(Perl) 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 Perl Downloads Perl Module for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Alpine Linux, Solaris

use chilkat();

# 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.

$pkcs11 = chilkat::CkPkcs11->new();

# 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.
$pin = "0000";

# Normal user = 1
$userType = 1;

# Establish a logged-on user session with the HSM.
$success = $pkcs11->QuickSession($userType,$pin);
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pkcs11->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

# Provide a template to find a PKCS11 object.
$jsonTemplate = chilkat::CkJsonObject->new();

# 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");

$privKeyHandle = $pkcs11->FindObject($jsonTemplate);
if ($privKeyHandle == 0) {
    print $pkcs11->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

# 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:  
print "private key handle: " . $privKeyHandle . "\r\n";

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

$pubKeyHandle = $pkcs11->FindObject($jsonTemplate);
if ($pubKeyHandle == 0) {
    print $pkcs11->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

print "public key handle: " . $pubKeyHandle . "\r\n";

# Create an empty SSH key object, and tell it to use the PKCS11 handles.
# We also need to indicate the key type.
$sshKey = chilkat::CkSshKey->new();
$success = $sshKey->UsePkcs11($pkcs11,$privKeyHandle,$pubKeyHandle,"rsa");
if ($success == 0) {
    print $sshKey->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

# Create an SSH object and authenticate using the SSH key, which will utilize the existing PKCS11 session.
$ssh = chilkat::CkSsh->new();

$success = $ssh->Connect("my-ssh-server.com",22);
if ($success == 0) {
    print $ssh->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

# This is where the PKCS11 private key on the smart card is used.
$success = $ssh->AuthenticatePk("your_ssh_username",$sshKey);
if ($success == 0) {
    print $ssh->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

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

$ssh->Disconnect();

$pkcs11->Logout();
$pkcs11->CloseSession();