CertificateManager Class

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The CertificateManager class supports importing, exporting, and generating X.509 certificates.

Syntax

class secureblackbox.CertificateManager

Remarks

Usage of this class includes importing and exporting certificates and keys in various formats, as well as certificate generation.

Loading certificates

In vast majority of SecureBlackbox-powered projects, this component is used to import certificates from files or memory objects for further use in other components, like PDFSigner.

To load a certificate from a file, use the import_from_file method. This method supports all existing certificate formats, including PFX, PEM, DER, and P7B. Note that keys contained in PFX and PEM certificates are often encrypted with a password, so you will likely need to provide one for the certificate to be loaded correctly. You can either provide the password via the method's parameter, or provide it on-demand by subscribing to the on_password_needed event.

Alternatively, you can use import_bytes to load a certificate from a different type of media, such as a database.

If your certificate and its private key are stored in separate files or buffers - which is often the case where PEM or DER format is used - please load the certificate with the import_from_file method first, and then add the key to it with a separate call to the import_key_from_file method. You can mix and match the certificate and key formats in this case; CertificateManager will handle this automatically.

Note that CertificateManager can only keep one certificate at a time. If your PFX or PEM file contains more than one certificate, use CertificateStorage component to load it instead.

Generating certificates

You can use CertificateManager to generate your own certificates. To generate a certificate, please follow the below steps:

• call create_new to initialize a new certificate template.
• set all the needed certificate properties - for example, its subject, serial number, and validity period - via the certificate property. Some of these properties will be pre-set by the preceding create_new call.
• load the CA certificate to a different CertificateManager object, and assign it to the ca_certificate property. Note that the CA certificate should have an associated private key. Alternatively, the CA certificate can be loaded using a CertificateStorage object, which allows to import it from a hardware device or a system store.

  Note: you do not need to load and set the CA certificate if generating a self-signed certificate.

• Call generate to generate a new keypair and wrap it into a certificate.
• Save the certificate using export_to_file or export_bytes methods.

  Note: take care to choose a format that supports storing private keys. If you do not save the new private key at this stage, you won't be able to recover it later.

  Note: you can save the private key separately using the export_key method.

Generating certificate requests

Apart from certificates, CertificateManager can generate certificate requests (PKCS10). The procedure is the same as when generating certificates. Use the CertType parameter of the create_new call to specify that you would like to generate a certificate request, rather than a certificate. You do not need to provide a CA certificate when generating CSRs, as certificate requests are always signed with the keypair they are carrying.

Property List

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

Method List

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

Event List

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

Config Settings

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

ca_cert_bytes Property

Returns the raw certificate data in DER format.

Syntax

def get_ca_cert_bytes() -> bytes: ...

ca_cert_bytes = property(get_ca_cert_bytes, None)

Remarks

Returns the raw certificate data in DER format.

This property is read-only.

ca_cert_handle Property

Allows to get or set a 'handle', a unique identifier of the underlying property object.

Syntax

def get_ca_cert_handle() -> int: ...
def set_ca_cert_handle(value: int) -> None: ...

ca_cert_handle = property(get_ca_cert_handle, set_ca_cert_handle)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Allows to get or set a 'handle', a unique identifier of the underlying property object. Use this property to assign objects of the same type in a quicker manner, without copying them fieldwise.

When you pass a handle of one object to another, the source object is copied to the destination rather than assigned. It is safe to get rid of the original object after such operation. pdfSigner.setSigningCertHandle(certMgr.getCertHandle());

cert_bytes Property

Returns the raw certificate data in DER format.

Syntax

def get_cert_bytes() -> bytes: ...

cert_bytes = property(get_cert_bytes, None)

Remarks

Returns the raw certificate data in DER format.

This property is read-only.

cert_ca Property

Indicates whether the certificate has a CA capability.

Syntax

def get_cert_ca() -> bool: ...
def set_cert_ca(value: bool) -> None: ...

cert_ca = property(get_cert_ca, set_cert_ca)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Indicates whether the certificate has a CA capability. For the certificate to be considered a CA, it must have its Basic Constraints extension set with the CA indicator enabled.

