CMS Component

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The CMS component is used to digitally sign, encrypt, verify, and decrypt data.

Syntax

TipcCMS

Remarks

The CMS component implements the Cryptographic Message Syntax and allow for various cryptographic operations to be performed on data including:

• Sign
• VerifySignature
• Encrypt
• Decrypt
• SignAndEncrypt
• DecryptAndVerifySignature

The component can generate and consume message in a variety of formats including PEM, DER (Binary), and SMIME. The EncryptionAlgorithm and SignatureHashAlgorithm are fully configurable and support a variety of industry standard encryption and hash algorithms.

The component supports additional functionality such as Compression, OAEP, and PSS. The GetRecipientInfo and GetSignerCertInfo methods as well as the RecipientInfo and SignerCertInfo events allow for a dynamic and flexible approach to message processing. Certificate may be loaded ahead of time or as-needed from the events.

Signing Notes

Sign digitally signs the input data with the the specified certificate(s). Certificates are specified by calling AddCertificate or setting the Certificates property.

OutputFormat specifies the encoding of the output message. Valid values are PEM, DER, and SMIME. IncludeCertificates specifies whether the public certificate is included in the signed message. Additional settings allow further configuration. The following properties are applicable when calling this method:

• Certificates (required)
• DetachedSignature
• EnableCompression
• GenerateSignatureTimestamp
• IncludeCertificates
• OutputFormat
• SignatureHashAlgorithm
• UsePSS

Input and Output Properties

The component will determine the source and destination of the input and output based on which properties are set.

The order in which the input properties are checked is as follows:

• SetInputStream
• InputFile
• InputMessage

When a valid source is found the search stops. The order in which the output properties are checked is as follows:

• SetOutputStream
• OutputFile
• OutputMessage: The output data is written to this property if no other destination is specified.

When using streams you may need to additionally set CloseInputStreamAfterProcessing or CloseOutputStreamAfterProcessing.

Sign and Verify a message

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Sign();

string signedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Sign and Verify a message - DER Output Format

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.OutputFormat = "DER";
cms.Sign();

byte[] signedMessage = cms.OutputMessageB; //Binary output

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessageB = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Sign and Verify a message - Detached Signature

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.DetachedSignature = true;
cms.Sign();

string signature = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.DetachedSignatureData = signature;
cms.DetachedSignature = true;
cms.VerifySignature();

Sign and Verify a message - Multiple Signatures

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test2.pfx", "password2", "*"));
cms.Sign();

string signedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Sign and Verify a message - No Included Certificate

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.IncludeCertificates = CmsIncludeCertificates.icsNone;
cms.Sign();

string signedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.OnSignerCertInfo += (s, e) => {
  Console.WriteLine(e.Issuer);
  Console.WriteLine(e.SerialNumber);
  if (e.Issuer == "CN=100") //Identify the certificate to load based on event params
  {
    //Load the correct signer certificate.
    cms.SignerCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
  }
};
cms.InputMessage = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encryption Notes

Encrypt encrypts the input data with the the specified certificate(s). Certificates are specified by calling AddRecipientCert or setting the RecipientCerts property.

OutputFormat specifies the encoding of the output message. Valid values are PEM, DER, and SMIME. Additional settings allow further configuration. The following properties are applicable when calling this method:

• RecipientCerts (required)
• EncryptionAlgorithm
• OutputFormat
• UseOAEP

Input and Output Properties

The component will determine the source and destination of the input and output based on which properties are set.

The order in which the input properties are checked is as follows:

• SetInputStream
• InputFile
• InputMessage

When a valid source is found the search stops. The order in which the output properties are checked is as follows:

• SetOutputStream
• OutputFile
• OutputMessage: The output data is written to this property if no other destination is specified.

When using streams you may need to additionally set CloseInputStreamAfterProcessing or CloseOutputStreamAfterProcessing.

Encrypt and Decrypt a message

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Encrypt();

string encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = encryptedMessage;
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encrypt and Decrypt a message - DER Output Format

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.OutputFormat = "DER";
cms.Encrypt();

byte[] encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessageB; //Binary output

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessageB = encryptedMessage;
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encrypt and Decrypt - Multiple Recipients

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test2.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Encrypt();

string encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = encryptedMessage;
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encrypt and Decrypt - Get Recipient Info

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Encrypt();

string encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

//If the recipient certificate is not known ahead of time the GetRecipientInfo method may be called
//to find information about the certificate.
cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = encryptedMessage;
cms.OnRecipientInfo += (s, e) => {
  Console.WriteLine(e.SerialNumber);
  Console.WriteLine(e.Issuer);
  if (e.Issuer == "CN=100") //Identify the certificate to load based on event params
  {
    cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
  }
};

cms.GetRecipientInfo();
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Signature Verification Notes

VerifySignature verifies the signature of the input message.

