File-Based -Certificate and Key Stores Overview

File-Based -Certificate and Key Stores Overview -

The File-Based Certificate and Key Stores manage cryptography certificates, -keys and certificate applications in a device.

Required background

To understand File-Based Certificate -and Key Stores, you need to have a basic understanding of the following:

Crypto-Token -Framework

Key concepts and terms

Token: A token is a physical instantiation of an object, such as a certificate -or a key, stored in a phone. Each token belongs to a group of tokens called -a token type. For example, an X.509 certificate is a token which belongs to -the X.509 token type.
Key: A cryptography key is a constant value applied using a cryptographic -algorithm to encrypt text or to decrypt encrypted text.

Keys are classified -as symmetric and asymmetric based on the type of algorithm applied. If the -same key is used for both encryption and decryption, it is symmetric. If different -keys are used for encryption and decryption, they are asymmetric. Asymmetric -keys exist in the form of a public and private key pair, where the public -key is used for encryption and the private key is used for decryption.
Certificate: A certificate (or Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate) is an -electronic document that binds an identity to a public key. It is used to -authenticate public keys.

Certificates are issued by a certification -authority (CA) and usually include information such as a label, serial number, -validity period, certificate format (for example, X.509) and algorithm type -(for example, RSA).
Certificate Store: A certificate store is a database or a file that stores and manipulates -certificates.

Certificate stores typically provide the following functionality:

-
Generation, storage -and retrieval of certificates

-
Assigning trust status -to certificates

-
Retrieving list of applications -trusting a certificate

-
Key Store: A key store is a repository of keys that can be retrieved and used -to accomplish a variety of tasks.

Key stores typically provide the -following functionality:

-
Generation, import and -export of RSA, DSA, and DH key pairs

-
Listing stored keys

-
Performing private key -operations for authenticated users

-
Certificate Applications Store: The certificate applications store holds a list of the human-readable -names and UIDs of applications that make use of (trust) the certificates held -in the certificate stores.

Architecture

See the Architecture section -of the Crypto-Token -Framework Overview for details.

Description

The Symbian platform provides -device creators with a file-based software plug-in implementation of key, -certificate and certificate application stores in the device such that these -can be directly used. These stores are implemented using the Crypto-Token -Framework. They are deployed ahead of the device creators' stores at -ROM build.

The Unified -Store APIs form the single point of access for applications that require -access to certificates, keys and certificate applications in the device. While -the Unified Certificate -Store API provides a unified view of all the certificate stores and -the certificate applications stores in the device, the Unified -Key Store API provides a similar view of all the key stores in the -device. Although applications can bypass the Unified Stores and gain access -through additional, configurable plug-in interfaces of the file-based certificate -and key stores, this is not recommended.

Device creators can choose -to exclude this component at the time of ROM build. However, at least one -implementation of the stores (Symbian's or the device creator's implementation) -must be available to ensure the normal functioning of the applications that -use the certificates, keys and certificate applications in the device.

Note: Device -creators, by default, are provided with tools to manipulate certificate and -key stores. For details of these tools, see Certtool and Keytool.

APIs

See the Key Classes section of the Crypto-Token Framework Overview for -details.

Typical uses

See the following sections for details -of the typical uses of the certificate and key stores:

Unified -Certificate Store Tutorial
Unified -Key Store Tutorials

-Crypto-Token -Framework -Unified Store - + + + + + +File-Based +Certificate and Key Stores Overview +

The File-Based Certificate and Key Stores manage cryptography certificates, +keys and certificate applications in a device.

Required background

To understand File-Based Certificate +and Key Stores, you need to have a basic understanding of the following:

Crypto-Token +Framework

Key concepts and terms

Token: A token is a physical instantiation of an object, such as a certificate +or a key, stored in a phone. Each token belongs to a group of tokens called +a token type. For example, an X.509 certificate is a token which belongs to +the X.509 token type.
Key: A cryptography key is a constant value applied using a cryptographic +algorithm to encrypt text or to decrypt encrypted text.

Keys are classified +as symmetric and asymmetric based on the type of algorithm applied. If the +same key is used for both encryption and decryption, it is symmetric. If different +keys are used for encryption and decryption, they are asymmetric. Asymmetric +keys exist in the form of a public and private key pair, where the public +key is used for encryption and the private key is used for decryption.
Certificate: A certificate (or Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate) is an +electronic document that binds an identity to a public key. It is used to +authenticate public keys.

Certificates are issued by a certification +authority (CA) and usually include information such as a label, serial number, +validity period, certificate format (for example, X.509) and algorithm type +(for example, RSA).
Certificate Store: A certificate store is a database or a file that stores and manipulates +certificates.

Certificate stores typically provide the following functionality:

+
Generation, storage +and retrieval of certificates

+
Assigning trust status +to certificates

+
Retrieving list of applications +trusting a certificate

+
Key Store: A key store is a repository of keys that can be retrieved and used +to accomplish a variety of tasks.

Key stores typically provide the +following functionality:

+
Generation, import and +export of RSA, DSA, and DH key pairs

+
Listing stored keys

+
Performing private key +operations for authenticated users

+
Certificate Applications Store: The certificate applications store holds a list of the human-readable +names and UIDs of applications that make use of (trust) the certificates held +in the certificate stores.

Architecture

See the Architecture section +of the Crypto-Token +Framework Overview for details.

Description

The Symbian platform provides +device creators with a file-based software plug-in implementation of key, +certificate and certificate application stores in the device such that these +can be directly used. These stores are implemented using the Crypto-Token +Framework. They are deployed ahead of the device creators' stores at +ROM build.

The Unified +Store APIs form the single point of access for applications that require +access to certificates, keys and certificate applications in the device. While +the Unified Certificate +Store API provides a unified view of all the certificate stores and +the certificate applications stores in the device, the Unified +Key Store API provides a similar view of all the key stores in the +device. Although applications can bypass the Unified Stores and gain access +through additional, configurable plug-in interfaces of the file-based certificate +and key stores, this is not recommended.

Device creators can choose +to exclude this component at the time of ROM build. However, at least one +implementation of the stores (Symbian's or the device creator's implementation) +must be available to ensure the normal functioning of the applications that +use the certificates, keys and certificate applications in the device.

Note: Device +creators, by default, are provided with tools to manipulate certificate and +key stores. For details of these tools, see Certtool and Keytool.

APIs

See the Key Classes section of the Crypto-Token Framework Overview for +details.

Typical uses

See the following sections for details +of the typical uses of the certificate and key stores:

Unified +Certificate Store Tutorial
Unified +Key Store Tutorials

+Crypto-Token +Framework +Unified Store +

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