C++

Working with PEM Encrypted Private Keys

See more PEM Examples

Demonstrates how to load and save PEM encrypted private keys. C++

#include <CkPem.h>
#include <CkFileAccess.h>
#include <CkPrivateKey.h>

void ChilkatSample(void)
    {
    bool success = false;

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

    success = false;

    CkPem pem;

    const char *pemPassword = "secret";

    // To load a PEM file containing encrypted private keys, simply
    // provide the password.
    success = pem.LoadPemFile("/Users/chilkat/testData/pem/pemContainingEncryptedPrivateKeys.pem",pemPassword);
    if (success == false) {
        std::cout << pem.lastErrorText() << "\r\n";
        return;
    }

    CkFileAccess fac;
    const char *pemText = fac.readEntireTextFile("/Users/chilkat/testData/pem/pemContainingEncryptedPrivateKeys.pem",pemPassword);

    // To load a PEM from a string, call LoadPem instead of LoadPemFile:
    success = pem.LoadPem(pemText);
    if (success == false) {
        std::cout << pem.lastErrorText() << "\r\n";
        return;
    }

    // A few notes:
    // The PEM may contain both private keys and certificates (or anything else).
    // The password is utilized for whatever content in the PEM is encrypted.  
    // It is OK to have both encrypted and non-encrypted content within a given PEM.

    // PEM private keys can be encrypted in different formats.  The LoadPem and LoadPemFile
    // methods automatically handle the different formats.
    // One format is PKCS8 and is indicated by this delimiter within the PEM:

    // -----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
    // MIICoTAbBgkqhkiG9w0BBQMwDgQIfdD0zv24lgkCAggABIICgE0PdHJmRbNs6cBX
    // ...

    // Another format, we'll call "passphrase" looks like this in the PEM:
    // -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
    // Proc-Type: 4,ENCRYPTED
    // DEK-Info: DES-EDE3-CBC,A4215544D11C5D0C
    // 
    // paqy9XRexcSjurHfG0xhCaUD0HrvIdhuC0CbRxxxeMlkLaV6+uT80rBxt2AaibWG
    // ...

    // Show the bit length of each private key:
    int i;
    int numPrivateKeys = pem.get_NumPrivateKeys();
    if (numPrivateKeys == 0) {
        std::cout << (("Error: Expected the PEM to contain private keys.")) << "\r\n";
        return;
    }

    CkPrivateKey privKey;
    for (i = 1; i <= numPrivateKeys; i++) {
        pem.PrivateKeyAt(i - 1,privKey);
        std::cout << i << ": " << privKey.get_BitLength() << " bits" << "\r\n";
    }
    }