In order to perform signature verification the public signer's certificate must be present or explicitly specified. In many cases the certificate itself is included in the input message and a certificate does not need to explicitly be set. If a certificate does need to be set for signature verification the certificate may be specified by calling AddRecipientCert or setting RecipientCerts.

When this method is called the SignerCertInfo event fires once for each signature on the message. This event provides details about the signer certificate, as well as the signer certificate itself (if present). The information provided via SignerCertInfo may be used to load an appropriate certificate for verification from within the event. If the CertEncoded parameter of SignerCertInfo is populated the certificate required for verification is already present in the message.

The following property are applicable when calling this method:

• DetachedSignature
• DetachedSignatureData
• EnableCompression
• SignerCerts

If the input message is a detached signature, the original data that was signed must be specified in DetachedSignatureData. In addition the DetachedSignature property must be set to True to instruct the component to treat the input message as a detached signature.

If the input message is compressed EnableCompression must be set to True before calling this method.

Input and Output Properties

The component will determine the source and destination of the input and output based on which properties are set.

The order in which the input properties are checked is as follows:

• SetInputStream
• InputFile
• InputMessage

When a valid source is found the search stops. The order in which the output properties are checked is as follows:

• SetOutputStream
• OutputFile
• OutputMessage: The output data is written to this property if no other destination is specified.

When using streams you may need to additionally set CloseInputStreamAfterProcessing or CloseOutputStreamAfterProcessing.

Sign and Verify a message

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Sign();

string signedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Sign and Verify a message - DER Output Format

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.OutputFormat = "DER";
cms.Sign();

byte[] signedMessage = cms.OutputMessageB; //Binary output

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessageB = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Sign and Verify a message - Detached Signature

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.DetachedSignature = true;
cms.Sign();

string signature = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.DetachedSignatureData = signature;
cms.DetachedSignature = true;
cms.VerifySignature();

Sign and Verify a message - Multiple Signatures

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test2.pfx", "password2", "*"));
cms.Sign();

string signedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Sign and Verify a message - No Included Certificate

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.IncludeCertificates = CmsIncludeCertificates.icsNone;
cms.Sign();

string signedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.OnSignerCertInfo += (s, e) => {
  Console.WriteLine(e.Issuer);
  Console.WriteLine(e.SerialNumber);
  if (e.Issuer == "CN=100") //Identify the certificate to load based on event params
  {
    //Load the correct signer certificate.
    cms.SignerCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
  }
};
cms.InputMessage = signedMessage;
cms.VerifySignature();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Decryption Notes

Decrypt decrypts the input data with the specified certificate. Certificates are specified by calling AddCertificate or setting the Certificates property.

If the certificate used to encrypt the message is not known ahead of time GetRecipientInfo may be called prior to calling Decrypt to obtain information about the recipient (the entity the for which the message was encrypted). If GetRecipientInfo is called, the RecipientInfo event is fired with information about the recipient which may be used to load an appropriate decryption certificate.

The following properties are applicable when calling this method:

• Certificates (Required)

Input and Output Properties

The component will determine the source and destination of the input and output based on which properties are set.

The order in which the input properties are checked is as follows:

• SetInputStream
• InputFile
• InputMessage

When a valid source is found the search stops. The order in which the output properties are checked is as follows:

• SetOutputStream
• OutputFile
• OutputMessage: The output data is written to this property if no other destination is specified.

When using streams you may need to additionally set CloseInputStreamAfterProcessing or CloseOutputStreamAfterProcessing.

Encrypt and Decrypt a message

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Encrypt();

string encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = encryptedMessage;
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encrypt and Decrypt a message - DER Output Format

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.OutputFormat = "DER";
cms.Encrypt();

byte[] encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessageB; //Binary output

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessageB = encryptedMessage;
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encrypt and Decrypt - Multiple Recipients

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test2.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Encrypt();

string encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = encryptedMessage;
cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Encrypt and Decrypt - Get Recipient Info

Cms cms = new Cms();
cms.RecipientCerts.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPublicKeyFile, @"C:\temp\test.cer", "", "*"));
cms.InputMessage = "My Data";
cms.Encrypt();

string encryptedMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

//If the recipient certificate is not known ahead of time the GetRecipientInfo method may be called
//to find information about the certificate.
cms = new Cms();
cms.InputMessage = encryptedMessage;
cms.OnRecipientInfo += (s, e) => {
  Console.WriteLine(e.SerialNumber);
  Console.WriteLine(e.Issuer);
  if (e.Issuer == "CN=100") //Identify the certificate to load based on event params
  {
    cms.Certificates.Add(new Certificate(CertStoreTypes.cstPFXFile, @"C:\temp\test.pfx", "password", "*"));
  }
};

cms.GetRecipientInfo();
cms.Decrypt();

string plaintextMessage = cms.OutputMessage;

