KeyStore JDK 1.6)

Description

public class KeyStore

This class represents a storage facility for cryptographic keys and certificates.

A KeyStore manages different types of entries. Each type of entry implements the KeyStore.Entry interface. Three basic KeyStore.Entry implementations are provided:

KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry
This type of entry holds a cryptographic PrivateKey, which is optionally stored in a protected format to prevent unauthorized access. It is also accompanied by a 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.
KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry
This type of entry holds a cryptographic SecretKey, which is optionally stored in a protected format to prevent unauthorized access.
KeyStore.TrustedCertificateEntry
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 aliases are case sensitive is implementation dependent. In order to avoid problems, it is recommended not to use aliases in a KeyStore that only differ in case.

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).

Typical ways to request a KeyStore object include relying on the default type and providing a specific keystore type.

To rely on the default type:
```
    KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType());
 
```
The system will return a keystore implementation for the default type.
To provide a specific keystore type:
```
      KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance("JKS");
 
```
The system will return the most preferred implementation of the specified keystore type available in the environment.

Before a keystore can be accessed, it must be loaded.

    KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType());

    // get user password and file input stream
    char[] password = getPassword();

    java.io.FileInputStream fis = null;
    try {
        fis = new java.io.FileInputStream("keyStoreName");
        ks.load(fis, password);
    } finally {
        if (fis != null) {
            fis.close();
        }
    }

To create an empty keystore using the above load method, pass null as the InputStream argument.

Once the keystore has been loaded, it is possible to read existing entries from the keystore, or to write new entries into the keystore:

    // get my private key
    KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry pkEntry = (KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry)
        ks.getEntry("privateKeyAlias", password);
    PrivateKey myPrivateKey = pkEntry.getPrivateKey();

    // save my secret key
    javax.crypto.SecretKey mySecretKey;
    KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry skEntry =
        new KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry(mySecretKey);
    ks.setEntry("secretKeyAlias", skEntry, 
        new KeyStore.PasswordProtection(password));

    // store away the keystore
    java.io.FileOutputStream fos = null;
    try {
        fos = new java.io.FileOutputStream("newKeyStoreName");
        ks.store(fos, password);
    } finally {
        if (fos != null) {
            fos.close();
        }
    }

Note that although the same password may be used to load the keystore, to protect the private key entry, to protect the secret key entry, and to store the keystore (as is shown in the sample code above), different passwords or other protection parameters may also be used.

See also: PrivateKey SecretKey Certificate

Methods

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publicfinal Enumeration<String> aliases () throws KeyStoreException

Lists all the alias names of this keystore.

publicfinal boolean containsAlias (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

Checks if the given alias exists in this keystore.

publicfinal void deleteEntry (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

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

publicfinal boolean entryInstanceOf (String alias, Class<Entry> entryClass) throws KeyStoreException

Determines if the keystore Entry for the specified alias is an instance or subclass of the specified entryClass.

Determines if the keystore Entry for the specified
alias is an instance or subclass of the specified
entryClass.
Returns: true if the keystore Entry for the specified alias is an instance or subclass of the specified entryClass, false otherwise
Parameters:
- alias - the alias name
- entryClass - the entry class
Throws:
- NullPointerException - if alias or entryClass is null
- KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded)
Since: 1.5

publicfinal Certificate getCertificate (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

Returns the certificate associated with the given alias.

publicfinal String getCertificateAlias (Certificate cert) throws KeyStoreException

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

publicfinal Certificate getCertificateChain (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

Returns the certificate chain associated with the given alias.

Returns the certificate chain associated with the given alias.
The certificate chain must have been associated with the alias
by a call to setKeyEntry,
or by a call to setEntry with a
PrivateKeyEntry.
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
Parameters:
- alias - the alias name
Throws:
- KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

publicfinal Date getCreationDate (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

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

publicfinalstatic 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.

publicfinal Entry getEntry (String alias, ProtectionParameter protParam) throws NoSuchAlgorithmException UnrecoverableEntryException KeyStoreException

Gets a keystore Entry for the specified alias with the specified protection parameter.

