(SQL Server) Sign PDF using PAdES-Baseline-B

See more PDF Signatures Examples

PAdES-Baseline-B is the most basic, entry-level profile of the PDF Advanced Electronic Signatures (PAdES) standard.

It means:

• A PDF contains a CMS/PKCS#7 detached signature over the document’s byte range.
• /SubFilter must be ETSI.CAdES.detached.
• The signer’s X.509 certificate is included inside the signature.
• The signature uses recognized secure algorithms (e.g., SHA-256 with RSA/ECDSA).
• It proves document integrity (no changes since signing) and signer authenticity (certificate identifies who signed).
• It does not include time-stamps, revocation data (CRL/OCSP), or long-term validation information — those appear only in higher levels (PAdES-Baseline-T, -LT, -LTA).

In short: Baseline-B = a standard PDF digital signature that ensures integrity and origin, but without time or revocation guarantees.

Chilkat ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

-- Important: See this note about string length limitations for strings returned by sp_OAMethod calls.
--
CREATE PROCEDURE ChilkatSample
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @hr int
    -- Important: Do not use nvarchar(max).  See the warning about using nvarchar(max).
    DECLARE @sTmp0 nvarchar(4000)
    DECLARE @success int
    SELECT @success = 0

    DECLARE @pdf int
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Pdf', @pdf OUT
    IF @hr <> 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
        RETURN
    END

    -- Load a PDF to be signed.
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @pdf, 'LoadFile', @success OUT, 'c:/someDir/my.pdf'
    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @pdf, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @pdf
        RETURN
      END

    -- Options for signing are specified in JSON.
    DECLARE @json int
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.JsonObject', @json OUT

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'subFilter', '/ETSI.CAdES.detached'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateBool', @success OUT, 'signingCertificateV2', 1
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateBool', @success OUT, 'signingTime', 1
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'signingAlgorithm', 'pkcs'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'hashAlgorithm', 'sha256'

    -- -----------------------------------------------------------
    -- The following JSON settings define the signature appearance.
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateInt', @success OUT, 'page', 1
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'appearance.y', 'top'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'appearance.x', 'left'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'appearance.fontScale', '10.0'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'appearance.text[0]', 'Digitally signed by: cert_cn'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'appearance.text[1]', 'current_dt'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @json, 'UpdateString', @success OUT, 'appearance.text[2]', 'Hello 123 ABC'

    -- --------------------------------------------------------------
    -- Load the signing certificate. (Use your own certificate.)
    -- Note: There are other methods for using a certificate on an HSM (smartcard or token)
    -- or from other sources, such as a cloud HSM, a Windows installed certificate,
    -- or other file formats.
    DECLARE @cert int
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Cert', @cert OUT

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @cert, 'LoadPfxFile', @success OUT, 'c:/myPfxFiles/myPdfSigningCert.pfx', 'pfxPassword'
    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @cert, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @pdf
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @json
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @cert
        RETURN
      END

    -- Once we have the certificate object, tell the PDF object to use it for signing
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @pdf, 'SetSigningCert', @success OUT, @cert
    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @pdf, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @pdf
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @json
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @cert
        RETURN
      END

    -- Sign the PDF, creating the output file.
    DECLARE @outFilePath nvarchar(4000)
    SELECT @outFilePath = 'c:/someDir/mySigned.pdf'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @pdf, 'SignPdf', @success OUT, @json, @outFilePath
    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @pdf, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @pdf
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @json
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @cert
        RETURN
      END


    PRINT 'Success.'

    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @pdf
    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @json
    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @cert


END
GO