Set this property when generating a new certificate to have its Basic Constraints extension generated automatically.

cert_ca_key_id Property

A unique identifier (fingerprint) of the CA certificate's cryptographic key.

Syntax

def get_cert_ca_key_id() -> bytes: ...

cert_ca_key_id = property(get_cert_ca_key_id, None)

Remarks

A unique identifier (fingerprint) of the CA certificate's cryptographic key.

Authority Key Identifier is a certificate extension which allows identification of certificates belonging to the same issuer, but with different public keys. It is a de-facto standard to include this extension in all certificates to facilitate chain building.

This setting cannot be set when generating a certificate as it always derives from another certificate property. CertificateManager generates this setting automatically if enough information is available to it: for self-signed certificates, this value is copied from the cert_subject_key_id setting, and for lower-level certificates, from the parent certificate's subject key ID extension.

This property is read-only.

cert_cert_type Property

Returns the type of the entity contained in the Certificate object.

Syntax

def get_cert_cert_type() -> int: ...

cert_cert_type = property(get_cert_cert_type, None)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Returns the type of the entity contained in the Certificate object.

A Certificate object can contain two types of cryptographic objects: a ready-to-use X.509 certificate, or a certificate request ("an unsigned certificate"). Certificate requests can be upgraded to full certificates by signing them with a CA certificate.

Use the CertificateManager class to load or create new certificate and certificate requests objects.

This property is read-only.

cert_crl_distribution_points Property

Contains a list of locations of CRL distribution points used to check this certificate's validity.

Syntax

def get_cert_crl_distribution_points() -> str: ...
def set_cert_crl_distribution_points(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_crl_distribution_points = property(get_cert_crl_distribution_points, set_cert_crl_distribution_points)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Contains a list of locations of CRL distribution points used to check this certificate's validity. The list is taken from the respective certificate extension.

Use this property when generating a certificate to provide a list of CRL endpoints that should be made part of the new certificate.

The endpoints are provided as a list of CRLF-separated URLs. Note that this differs from the behaviour used in earlier product versions, where the "|" character was used as the location separator.

cert_curve Property

Specifies the elliptic curve associated with the certificate's public key.

Syntax

def get_cert_curve() -> str: ...
def set_cert_curve(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_curve = property(get_cert_curve, set_cert_curve)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Specifies the elliptic curve associated with the certificate's public key. This setting only applies to certificates containing EC keys.

cert_fingerprint Property

Contains the fingerprint (a hash imprint) of this certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_fingerprint() -> str: ...

cert_fingerprint = property(get_cert_fingerprint, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Contains the fingerprint (a hash imprint) of this certificate.

While there is no formal standard defining what a fingerprint is, a SHA1 hash of the certificate's DER-encoded body is typically used.

This property is read-only.

cert_friendly_name Property

Contains an associated alias (friendly name) of the certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_friendly_name() -> str: ...

cert_friendly_name = property(get_cert_friendly_name, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Contains an associated alias (friendly name) of the certificate. The friendly name is not a property of a certificate: it is maintained by the certificate media rather than being included in its DER representation. Windows certificate stores are one example of media that does support friendly names.

This property is read-only.

cert_handle Property

Allows to get or set a 'handle', a unique identifier of the underlying property object.

Syntax

def get_cert_handle() -> int: ...
def set_cert_handle(value: int) -> None: ...

cert_handle = property(get_cert_handle, set_cert_handle)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Allows to get or set a 'handle', a unique identifier of the underlying property object. Use this property to assign objects of the same type in a quicker manner, without copying them fieldwise.

When you pass a handle of one object to another, the source object is copied to the destination rather than assigned. It is safe to get rid of the original object after such operation. pdfSigner.setSigningCertHandle(certMgr.getCertHandle());

cert_hash_algorithm Property

Provides means to set the hash algorithm to be used in the subsequent operation on the certificate (such as generation or key signing).

