python-x509-pkcs11

python_x509_pkcs11

Seamless async signing x509 using PKCS11 device for key storage

Currently supports

• Creating root CAs and generating their keys in the PKCS11 device.
• Using the keys in the PKCS11 device to sign certificates or Intermediate CAs.
• Creating certificates, CSRs, CRLs, OCSPs with the PKCS11 device keys enabling a full PKI infrastructure.
• 'Advanced' handling of fragile persistent PKCS11 sessions, including recreating the session if PKCS11 operation timeout.
• This package is heavily uses python-pkcs11 and asn1crypto.
• Package is async but python-pkcs11 is unfortunately still sync, probably due to the fragile nature of PKCS11.
• Tested with SoftHSM and LUNAHSM.

Setup

# Install libs and add your user to the softhsm group
# You should probably replace softhsm when using this in production, any PKCS11 device should work

if awk -F= '/^NAME/{print $2}' /etc/os-release | grep -i "debian\|ubuntu"
then
    # Ubuntu / Debian
    sudo apt-get install python3-dev python3-pip softhsm2
    sudo usermod -a -G softhsm $USER
else
    # Redhat / Centos / Fedora
    sudo dnf install python3-devel python3-pip softhsm gcc 
    sudo usermod -a -G ods $USER
fi

# Update your softhsm group membership
exec sudo su -l $USER

# Install this package
pip3 install python_x509_pkcs11

# export env values the code will use
if awk -F= '/^NAME/{print $2}' /etc/os-release | grep -i "debian\|ubuntu"
then
    export PKCS11_MODULE="/usr/lib/softhsm/libsofthsm2.so"
else
    export PKCS11_MODULE="/usr/lib64/softhsm/libsofthsm.so"
fi
export PKCS11_PIN="1234"
export PKCS11_TOKEN="my_test_token_1"

# Initialize the token
softhsm2-util --init-token --slot 0 --label $PKCS11_TOKEN --pin $PKCS11_PIN --so-pin $PKCS11_PIN

Usage

Look at the documentation for quick examples to begin.

The tests are also a good starting point

Here is the basic, create a root CA and then use its key in the PKCS11 device to sign a csr:

# export env values the code will use
if awk -F= '/^NAME/{print $2}' /etc/os-release | grep -i "debian\|ubuntu"
then
    export PKCS11_MODULE="/usr/lib/softhsm/libsofthsm2.so"
else
    export PKCS11_MODULE="/usr/lib64/softhsm/libsofthsm.so"
fi
export PKCS11_PIN="1234"
export PKCS11_TOKEN="my_test_token_1"


# Delete the previous token if exists
softhsm2-util --delete-token --token $PKCS11_TOKEN

# Initialize a new fresh PKCS11 token
softhsm2-util --init-token --slot 0 --label $PKCS11_TOKEN --pin $PKCS11_PIN --so-pin $PKCS11_PIN

import asyncio
from python_x509_pkcs11.ca import create


async def my_func() -> None:
    root_ca_name_dict = {
        "country_name": "SE",
        "state_or_province_name": "Stockholm",
        "locality_name": "Stockholm",
        "organization_name": "SUNET",
        "organizational_unit_name": "SUNET Infrastructure",
        "common_name": "ca-test.sunet.se",
        "email_address": "[e-mail]",
    }

    # key_type must be:
    # [ed25519](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdDSA). This is default.
    # ed448
    # secp256r1
    # secp384r1
    # secp521r1
    # rsa_2048
    # rsa_4096

    csr_pem, root_cert_pem = await create("my_ed25519_key", root_ca_name_dict, key_type="ed25519")

    print("CSR which was self-signed into root CA")
    print(csr_pem)

    print("root CA")
    print(root_cert_pem)


asyncio.run(my_func())

Contributing / Tests

# install
if awk -F= '/^NAME/{print $2}' /etc/os-release | grep -i "debian\|ubuntu"
then
    # Ubuntu / Debian
    sudo apt-get install flit python3-mypy black pylint
else
    # Redhat / Centos / Fedora
    sudo dnf install epel-release
    sudo dnf install python3-flit python3-mypy python3-black pylint
fi


# Make your code changes
# Then in the root folder, where this README is
bash deploy.sh

# Build the package with flit
flit build