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Android™

SSH Authenticate using Smart Card Private Key

See more SSH Examples

Demonstrates how to use a private key stored on an HSM (smartcard or token) for SSH public-key authentication. (Public-key authentication means the client, which is your application, uses the private key, while the corresponding public key is installed on the server under your SSH account.)

Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.96 or later.

Chilkat Android™ Downloads

Android™
// Important: Don't forget to include the call to System.loadLibrary
// as shown at the bottom of this code sample.
package com.test;

import android.app.Activity;
import com.chilkatsoft.*;

import android.widget.TextView;
import android.os.Bundle;

public class SimpleActivity extends Activity {

  private static final String TAG = "Chilkat";

  // Called when the activity is first created.
  @Override
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

    boolean success = false;

    // This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    // See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    // Note: Chilkat's PKCS11 implementation runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and other supported operating systems.

    CkPkcs11 pkcs11 = new CkPkcs11();

    // Use the PKCS11 driver (.dll, .so, .dylib) for your particular HSM.
    // For example:
    pkcs11.put_SharedLibPath("C:/Program Files (x86)/Gemalto/IDGo 800 PKCS#11/IDPrimePKCS11.dll");

    // Use your HSM's PIN.
    String pin = "0000";

    // Normal user = 1
    int userType = 1;

    // Establish a logged-on user session with the HSM.
    success = pkcs11.QuickSession(userType,pin);
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, pkcs11.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    // Provide a template to find a PKCS11 object.
    CkJsonObject jsonTemplate = new CkJsonObject();

    // Find an RSA private key with the label "MySshKey".
    // Here's an example of how the key was originally imported: 
    // PKCS11 Import SSH Key
    jsonTemplate.UpdateString("class","private_key");
    jsonTemplate.UpdateString("key_type","rsa");
    jsonTemplate.UpdateString("label","MySshKey");

    int privKeyHandle = pkcs11.FindObject(jsonTemplate);
    if (privKeyHandle == 0) {
        Log.i(TAG, pkcs11.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    // The private key handle is only valid during the PKCS11 session.
    // If you wish to use the private key in another PKCS11 session,
    // you'll first need to find it.  See:  
    Log.i(TAG, "private key handle: " + String.valueOf(privKeyHandle));

    // We'll also need the PKCS11 public key handle
    // Modify the template by updating the "class" to "public_key"
    jsonTemplate.UpdateString("class","public_key");

    int pubKeyHandle = pkcs11.FindObject(jsonTemplate);
    if (pubKeyHandle == 0) {
        Log.i(TAG, pkcs11.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    Log.i(TAG, "public key handle: " + String.valueOf(pubKeyHandle));

    // Create an empty SSH key object, and tell it to use the PKCS11 handles.
    // We also need to indicate the key type.
    CkSshKey sshKey = new CkSshKey();
    success = sshKey.UsePkcs11(pkcs11,privKeyHandle,pubKeyHandle,"rsa");
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, sshKey.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    // Create an SSH object and authenticate using the SSH key, which will utilize the existing PKCS11 session.
    CkSsh ssh = new CkSsh();

    success = ssh.Connect("my-ssh-server.com",22);
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, ssh.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    // This is where the PKCS11 private key on the smart card is used.
    success = ssh.AuthenticatePk("your_ssh_username",sshKey);
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, ssh.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    // Do whatever it is your app needs to do using the authenticated SSH session....
    // ...
    // ...

    ssh.Disconnect();

    pkcs11.Logout();
    pkcs11.CloseSession();

  }

  static {
      System.loadLibrary("chilkat");

      // Note: If the incorrect library name is passed to System.loadLibrary,
      // then you will see the following error message at application startup:
      //"The application <your-application-name> has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again."
  }
}