Syntax

def get_cert_hash_algorithm() -> str: ...
def set_cert_hash_algorithm(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_hash_algorithm = property(get_cert_hash_algorithm, set_cert_hash_algorithm)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Provides means to set the hash algorithm to be used in the subsequent operation on the certificate (such as generation or key signing). It is not a property of a certificate; use cert_sig_algorithm to find out the hash algorithm that is part of the certificate signature.

cert_issuer Property

The common name of the certificate issuer (CA), typically a company name.

Syntax

def get_cert_issuer() -> str: ...

cert_issuer = property(get_cert_issuer, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

The common name of the certificate issuer (CA), typically a company name. This is part of a larger set of credentials available via cert_issuer_rdn.

This property is read-only.

cert_issuer_rdn Property

A list of Property=Value pairs that uniquely identify the certificate issuer.

Syntax

def get_cert_issuer_rdn() -> str: ...
def set_cert_issuer_rdn(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_issuer_rdn = property(get_cert_issuer_rdn, set_cert_issuer_rdn)

Default Value

""

Remarks

A list of Property=Value pairs that uniquely identify the certificate issuer.

Example: /C=US/O=Nationwide CA/CN=Web Certification Authority

cert_key_algorithm Property

Specifies the public key algorithm of this certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_key_algorithm() -> str: ...
def set_cert_key_algorithm(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_key_algorithm = property(get_cert_key_algorithm, set_cert_key_algorithm)

Default Value

"0"

Remarks

Specifies the public key algorithm of this certificate.

Use the cert_key_bits, cert_curve, and cert_public_key_bytes properties to get more details about the key the certificate contains.

cert_key_bits Property

Returns the length of the public key in bits.

Syntax

def get_cert_key_bits() -> int: ...

cert_key_bits = property(get_cert_key_bits, None)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Returns the length of the public key in bits.

This value indicates the length of the principal cryptographic parameter of the key, such as the length of the RSA modulus or ECDSA field. The key data returned by the cert_public_key_bytes or cert_private_key_bytes property would typically contain auxiliary values, and therefore be longer.

This property is read-only.

cert_key_fingerprint Property

Returns a SHA1 fingerprint of the public key contained in the certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_key_fingerprint() -> str: ...

cert_key_fingerprint = property(get_cert_key_fingerprint, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Returns a SHA1 fingerprint of the public key contained in the certificate.

Note that the key fingerprint is different from the certificate fingerprint accessible via the cert_fingerprint property. The key fingeprint uniquely identifies the public key, and so can be the same for multiple certificates containing the same key.

This property is read-only.

cert_key_usage Property

Indicates the purposes of the key contained in the certificate, in the form of an OR'ed flag set.

Syntax

def get_cert_key_usage() -> int: ...
def set_cert_key_usage(value: int) -> None: ...

cert_key_usage = property(get_cert_key_usage, set_cert_key_usage)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Indicates the purposes of the key contained in the certificate, in the form of an OR'ed flag set.

This value is a bit mask of the following values:

Set this property before generating the certificate to propagate the key usage flags to the new certificate.

cert_key_valid Property

Returns True if the certificate's key is cryptographically valid, and False otherwise.

Syntax

def get_cert_key_valid() -> bool: ...

cert_key_valid = property(get_cert_key_valid, None)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Returns True if the certificate's key is cryptographically valid, and False otherwise.

This property is read-only.

cert_ocsp_locations Property

Locations of OCSP services that can be used to check this certificate's validity in real time, as recorded by the CA.

Syntax

def get_cert_ocsp_locations() -> str: ...
def set_cert_ocsp_locations(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_ocsp_locations = property(get_cert_ocsp_locations, set_cert_ocsp_locations)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Locations of OCSP services that can be used to check this certificate's validity in real time, as recorded by the CA.

Set this property before calling the certificate manager's generate method to propagate it to the new certificate.

The OCSP locations are provided as a list of CRLF-separated URLs. Note that this differs from the behaviour used in earlier product versions, where the "|" character was used as the location separator.

cert_ocsp_no_check Property

Accessor to the value of the certificate's ocsp-no-check extension.

Syntax

def get_cert_ocsp_no_check() -> bool: ...
def set_cert_ocsp_no_check(value: bool) -> None: ...

cert_ocsp_no_check = property(get_cert_ocsp_no_check, set_cert_ocsp_no_check)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Accessor to the value of the certificate's ocsp-no-check extension.

cert_origin Property

Returns the location that the certificate was taken or loaded from.

