, these strings distinguish among the different ways in which the entity may authenticate itself. For example, the entity may authenticate itself using different certificate authorities, or using different public key algorithms.

Whether keystores are persistent, and the mechanisms used by the keystore if it is persistent, are not specified here. This allows use of a variety of techniques for protecting sensitive (e.g., private or secret) keys. Smart cards or other integrated cryptographic engines (SafeKeyper) are one option, and simpler mechanisms such as files may also be used (in a variety of formats).

There are two ways to request a KeyStore object: by specifying either just a keystore type, or both a keystore type and a package provider.

• If just a keystore type is specified:

        KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance("JKS");
   

  the system will determine if there is an implementation of the keystore type requested available in the environment, and if there is more than one, if there is a preferred one.

• If both a keystore type and a package provider are specified:

        KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance("JKS", "SUN");
   

  the system will determine if there is an implementation of the keystore type in the package requested, and throw an exception if there is not.

Before a keystore can be accessed, it must be loaded. In order to create an empty keystore, you pass null as the InputStream argument to the load method.

Since:

1.2

See Also:

PrivateKey, Certificate

Constructor Summary

protected

KeyStore(KeyStoreSpi keyStoreSpi, Provider provider, String type) Creates a KeyStore object of the given type, and encapsulates the given provider implementation (SPI object) in it.

Method Summary

Enumeration	aliases() Lists all the alias names of this keystore.
boolean	containsAlias(String alias) Checks if the given alias exists in this keystore.
void	deleteEntry(String alias) Deletes the entry identified by the given alias from this keystore.
Certificate	getCertificate(String alias) Returns the certificate associated with the given alias.
String	getCertificateAlias(Certificate cert) Returns the (alias) name of the first keystore entry whose certificate matches the given certificate.
Certificate[]	getCertificateChain(String alias) Returns the certificate chain associated with the given alias.
Date	getCreationDate(String alias) Returns the creation date of the entry identified by the given alias.
static String	getDefaultType() Returns the default keystore type as specified in the Java security properties file, or the string "jks" (acronym for "Java keystore") if no such property exists.
static KeyStore	getInstance(String type) Generates a keystore object of the given type.
static KeyStore	getInstance(String type, Provider provider) Generates a keystore object for the specified keystore type from the specified provider.
static KeyStore	getInstance(String type, String provider) Generates a keystore object for the specified keystore type from the specified provider.
Key	getKey(String alias, char[] password) Returns the key associated with the given alias, using the given password to recover it.
Provider	getProvider() Returns the provider of this keystore.
String	getType() Returns the type of this keystore.
boolean	isCertificateEntry(String alias) Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias is a trusted certificate entry, and false otherwise.
boolean	isKeyEntry(String alias) Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias is a key entry, and false otherwise.
void	load(InputStream stream, char[] password) Loads this KeyStore from the given input stream.
void	setCertificateEntry(String alias, Certificate cert) Assigns the given certificate to the given alias.
void	setKeyEntry(String alias, byte[] key, Certificate[] chain) Assigns the given key (that has already been protected) to the given alias.
void	setKeyEntry(String alias, Key key, char[] password, Certificate[] chain) Assigns the given key to the given alias, protecting it with the given password.
int	size() Retrieves the number of entries in this keystore.
void	store(OutputStream stream, char[] password) Stores this keystore to the given output stream, and protects its integrity with the given password.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

KeyStore

protected KeyStore(KeyStoreSpi keyStoreSpi,
                   Provider provider,
                   String type)

Creates a KeyStore object of the given type, and encapsulates the given provider implementation (SPI object) in it.

Parameters:

keyStoreSpi - the provider implementation.

provider - the provider.

type - the keystore type.

Method Detail

getInstance

public static KeyStore getInstance(String type)
                            throws KeyStoreException

Generates a keystore object of the given type.

If the default provider package provides a keystore implementation of the given type, an instance of KeyStore containing that implementation is returned. If the requested keystore type is not available in the default package, other packages are searched.

Parameters:

type - the type of keystore. See Appendix A in the Java Cryptography Architecture API Specification & Reference for information about standard keystore types.

Returns:

a keystore object of the specified type.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the requested keystore type is not available in the default provider package or any of the other provider packages that were searched.

getInstance

public static KeyStore getInstance(String type,
                                   String provider)
                            throws KeyStoreException,
                                   NoSuchProviderException

Generates a keystore object for the specified keystore type from the specified provider.

