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Certify

Specifications

This request is used to generate a Certificate object for a public key. This request supports the certification of a new public key, as well as the certification of a public key that has already been certified (i.e., certificate update). Only a single certificate SHALL be requested at a time.

The Certificate Request object MAY be omitted, in which case the public key for which a Certificate object is generated SHALL be specified by its Unique Identifier only. If the Certificate Request Type and the Certificate Request objects are omitted from the request, then the Certificate Type SHALL be specified using the Attributes object.

The Certificate Request is passed as a Byte String, which allows multiple certificate request types for X.509 certificates (e.g., PKCS#10, PEM, etc.) to be submitted to the server.

The generated Certificate object whose Unique Identifier is returned MAY be obtained by the client via a Get operation in the same batch, using the ID Placeholder mechanism.

For the public key, the server SHALL create a Link attribute of Link Type Certificate pointing to the generated certificate. For the generated certificate, the server SHALL create a Link attribute of Link Type Public Key pointing to the Public Key.

The server SHALL copy the Unique Identifier of the generated certificate returned by this operation into the ID Placeholder variable.

If the information in the Certificate Request conflicts with the attributes specified in the Attributes, then the information in the Certificate Request takes precedence.

Implementation

The KMIP implementation does not:

  • specify how the signer is selected and whether self-signing is allowed
  • specify how the certificate extensions are provided
  • and only supports Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and certifying public keys

Cosmian has extended the specifications and offers 4 possibilities to generate a certificate

  1. Providing a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
  2. Providiong a public key id to certify as well as a subject name
  3. Providing an existing certificate id to re-certify
  4. Generating a keypair then signing the public key to generate a certificate specifying a subject name and an algorithm

The signer is specified by providing an issuer private key id and/or an issuer certificate via the Links in the attributes of the request. If only one of this parameter is specified, the other one will be inferred from the links of the cryptographic object behind the provided parameter.

If no signer is provided, the certificate will be self-signed. It is not possible to self-sign a CSR.

When re-certifying a certificate, if no certificate unique identifier is provided, the original certificate id will be used and the original certificate will be replaced by the new one. In all other cases, a random certificate id will be generated.

Supply X509 extensions (optional)

Specify X509 extensions for a Certify operation is possible using the ckms CLI.

The --certificate-extensions arg (short version -e) expects a path to a configuration file written in ini format (roughly the same format as OpenSSL X509 v3 cert extension cnf format).

The extensions may be part of a paragraph called v3_ca.

Example of a configuration file containing v3_ca parag describing extensions to add:

[v3_ca]
basicConstraints=critical,CA:FALSE,pathlen:0
keyUsage=keyCertSign,digitalSignature
extendedKeyUsage=emailProtection
crlDistributionPoints=URI:http://cse.example.com/crl.pem

These extensions are embedded in the Certify request within the vendor attributes.

Example of the corresponding ckms CLI command:

ckms certificates certify \
  -r my_cert.csr -k 854d7914-3b1d-461a-a2dd-7aad27043b56 -d 365 -t "MyCert" \
  -e /some/path/to/ext.cnf

Example - PKCS#10 Certificate Signing Request

Certify a PKCS#10 Certificate Signing Request (CSR) with the issuer private key unique identifier 854d7914-3b1d-461a-a2dd-7aad27043b56, and set the certificate requested validity to 365 days and the tag to MyCert.

The corresponding ckms CLI command is:

ckms certificates certify -r my_cert.csr -k 854d7914-3b1d-461a-a2dd-7aad27043b56 -d 365 -t "MyCert"

Note: the ckms client converts the CSR from PEM TO DER before creating the JSON TTLV and sending it to the server.

    {
      "tag": "Certify",
      "type": "Structure",
      "value": [
        {
          "tag": "CertificateRequestType",
          "type": "Enumeration",
          "value": "PEM"
        },
        {
          "tag": "CertificateRequestValue",
          "type": "ByteString",
          // the PKCS#10 Certificate Signing Request DER bytes encoded in hex
          "value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
        },
        {
          "tag": "Attributes",
          "type": "Structure",
          "value": [
            {
              "tag": "Link",
              "type": "Structure",
              "value": [
                {
                  "tag": "Link",
                  "type": "Structure",
                  "value": [
                    {
                      "tag": "LinkType",
                      "type": "Enumeration",
                      "value": "PrivateKeyLink"
                    },
                    {
                      "tag": "LinkedObjectIdentifier",
                      "type": "TextString",
                      // The issuer private key unique identifier
                      "value": "854d7914-3b1d-461a-a2dd-7aad27043b56"
                    }
                  ]
                }
              ]
            },
            {
              "tag": "ObjectType",
              "type": "Enumeration",
              "value": "Certificate"
            },
            {
              "tag": "VendorAttributes",
              "type": "Structure",
              "value": [
                {
                  "tag": "VendorAttributes",
                  "type": "Structure",
                  "value": [
                    {
                      "tag": "VendorIdentification",
                      "type": "TextString",
                      "value": "cosmian"
                    },
                    {
                      "tag": "AttributeName",
                      "type": "TextString",
                      "value": "requested_validity_days"
                    },
                    {
                      "tag": "AttributeValue",
                      "type": "ByteString",
                      // 365 as a string in UTF-8 bytes encoded in hex
                      "value": "333635"
                    }
                  ]
                },
                {
                  "tag": "VendorAttributes",
                  "type": "Structure",
                  "value": [
                    {
                      "tag": "VendorIdentification",
                      "type": "TextString",
                      "value": "cosmian"
                    },
                    {
                      "tag": "AttributeName",
                      "type": "TextString",
                      "value": "tag"
                    },
                    {
                      "tag": "AttributeValue",
                      "type": "ByteString",
                        // ["MyCert"] as UTF-8 bytes encoded in hex
                      "value": "5B224D7943657274225D"
                    }
                  ]
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
    {
      "tag": "CertifyResponse",
      "type": "Structure",
      "value": [
        {
          "tag": "UniqueIdentifier",
          "type": "TextString",
          "value": "b7225902-a035-45e6-a3d2-fa65c0ca7af1"
        }
      ]
    }