Syntax

def get_cert_origin() -> int: ...

cert_origin = property(get_cert_origin, None)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Returns the location that the certificate was taken or loaded from.

This property is read-only.

cert_policy_i_ds Property

Contains identifiers (OIDs) of the applicable certificate policies.

Syntax

def get_cert_policy_i_ds() -> str: ...
def set_cert_policy_i_ds(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_policy_i_ds = property(get_cert_policy_i_ds, set_cert_policy_i_ds)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Contains identifiers (OIDs) of the applicable certificate policies.

The Certificate Policies extension identifies a sequence of policies under which the certificate has been issued, and which regulate its usage.

Set this property when generating a certificate to propagate the policies information to the new certificate.

The policies are provided as a list of CRLF-separated entries. Note that this differs from the behaviour used in earlier product versions, where the "|" character was used as the policy element separator.

cert_private_key_bytes Property

Returns the certificate's private key in DER-encoded format.

Syntax

def get_cert_private_key_bytes() -> bytes: ...

cert_private_key_bytes = property(get_cert_private_key_bytes, None)

Remarks

Returns the certificate's private key in DER-encoded format. It is normal for this property to be empty if the private key is non-exportable, which, for example, is typical for certificates originating from hardware security devices.

This property is read-only.

cert_private_key_exists Property

Indicates whether the certificate has a usable private key associated with it.

Syntax

def get_cert_private_key_exists() -> bool: ...

cert_private_key_exists = property(get_cert_private_key_exists, None)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Indicates whether the certificate has a usable private key associated with it. If it is set to True, the certificate can be used for private key operations, such as signing or decryption.

This property is independent from cert_private_key_bytes, and can be set to True even if the former is empty. This would imply that the private key is non-exportable, but still can be used for cryptographic operations.

This property is read-only.

cert_private_key_extractable Property

Indicates whether the private key is extractable (exportable).

Syntax

def get_cert_private_key_extractable() -> bool: ...

cert_private_key_extractable = property(get_cert_private_key_extractable, None)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Indicates whether the private key is extractable (exportable).

This property is read-only.

cert_public_key_bytes Property

Contains the certificate's public key in DER format.

Syntax

def get_cert_public_key_bytes() -> bytes: ...

cert_public_key_bytes = property(get_cert_public_key_bytes, None)

Remarks

Contains the certificate's public key in DER format.

This typically would contain an ASN.1-encoded public key value. The exact format depends on the type of the public key contained in the certificate.

This property is read-only.

cert_qualified Property

Indicates whether the certificate is qualified.

Syntax

def get_cert_qualified() -> bool: ...

cert_qualified = property(get_cert_qualified, None)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Indicates whether the certificate is qualified.

This property is set to True if the certificate is confirmed by a Trusted List to be qualified.

This property is read-only.

cert_qualified_statements Property

Returns a simplified qualified status of the certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_qualified_statements() -> int: ...
def set_cert_qualified_statements(value: int) -> None: ...

cert_qualified_statements = property(get_cert_qualified_statements, set_cert_qualified_statements)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Returns a simplified qualified status of the certificate.

cert_qualifiers Property

A list of qualifiers.

Syntax

def get_cert_qualifiers() -> str: ...

cert_qualifiers = property(get_cert_qualifiers, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

A list of qualifiers.

Contains a comma-separated list of qualifier aliases for the certificate, for example QCP-n-qscd,QCWithSSCD.

This property is read-only.

cert_self_signed Property

Indicates whether the certificate is self-signed (root) or signed by an external CA.

Syntax

def get_cert_self_signed() -> bool: ...

cert_self_signed = property(get_cert_self_signed, None)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Indicates whether the certificate is self-signed (root) or signed by an external CA.

This property is read-only.

cert_serial_number Property

Returns the certificate's serial number.

Syntax

def get_cert_serial_number() -> bytes: ...
def set_cert_serial_number(value: bytes) -> None: ...

cert_serial_number = property(get_cert_serial_number, set_cert_serial_number)

Remarks

Returns the certificate's serial number.