Parameters:

type - the type of keystore. See Appendix A in the Java Cryptography Architecture API Specification & Reference for information about standard keystore types.

provider - the name of the provider.

Returns:

a keystore object of the specified type, as supplied by the specified provider.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the requested keystore type is not available from the provider.

NoSuchProviderException - if the provider has not been configured.

IllegalArgumentException - if the provider name is null or empty.

See Also:

Provider

getInstance

public static KeyStore getInstance(String type,
                                   Provider provider)
                            throws KeyStoreException

Generates a keystore object for the specified keystore type from the specified provider. Note: the provider doesn't have to be registered.

Parameters:

type - the type of keystore. See Appendix A in the Java Cryptography Architecture API Specification & Reference for information about standard keystore types.

provider - the provider.

Returns:

a keystore object of the specified type, as supplied by the specified provider.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the requested keystore type is not available from the provider.

IllegalArgumentException - if the provider is null.

Since:

1.4

See Also:

Provider

getProvider

public final Provider getProvider()

Returns the provider of this keystore.

Returns:

the provider of this keystore.

getType

public final String getType()

Returns the type of this keystore.

Returns:

the type of this keystore.

getKey

public final Key getKey(String alias,
                        char[] password)
                 throws KeyStoreException,
                        NoSuchAlgorithmException,
                        UnrecoverableKeyException

Returns the key associated with the given alias, using the given password to recover it.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

password - the password for recovering the key

Returns:

the requested key, or null if the given alias does not exist or does not identify a key entry.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

NoSuchAlgorithmException - if the algorithm for recovering the key cannot be found

UnrecoverableKeyException - if the key cannot be recovered (e.g., the given password is wrong).

getCertificateChain

public final Certificate[] getCertificateChain(String alias)
                                        throws KeyStoreException

Returns the certificate chain associated with the given alias.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

Returns:

the certificate chain (ordered with the user's certificate first and the root certificate authority last), or null if the given alias does not exist or does not contain a certificate chain (i.e., the given alias identifies either a trusted certificate entry or a key entry without a certificate chain).

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

getCertificate

public final Certificate getCertificate(String alias)
                                 throws KeyStoreException

Returns the certificate associated with the given alias.

If the given alias name identifies a trusted certificate entry, the certificate associated with that entry is returned. If the given alias name identifies a key entry, the first element of the certificate chain of that entry is returned, or null if that entry does not have a certificate chain.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

Returns:

the certificate, or null if the given alias does not exist or does not contain a certificate.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

getCreationDate

public final Date getCreationDate(String alias)
                           throws KeyStoreException

Returns the creation date of the entry identified by the given alias.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

Returns:

the creation date of this entry, or null if the given alias does not exist

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

setKeyEntry

public final void setKeyEntry(String alias,
                              Key key,
                              char[] password,
                              Certificate[] chain)
                       throws KeyStoreException

Assigns the given key to the given alias, protecting it with the given password.

If the given key is of type java.security.PrivateKey, it must be accompanied by a certificate chain certifying the corresponding public key.

If the given alias already exists, the keystore information associated with it is overridden by the given key (and possibly certificate chain).

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

key - the key to be associated with the alias

password - the password to protect the key

chain - the certificate chain for the corresponding public key (only required if the given key is of type java.security.PrivateKey).

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded), the given key cannot be protected, or this operation fails for some other reason

setKeyEntry

public final void setKeyEntry(String alias,
                              byte[] key,
                              Certificate[] chain)
                       throws KeyStoreException

Assigns the given key (that has already been protected) to the given alias.

If the protected key is of type java.security.PrivateKey, it must be accompanied by a certificate chain certifying the corresponding public key. If the underlying keystore implementation is of type jks, key must be encoded as an EncryptedPrivateKeyInfo as defined in the PKCS #8 standard.

If the given alias already exists, the keystore information associated with it is overridden by the given key (and possibly certificate chain).

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

key - the key (in protected format) to be associated with the alias

chain - the certificate chain for the corresponding public key (only useful if the protected key is of type java.security.PrivateKey).

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded), or if this operation fails for some other reason.

setCertificateEntry

public final void setCertificateEntry(String alias,
                                      Certificate cert)
                               throws KeyStoreException

Assigns the given certificate to the given alias.