Property List

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The following is the full list of the properties of the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

CertCount	The number of records in the Cert arrays.
CertEncoded	The certificate (PEM/base64 encoded).
CertStore	The name of the certificate store for the client certificate.
CertStorePassword	If the certificate store is of a type that requires a password, this property is used to specify that password in order to open the certificate store.
CertStoreType	The type of certificate store for this certificate.
CertSubject	The subject of the certificate used for client authentication.
DetachedSignature	Specifies whether to include a detached signature when signing a message.
DetachedSignatureData	The detached signature.
EnableCompression	Specifies whether to compress the message.
EncryptionAlgorithm	The algorithm used for encryption.
IncludeCertificates	Specifies whether to include the signer's certificate with the signed message.
InputFile	The file to process.
InputMessage	The message to process.
OutputFile	The output file.
OutputFormat	Specifies the output format.
OutputMessage	The output message after processing.
RecipientCertCount	The number of records in the RecipientCert arrays.
RecipientCertEncoded	The certificate (PEM/base64 encoded).
RecipientCertStore	The name of the certificate store for the client certificate.
RecipientCertStorePassword	If the certificate store is of a type that requires a password, this property is used to specify that password in order to open the certificate store.
RecipientCertStoreType	The type of certificate store for this certificate.
RecipientCertSubject	The subject of the certificate used for client authentication.
SignatureHashAlgorithm	The signature hash algorithm used during signing.
SignerCertCount	The number of records in the SignerCert arrays.
SignerCertEncoded	The certificate (PEM/base64 encoded).
SignerCertStore	The name of the certificate store for the client certificate.
SignerCertStorePassword	If the certificate store is of a type that requires a password, this property is used to specify that password in order to open the certificate store.
SignerCertStoreType	The type of certificate store for this certificate.
SignerCertSubject	The subject of the certificate used for client authentication.
UseOAEP	Whether to use Optimal Asymmetric Encryption Padding (OAEP).
UsePSS	Whether to use RSA-PSS during signing and verification.

Method List

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The following is the full list of the methods of the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

AddCertificate	Used to add certificates for signing.
AddRecipientCert	Used to add recipient certificates used to encrypt messages.
Config	Sets or retrieves a configuration setting.
Decrypt	Decrypts the current message.
DecryptAndVerifySignature	Decrypts and verifies the signature of the current message.
Encrypt	Encrypts the current message.
GetRecipientInfo	Gets the recipient certificate information for an encrypted message.
GetSignerCertInfo	Gets the signature information for an signed message.
Reset	Resets the component properties.
SetInputStream	Sets the stream from which the component will read data to encode or decode.
SetOutputStream	Sets the stream to which the component will read data to encode or decode.
Sign	Signs the current message.
SignAndEncrypt	Signs and encrypts the current message.
VerifySignature	Verifies the signature of the current message.

Event List

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The following is the full list of the events fired by the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Error	Information about errors during data delivery.
Log	Fires with log information during processing.
RecipientInfo	Fired for each recipient certificate of the encrypted message.
SignerCertInfo	Fired during verification of the signed message.

Configuration Settings

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The following is a list of configuration settings for the component with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

CompressBeforeSign	Specifies whether to compress before signing.
ContentTypeOID	Specifies the oid for content type.
CSP	The Cryptographic Service Provider.
GenerateSignatureTimestamp	Whether to generate timestamps in signatures.
IncludeHeaders	Tells the component whether to include the headers when encoding the message.
IncludeInternalHeaders	Tells the component whether or not to include the internal headers when encoding the message.
InputContentTransferEncoding	Sets the Content-Transfer-Encoding for the signed message.
InputContentType	Sets the Content-Type for the signed message.
InputMessageHeaders	Message headers.
LogDirectory	The directory on disk where debug logs are written.
LogFilename	The base filename to use with LogDirectory.
LogLevel	The level of detail for log messages.
OAEPMGF1HashAlgorithm	The MGF1 hash algorithm used with OAEP.
OAEPParams	The hex encoded OAEP parameters.
OAEPRSAHashAlgorithm	The RSA hash algorithm used with OAEP.
OutputMessageHeaders	The SMIME headers of the output message.
RecipientInfoType	The type of signer information to include in the signed message.
SignatureTimestamp	The signature timestamp in the signed message.
SignerInfoType	The type of signer information to include in the signed message.
UseAlgorithmOIDs	Whether OIDs are used when providing information about the algorithms.
BuildInfo	Information about the product's build.
CodePage	The system code page used for Unicode to Multibyte translations.
LicenseInfo	Information about the current license.
UseInternalSecurityAPI	Tells the component whether or not to use the system security libraries or an internal implementation.