The serial number is a binary string that uniquely identifies a certificate among others issued by the same CA. According to the X.509 standard, the (issuer, serial number) pair should be globally unique to facilitate chain building.

cert_sig_algorithm Property

Indicates the algorithm that was used by the CA to sign this certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_sig_algorithm() -> str: ...

cert_sig_algorithm = property(get_cert_sig_algorithm, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Indicates the algorithm that was used by the CA to sign this certificate.

A signature algorithm typically combines hash and public key algorithms together, such as sha256WithRSAEncryption or ecdsa-with-SHA256.

This property is read-only.

cert_source Property

Returns the source (location or disposition) of a cryptographic primitive entity, such as a certificate, CRL, or OCSP response.

Syntax

def get_cert_source() -> int: ...

cert_source = property(get_cert_source, None)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Returns the source (location or disposition) of a cryptographic primitive entity, such as a certificate, CRL, or OCSP response.

This property is read-only.

cert_subject Property

The common name of the certificate holder, typically an individual's name, a URL, an e-mail address, or a company name.

Syntax

def get_cert_subject() -> str: ...

cert_subject = property(get_cert_subject, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

The common name of the certificate holder, typically an individual's name, a URL, an e-mail address, or a company name. This is part of a larger set of credentials available via cert_subject_rdn.

This property is read-only.

cert_subject_alternative_name Property

Returns or sets the value of the Subject Alternative Name extension of the certificate.

Syntax

def get_cert_subject_alternative_name() -> str: ...
def set_cert_subject_alternative_name(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_subject_alternative_name = property(get_cert_subject_alternative_name, set_cert_subject_alternative_name)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Returns or sets the value of the Subject Alternative Name extension of the certificate.

Subject alternative names are used to provide additional names that are impractical to store in the main cert_subject_rdn field. For example, it is often used to store all the domain names that a TLS certificate is authorized to protect.

The alternative names are provided as a list of CRLF-separated entries. Note that this differs from the behaviour used in earlier product versions, where the "|" character was used as the element separator.

cert_subject_key_id Property

Contains a unique identifier of the certificate's cryptographic key.

Syntax

def get_cert_subject_key_id() -> bytes: ...
def set_cert_subject_key_id(value: bytes) -> None: ...

cert_subject_key_id = property(get_cert_subject_key_id, set_cert_subject_key_id)

Remarks

Contains a unique identifier of the certificate's cryptographic key.

Subject Key Identifier is a certificate extension which allows a specific public key to be associated with a certificate holder. Typically, subject key identifiers of CA certificates are recorded as respective CA key identifiers in the subordinate certificates that they issue, which facilitates chain building.

The cert_subject_key_id and cert_ca_key_id properties of self-signed certificates typically contain identical values, as in that specific case, the issuer and the subject are the same entity.

cert_subject_rdn Property

A list of Property=Value pairs that uniquely identify the certificate holder (subject).

Syntax

def get_cert_subject_rdn() -> str: ...
def set_cert_subject_rdn(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_subject_rdn = property(get_cert_subject_rdn, set_cert_subject_rdn)

Default Value

""

Remarks

A list of Property=Value pairs that uniquely identify the certificate holder (subject).

Depending on the purpose of the certificate and the policies of the CA that issued it, the values included in the subject record may differ drastically and contain business or personal names, web URLs, email addresses, and other data.

Example: /C=US/O=Oranges and Apples, Inc./OU=Accounts Receivable/1.2.3.4.5=Value with unknown OID/CN=Margaret Watkins.

cert_valid Property

Indicates whether or not the signature over the certificate or the request is valid and matches the public key contained in the CA certificate/request.

Syntax

def get_cert_valid() -> bool: ...

cert_valid = property(get_cert_valid, None)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Indicates whether or not the signature over the certificate or the request is valid and matches the public key contained in the CA certificate/request.

This property is read-only.

cert_valid_from Property

The time point at which the certificate becomes valid, in UTC.