If the given alias already exists in this keystore and identifies a trusted certificate entry, the certificate associated with it is overridden by the given certificate.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

cert - the certificate

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized, or the given alias already exists and does not identify a trusted certificate entry, or this operation fails for some other reason.

deleteEntry

public final void deleteEntry(String alias)
                       throws KeyStoreException

Deletes the entry identified by the given alias from this keystore.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized, or if the entry cannot be removed.

aliases

public final Enumeration aliases()
                          throws KeyStoreException

Lists all the alias names of this keystore.

Returns:

enumeration of the alias names

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

containsAlias

public final boolean containsAlias(String alias)
                            throws KeyStoreException

Checks if the given alias exists in this keystore.

Parameters:

alias - the alias name

Returns:

true if the alias exists, false otherwise

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

size

public final int size()
               throws KeyStoreException

Retrieves the number of entries in this keystore.

Returns:

the number of entries in this keystore

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

isKeyEntry

public final boolean isKeyEntry(String alias)
                         throws KeyStoreException

Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias is a key entry, and false otherwise.

Parameters:

alias - the alias for the keystore entry to be checked

Returns:

true if the entry identified by the given alias is a key entry, false otherwise.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

isCertificateEntry

public final boolean isCertificateEntry(String alias)
                                 throws KeyStoreException

Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias is a trusted certificate entry, and false otherwise.

Parameters:

alias - the alias for the keystore entry to be checked

Returns:

true if the entry identified by the given alias is a trusted certificate entry, false otherwise.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

getCertificateAlias

public final String getCertificateAlias(Certificate cert)
                                 throws KeyStoreException

Returns the (alias) name of the first keystore entry whose certificate matches the given certificate.

This method attempts to match the given certificate with each keystore entry. If the entry being considered is a trusted certificate entry, the given certificate is compared to that entry's certificate. If the entry being considered is a key entry, the given certificate is compared to the first element of that entry's certificate chain (if a chain exists).

Parameters:

cert - the certificate to match with.

Returns:

the (alias) name of the first entry with matching certificate, or null if no such entry exists in this keystore.

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

store

public final void store(OutputStream stream,
                        char[] password)
                 throws KeyStoreException,
                        IOException,
                        NoSuchAlgorithmException,
                        CertificateException

Stores this keystore to the given output stream, and protects its integrity with the given password.

Parameters:

stream - the output stream to which this keystore is written.

password - the password to generate the keystore integrity check

Throws:

KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

IOException - if there was an I/O problem with data

NoSuchAlgorithmException - if the appropriate data integrity algorithm could not be found

CertificateException - if any of the certificates included in the keystore data could not be stored

load

public final void load(InputStream stream,
                       char[] password)
                throws IOException,
                       NoSuchAlgorithmException,
                       CertificateException

Loads this KeyStore from the given input stream.

If a password is given, it is used to check the integrity of the keystore data. Otherwise, the integrity of the keystore is not checked.

In order to create an empty keystore, or if the keystore cannot be initialized from a stream (e.g., because it is stored on a hardware token device), you pass null as the stream argument.

Note that if this KeyStore has already been loaded, it is reinitialized and loaded again from the given input stream.

Parameters:

stream - the input stream from which the keystore is loaded, or null if an empty keystore is to be created.

password - the (optional) password used to check the integrity of the keystore.

Throws:

IOException - if there is an I/O or format problem with the keystore data

NoSuchAlgorithmException - if the algorithm used to check the integrity of the keystore cannot be found

CertificateException - if any of the certificates in the keystore could not be loaded

getDefaultType

public static final String getDefaultType()

Returns the default keystore type as specified in the Java security properties file, or the string "jks" (acronym for "Java keystore") if no such property exists. The Java security properties file is located in the file named <JAVA_HOME>/lib/security/java.security, where <JAVA_HOME> refers to the directory where the SDK was installed.

The default keystore type can be used by applications that do not want to use a hard-coded keystore type when calling one of the getInstance methods, and want to provide a default keystore type in case a user does not specify its own.

The default keystore type can be changed by setting the value of the "keystore.type" security property (in the Java security properties file) to the desired keystore type.

Returns:

the default keystore type as specified in the Java security properties file, or the string "jks" if no such property exists.