Example - Public key

Certify a public key with unique id 45e56e67-d813-468f-9116-4d1e611a1828 using the issuer private key 45e56e67-d813-468f-9116-4d1e611a1828. Set the Subject Name of the certificate to C=FR, ST=IdF, L=Paris, O=AcmeTest, [email protected], the tag to Bob and the certificate requested validity to 365 days.

The corresponding ckms CLI command is

ckms certificates certify -p 45e56e67-d813-468f-9116-4d1e611a1828 -k 854d7914-3b1d-461a-a2dd-7aad27043b56 \
-d 365 -t "Bob" --subject-name "C=FR, ST=IdF, L=Paris, O=AcmeTest, [email protected]"

Please note the following in the JSON TTLV of the request:

  • the various Subject Name fields that are set for the certificate
  • the Subject Name issuer fields are ignored: they will be copied from the certificate linked to the issuer private key
{
  "tag": "Certify",
  "type": "Structure",
  "value": [
    {
      "tag": "UniqueIdentifier",
      "type": "TextString",
      // the public key unique identifier
      "value": "45e56e67-d813-468f-9116-4d1e611a1828"
    },
    {
      "tag": "Attributes",
      "type": "Structure",
      "value": [
        {
          "tag": "CertificateAttributes",
          "type": "Structure",
          "value": [
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectCn",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Common Name of the certificate
              "value": "[email protected]"
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectO",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Organization of the certificate
              "value": "AcmeTest"
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectOu",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Organizational Unit of the certificate
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectEmail",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Email of the certificate
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectC",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Country of the certificate
              "value": "FR"
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectSt",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the State of the certificate
              "value": "IdF"
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectL",
              "type": "TextString",
                // the Locality of the certificate
              "value": "Paris"
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectUid",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Unique Identifier of the certificate: empty => assigned by the server
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectSerialNumber",
              "type": "TextString",
                // the Serial Number of the certificate
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectTitle",
              "type": "TextString",
              // the Title of the certificate
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectDc",
              "type": "TextString",
                // the Domain Component of the certificate
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateSubjectDnQualifier",
              "type": "TextString",
                // the Distinguished Name Qualifier of the certificate
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerCn",
              "type": "TextString",
                // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerO",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerOu",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerEmail",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerC",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerSt",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerL",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerUid",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerSerialNumber",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerTitle",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerDc",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            },
            {
              "tag": "CertificateIssuerDnQualifier",
              "type": "TextString",
              // Ignored
              "value": ""
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "tag": "Link",
          "type": "Structure",
          "value": [
            {
              "tag": "Link",
              "type": "Structure",
              "value": [
                {
                  "tag": "LinkType",
                  "type": "Enumeration",
                  // the unique identifier below is that of the issuer private key
                  "value": "PrivateKeyLink"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "LinkedObjectIdentifier",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  // the issuer private key unique identifier
                  "value": "854d7914-3b1d-461a-a2dd-7aad27043b56"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "tag": "ObjectType",
          "type": "Enumeration",
          "value": "Certificate"
        },
        {
          "tag": "VendorAttributes",
          "type": "Structure",
          "value": [
            {
              "tag": "VendorAttributes",
              "type": "Structure",
              "value": [
                {
                  "tag": "VendorIdentification",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  "value": "cosmian"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "AttributeName",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  "value": "requested_validity_days"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "AttributeValue",
                  "type": "ByteString",
                  // 365 as a string in UTF-8 bytes encoded in hex
                  "value": "333635"
                }
              ]
            },
            {
              "tag": "VendorAttributes",
              "type": "Structure",
              "value": [
                {
                  "tag": "VendorIdentification",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  "value": "cosmian"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "AttributeName",
                  "type": "TextString",
                  "value": "tag"
                },
                {
                  "tag": "AttributeValue",
                  "type": "ByteString",
                  // ["Bob"] as UTF-8 bytes encoded in hex
                  "value": "5B22426F62225D"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
  {
    "tag": "CertifyResponse",
    "type": "Structure",
    "value": [
      {
        "tag": "UniqueIdentifier",
        "type": "TextString",
        "value": "974b3a79-25a8-4ace-bdd9-70f5b07695c9"
      }
    ]
  }

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