Syntax

def get_cert_valid_from() -> str: ...
def set_cert_valid_from(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_valid_from = property(get_cert_valid_from, set_cert_valid_from)

Default Value

""

Remarks

The time point at which the certificate becomes valid, in UTC.

cert_valid_to Property

The time point at which the certificate expires, in UTC.

Syntax

def get_cert_valid_to() -> str: ...
def set_cert_valid_to(value: str) -> None: ...

cert_valid_to = property(get_cert_valid_to, set_cert_valid_to)

Default Value

""

Remarks

The time point at which the certificate expires, in UTC.

external_crypto_async_document_id Property

Specifies an optional document ID for SignAsyncBegin() and SignAsyncEnd() calls.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_async_document_id() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_async_document_id(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_async_document_id = property(get_external_crypto_async_document_id, set_external_crypto_async_document_id)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Specifies an optional document ID for SignAsyncBegin() and SignAsyncEnd() calls.

Use this property when working with multi-signature DCAuth requests and responses to uniquely identify documents signed within a larger batch. On the completion stage, this value helps the signing component identify the correct signature in the returned batch of responses.

If using batched requests, make sure to set this property to the same value on both the pre-signing (SignAsyncBegin) and completion (SignAsyncEnd) stages.

external_crypto_custom_params Property

Custom parameters to be passed to the signing service (uninterpreted).

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_custom_params() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_custom_params(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_custom_params = property(get_external_crypto_custom_params, set_external_crypto_custom_params)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Custom parameters to be passed to the signing service (uninterpreted).

external_crypto_data Property

Additional data to be included in the async state and mirrored back by the requestor.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_data() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_data(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_data = property(get_external_crypto_data, set_external_crypto_data)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Additional data to be included in the async state and mirrored back by the requestor.

external_crypto_external_hash_calculation Property

Specifies whether the message hash is to be calculated at the external endpoint.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_external_hash_calculation() -> bool: ...
def set_external_crypto_external_hash_calculation(value: bool) -> None: ...

external_crypto_external_hash_calculation = property(get_external_crypto_external_hash_calculation, set_external_crypto_external_hash_calculation)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

Specifies whether the message hash is to be calculated at the external endpoint. Please note that this mode is not supported by the DCAuth class.

If set to true, the class will pass a few kilobytes of to-be-signed data from the document to the OnExternalSign event. This only applies when SignExternal() is called.

external_crypto_hash_algorithm Property

Specifies the request's signature hash algorithm.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_hash_algorithm() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_hash_algorithm(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_hash_algorithm = property(get_external_crypto_hash_algorithm, set_external_crypto_hash_algorithm)

Default Value

"SHA256"

Remarks

Specifies the request's signature hash algorithm.

external_crypto_key_id Property

The ID of the pre-shared key used for DC request authentication.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_key_id() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_key_id(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_key_id = property(get_external_crypto_key_id, set_external_crypto_key_id)

Default Value

""

Remarks

The ID of the pre-shared key used for DC request authentication.

Asynchronous DCAuth-driven communication requires that parties authenticate each other with a secret pre-shared cryptographic key. This provides an extra protection layer for the protocol and diminishes the risk of the private key becoming abused by foreign parties. Use this property to provide the pre-shared key identifier, and use external_crypto_key_secret to pass the key itself.

The same KeyID/KeySecret pair should be used on the DCAuth side for the signing requests to be accepted.

Note: The KeyID/KeySecret scheme is very similar to the AuthKey scheme used in various Cloud service providers to authenticate users.

Example: signer.ExternalCrypto.KeyID = "MainSigningKey"; signer.ExternalCrypto.KeySecret = "abcdef0123456789";

external_crypto_key_secret Property

The pre-shared key used for DC request authentication.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_key_secret() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_key_secret(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_key_secret = property(get_external_crypto_key_secret, set_external_crypto_key_secret)

Default Value

""

Remarks

The pre-shared key used for DC request authentication. This key must be set and match the key used by the DCAuth counterpart for the scheme to work.

Read more about configuring authentication in the external_crypto_key_id topic.

external_crypto_method Property

Specifies the asynchronous signing method.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_method() -> int: ...
def set_external_crypto_method(value: int) -> None: ...

external_crypto_method = property(get_external_crypto_method, set_external_crypto_method)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Specifies the asynchronous signing method. This is typically defined by the DC server capabilities and setup.

