C
C
SSH Authenticate using a Smart Card Private Key
See more SSH Examples
Demonstrates using a private key stored on an HSM (smart card or token) for SSH public-key authentication. A JSON template locates the private and public key objects by class, key type, and label, and the returned handles are bound to an SshKey object.
Background: PKCS#11 objects are found by attribute rather than by name alone, which is why a template describing the class, key type, and label is used. An important practical detail is that the returned handles are valid only for the lifetime of the PKCS#11 session — they cannot be cached and reused later, so a subsequent session must locate the objects again. Logging out and closing the session when finished releases the device for other applications.
Chilkat C Downloads
#include <C_CkPkcs11.h>
#include <C_CkJsonObject.h>
#include <C_CkSshKey.h>
#include <C_CkSsh.h>
void ChilkatSample(void)
{
BOOL success;
HCkPkcs11 pkcs11;
const char *pin;
int userType;
HCkJsonObject jsonTemplate;
unsigned long privKeyHandle;
unsigned long pubKeyHandle;
HCkSshKey sshKey;
HCkSsh ssh;
int port;
success = FALSE;
// This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
// See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.
// Demonstrates using a private key stored on an HSM (smart card or token) for SSH public-key
// authentication. Public-key authentication means the client uses the private key, while the
// corresponding public key is installed on the server under the SSH account.
//
// Note: Chilkat's PKCS#11 implementation runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and other supported
// operating systems.
pkcs11 = CkPkcs11_Create();
// Use the PKCS#11 driver (.dll, .so, or .dylib) for your particular HSM.
CkPkcs11_putSharedLibPath(pkcs11,"C:/Program Files (x86)/Gemalto/IDGo 800 PKCS#11/IDPrimePKCS11.dll");
// The HSM PIN should come from a secure source rather than being hard-coded.
pin = "0000";
// Normal user = 1
userType = 1;
success = CkPkcs11_QuickSession(pkcs11,userType,pin);
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkPkcs11_lastErrorText(pkcs11));
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
return;
}
// Provide a template describing the PKCS#11 object to find: an RSA private key labeled
// "MySshKey". For how such a key is originally imported, see
// PKCS11 Import SSH Key
jsonTemplate = CkJsonObject_Create();
CkJsonObject_UpdateString(jsonTemplate,"class","private_key");
CkJsonObject_UpdateString(jsonTemplate,"key_type","rsa");
CkJsonObject_UpdateString(jsonTemplate,"label","MySshKey");
privKeyHandle = CkPkcs11_FindObject(pkcs11,jsonTemplate);
if (privKeyHandle == 0) {
printf("%s\n",CkPkcs11_lastErrorText(pkcs11));
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
CkJsonObject_Dispose(jsonTemplate);
return;
}
// The handle is only valid for the duration of this PKCS#11 session. To use the key in a
// later session, find it again.
printf("private key handle: %u\n",privKeyHandle);
// Find the corresponding public key by changing the class in the same template.
CkJsonObject_UpdateString(jsonTemplate,"class","public_key");
pubKeyHandle = CkPkcs11_FindObject(pkcs11,jsonTemplate);
if (pubKeyHandle == 0) {
printf("%s\n",CkPkcs11_lastErrorText(pkcs11));
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
CkJsonObject_Dispose(jsonTemplate);
return;
}
printf("public key handle: %u\n",pubKeyHandle);
// Create an empty SSH key object and tell it to use the PKCS#11 handles, indicating the key type.
sshKey = CkSshKey_Create();
success = CkSshKey_UsePkcs11(sshKey,pkcs11,privKeyHandle,pubKeyHandle,"rsa");
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSshKey_lastErrorText(sshKey));
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
CkJsonObject_Dispose(jsonTemplate);
CkSshKey_Dispose(sshKey);
return;
}
ssh = CkSsh_Create();
port = 22;
success = CkSsh_Connect(ssh,"ssh.example.com",port);
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
CkJsonObject_Dispose(jsonTemplate);
CkSshKey_Dispose(sshKey);
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
// Authentication uses the existing PKCS#11 session. The signing happens on the smart card --
// the private key never leaves the device.
success = CkSsh_AuthenticatePk(ssh,"mySshLogin",sshKey);
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
CkJsonObject_Dispose(jsonTemplate);
CkSshKey_Dispose(sshKey);
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
printf("Public-key authentication successful.\n");
// ... use the authenticated SSH session ...
CkSsh_Disconnect(ssh);
CkPkcs11_Logout(pkcs11);
CkPkcs11_CloseSession(pkcs11);
CkPkcs11_Dispose(pkcs11);
CkJsonObject_Dispose(jsonTemplate);
CkSshKey_Dispose(sshKey);
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
}