Gets a keystore Entry for the specified alias
with the specified protection parameter.
Returns: the keystore Entry for the specified alias, or null if there is no such entry
Parameters:
- alias - get the keystore Entry for this alias
- protParam - the ProtectionParameter used to protect the Entry, which may be null
Throws:
- NullPointerException - if alias is null
- NoSuchAlgorithmException - if the algorithm for recovering the entry cannot be found
- UnrecoverableEntryException - if the specified protParam were insufficient or invalid
- UnrecoverableKeyException - if the entry is a PrivateKeyEntry or SecretKeyEntry and the specified protParam does not contain the information needed to recover the key (e.g. wrong password)
- KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).
Since: 1.5
See Also: KeyStore.setEntry(String, KeyStore.Entry, KeyStore.ProtectionParameter),

publicstatic KeyStore getInstance (String type) throws KeyStoreException

Returns a keystore object of the specified type.

publicstatic KeyStore getInstance (String type, Provider provider) throws KeyStoreException

Returns a keystore object of the specified type.

publicstatic KeyStore getInstance (String type, String provider) throws KeyStoreException NoSuchProviderException

Returns a keystore object of the specified type.

publicfinal 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.

Returns the key associated with the given alias, using the given
password to recover it. The key must have been associated with
the alias by a call to setKeyEntry,
or by a call to setEntry with a
PrivateKeyEntry or SecretKeyEntry.
Returns: the requested key, or null if the given alias does not exist or does not identify a key-related entry.
Parameters:
- alias - the alias name
- password - the password for recovering the key
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).

publicfinal Provider getProvider ()

Returns the provider of this keystore.

publicfinal String getType ()

Returns the type of this keystore.

publicfinal boolean isCertificateEntry (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias was created by a call to setCertificateEntry, or created by a call to setEntry with a TrustedCertificateEntry.

Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias
was created by a call to setCertificateEntry,
or created by a call to setEntry with a
TrustedCertificateEntry.
Returns: true if the entry identified by the given alias contains a trusted certificate, false otherwise.
Parameters:
- alias - the alias for the keystore entry to be checked
Throws:
- KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

publicfinal boolean isKeyEntry (String alias) throws KeyStoreException

Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias was created by a call to setKeyEntry, or created by a call to setEntry with a PrivateKeyEntry or a SecretKeyEntry.

Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias
was created by a call to setKeyEntry,
or created by a call to setEntry with a
PrivateKeyEntry or a SecretKeyEntry.
Returns: true if the entry identified by the given alias is a key-related entry, false otherwise.
Parameters:
- alias - the alias for the keystore entry to be checked
Throws:
- KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

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

Loads this KeyStore from the given input stream.

publicfinal void load (LoadStoreParameter param) throws IOException NoSuchAlgorithmException CertificateException

Loads this keystore using the given LoadStoreParameter.

Note that if this KeyStore has already been loaded, it is reinitialized and loaded again from the given parameter.
Parameters:
- param - the LoadStoreParameter that specifies how to load the keystore, which may be null
Throws:
- IllegalArgumentException - if the given LoadStoreParameter input is not recognized
- IOException - if there is an I/O or format problem with the keystore data. If the error is due to an incorrect ProtectionParameter (e.g. wrong password) the {@link Throwable#getCause cause} of the IOException should be an UnrecoverableKeyException
- 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
Since: 1.5

publicfinal void setCertificateEntry (String alias, Certificate cert) throws KeyStoreException

Assigns the given trusted certificate to the given alias.

publicfinal void setEntry (String alias, Entry entry, ProtectionParameter protParam) throws KeyStoreException

Saves a keystore Entry under the specified alias.

Saves a keystore Entry under the specified alias. The protection parameter is used to protect the Entry.

If an entry already exists for the specified alias, it is overridden.
Parameters:
- alias - save the keystore Entry under this alias
- entry - the Entry to save
- protParam - the ProtectionParameter used to protect the Entry, which may be null
Throws:
- NullPointerException - if alias or entry is null
- KeyStoreException - if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded), or if this operation fails for some other reason
Since: 1.5
See Also: KeyStore.getEntry(String, KeyStore.ProtectionParameter),

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

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

publicfinal 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.

publicfinal int size () throws KeyStoreException

Retrieves the number of entries in this keystore.

publicfinal void store (LoadStoreParameter param) throws KeyStoreException IOException NoSuchAlgorithmException CertificateException

Stores this keystore using the given LoadStoreParameter.

Stores this keystore using the given LoadStoreParameter.
Parameters:
- param - the LoadStoreParameter that specifies how to store the keystore, which may be null
Throws:
- IllegalArgumentException - if the given LoadStoreParameter input is not recognized
- 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
Since: 1.5

publicfinal 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.