Available options:

external_crypto_mode Property

Specifies the external cryptography mode.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_mode() -> int: ...
def set_external_crypto_mode(value: int) -> None: ...

external_crypto_mode = property(get_external_crypto_mode, set_external_crypto_mode)

Default Value

0

Remarks

Specifies the external cryptography mode.

Available options:

external_crypto_public_key_algorithm Property

Provide the public key algorithm here if the certificate is not available on the pre-signing stage.

Syntax

def get_external_crypto_public_key_algorithm() -> str: ...
def set_external_crypto_public_key_algorithm(value: str) -> None: ...

external_crypto_public_key_algorithm = property(get_external_crypto_public_key_algorithm, set_external_crypto_public_key_algorithm)

Default Value

""

Remarks

Provide the public key algorithm here if the certificate is not available on the pre-signing stage.

fips_mode Property

Reserved.

Syntax

def get_fips_mode() -> bool: ...
def set_fips_mode(value: bool) -> None: ...

fips_mode = property(get_fips_mode, set_fips_mode)

Default Value

FALSE

Remarks

This property is reserved for future use.

config Method

Sets or retrieves a configuration setting.

Syntax

def config(configuration_string: str) -> str: ...

Remarks

config is a generic method available in every class. It is used to set and retrieve configuration settings for the class.

These settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the class, access to these internal properties is provided through the config method.

To set a configuration setting named PROPERTY, you must call Config("PROPERTY=VALUE"), where VALUE is the value of the setting expressed as a string. For boolean values, use the strings "True", "False", "0", "1", "Yes", or "No" (case does not matter).

To read (query) the value of a configuration setting, you must call Config("PROPERTY"). The value will be returned as a string.

create_new Method

Creates a template for a new certificate or CSR with a particular purpose in the Certificate property.

Syntax

def create_new(cert_type: int, purpose: str, subject: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

This method pre-generates a certificate template that matches the specified purpose. The created template has its subject and default extensions initialized according to the selected purpose. Use generate method to complete the process by generating a new keypair and signing it with the CA certificate (if provided).

The CertType parameter specifies the type of the object that you need to create. This can be a certificate or a certificate request (CSR).

Purpose specifies the intended use of certificate. CertificateManager pre-sets some certificate fields and extension (such as key usage) if a certain purpose is selected:

• "generic" or an empty string: a generic certificate with no specific purpose. No extensions are pre-generated.
• "tls": a TLS server certificate
• "tls-client": a client-side TLS certificate
• "email": a secure e-mail (S/MIME) certificate
• "digsig": a digital signature certificate

Subject specifies the common name to include in the certificate. It can be a string of arbitrary format (e.g. "*.domain.com"), or a formatted RDN (e.g. "/C=US/O=Big Company, Inc./CN=Accounts receivable").

Leave all parameters empty to generate an empty template.

do_action Method

Performs an additional action.

Syntax

def do_action(action_id: str, action_params: str) -> str: ...

Remarks

do_action is a generic method available in every class. It is used to perform an additional action introduced after the product major release. The list of actions is not fixed, and may be flexibly extended over time.

The unique identifier (case insensitive) of the action is provided in the ActionID parameter.

ActionParams contains the value of a single parameter, or a list of multiple parameters for the action in the form of PARAM1=VALUE1;PARAM2=VALUE2;....

Common ActionIDs:

export_bytes Method

Exports the certificate in the chosen format.

Syntax

def export_bytes(format: int, export_key: bool, password: str) -> bytes: ...

Remarks

Use this method to save the certificate or certificate request in one of the formats defined below.

ExportKey specifies whether to export the private key together with the certificate. Pass the encryption password via the Password parameter if needed.

Note that not all formats support encryption, and some (like PEM) only support partial encryption (key only). Keep this in mind when considering which format to choose for storing your certificates.

export_key Method

Exports the certificate's private key.

Syntax

def export_key(format: int, password: str) -> bytes: ...

