VB.NET

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.

VB.NET

Dim success As Boolean = 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.

Dim pkcs11 As New Chilkat.Pkcs11

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

' Use your HSM's PIN.
Dim pin As String = "0000"

' Normal user = 1
Dim userType As Integer = 1

' Establish a logged-on user session with the HSM.
success = pkcs11.QuickSession(userType,pin)
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(pkcs11.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


' Provide a template to find a PKCS11 object.
Dim jsonTemplate As New Chilkat.JsonObject

' 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")

Dim privKeyHandle As UInt32 = pkcs11.FindObject(jsonTemplate)
If (privKeyHandle = 0) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(pkcs11.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


' 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:  
Debug.WriteLine("private key handle: " & 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")

Dim pubKeyHandle As UInt32 = pkcs11.FindObject(jsonTemplate)
If (pubKeyHandle = 0) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(pkcs11.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


Debug.WriteLine("public key handle: " & pubKeyHandle)

' Create an empty SSH key object, and tell it to use the PKCS11 handles.
' We also need to indicate the key type.
Dim sshKey As New Chilkat.SshKey
success = sshKey.UsePkcs11(pkcs11,privKeyHandle,pubKeyHandle,"rsa")
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(sshKey.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


' Create an SSH object and authenticate using the SSH key, which will utilize the existing PKCS11 session.
Dim ssh As New Chilkat.Ssh

success = ssh.Connect("my-ssh-server.com",22)
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(ssh.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


' This is where the PKCS11 private key on the smart card is used.
success = ssh.AuthenticatePk("your_ssh_username",sshKey)
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(ssh.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


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

ssh.Disconnect()

pkcs11.Logout()
pkcs11.CloseSession()