Remarks

Use this method to save the certificate private key in one of the formats given below. Pass the encryption password via the Password parameter.

Supported certificate key format values:

export_key_to_file Method

Exports the private key to a file in the chosen format.

Syntax

def export_key_to_file(key_file: str, format: int, password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to save the certificate key in one of the formats given below. Pass the encryption password via the Password parameter.

Supported certificate key format values:

export_to_file Method

Exports the certificate to a file.

Syntax

def export_to_file(file_name: str, format: int, export_key: bool, password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to save the certificate to a file in one of the formats given below. Pass the encryption password via the Password parameter. Set ExportKey to true to save the private key together with the certificate.

Note that not all formats support encryption, and some (like PEM) only support partial encryption (key only). Keep this in mind when considering which format to choose for storing your certificates.

generate Method

Generates a new certificate or certificate request.

Syntax

def generate(key_bits: int) -> None: ...

Remarks

Call this method to generate a new certificate based on the information provided in the certificate and ca_certificate properties:

If ca_certificate is not set, a self-signed certificate or certificate request will be generated based on the information set up in certificate object.

If certificate contains a certificate, and ca_certificate is set, a certificate signed by the CA certificate will be generated based on the information configured in the certificate object. The resulting certificate will remain in certificate

If certificate contains a signed certificate request, and ca_certificate is set, a certificate based on the certificate request and signed by the CA certificate will be generated.

KeyBits specifies the number of bits in the key to be generated. Note that this property is ignored in the case of request-based generation.

generate_async_begin Method

Initiates asynchronous (DC) certificate generation.

Syntax

def generate_async_begin(key_bits: int) -> str: ...

Remarks

Call this method to initiate an asynchronous certificate generation process. Pass the obtained async state to the DC server for signing. To finalize the generation, pass the async state received from the DC server to generate_async_end.

AsyncState is a message of the distributed cryptography (DC) protocol. The DC protocol is based on the exchange of async states between a DC client (an application that wants to sign a PDF, XML, or Office document) and a DC server (an application that controls access to the private key). An async state can carry one or more signing requests, comprised of document hashes, or one or more signatures produced over those hashes.

In a typical scenario you get a client-side async state from the sign_async_begin method. This state contains document hashes to be signed on the DC server side. You then send the async state to the DC server (often represented by the DCAuth class), which processes it and produces a matching signature state. The async state produced by the server is then passed to the sign_async_end method.

generate_async_end Method

Completes asynchronous certificate generation.

Syntax

def generate_async_end(async_reply: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

Call this method to finalize the asynchronous generation process and pass the async state received from DC server via AsyncReply parameter.

AsyncState is a message of the distributed cryptography (DC) protocol. The DC protocol is based on the exchange of async states between a DC client (an application that wants to sign a PDF, XML, or Office document) and a DC server (an application that controls access to the private key). An async state can carry one or more signing requests, comprised of document hashes, or one or more signatures produced over those hashes.

In a typical scenario you get a client-side async state from the sign_async_begin method. This state contains document hashes to be signed on the DC server side. You then send the async state to the DC server (often represented by the DCAuth class), which processes it and produces a matching signature state. The async state produced by the server is then passed to the sign_async_end method.

generate_external Method

Generates a new certificate or request over an existing public key.

Syntax

def generate_external(key_bytes: bytes, key_password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

This method does exactly the same as generate. The only difference is that instead of generating a new keypair, this method generates a new certificate over an existing keypair. See the rules of the generate method to learn about parameter configurations for different generation scenarios.

Note: KeyBytes can contain a public or private key - as long as SecureBlackbox recognises the format, it will be processed.

get_extension_data Method

Returns extension data.

Syntax

def get_extension_data(oid: str) -> bytes: ...

Remarks

Use this method to retrieve extension data in ASN.1 encoded format. Use get_extension_state to check the availability of the extension and establish its critical attribute.

get_extension_state Method

Returns certificate extension state.

Syntax

def get_extension_state(oid: str) -> int: ...

Remarks

Use this method to find out whether the extension is included in the certificate/CRL and check its critical attribute.

import_bytes Method

Imports a certificate.

Syntax

def import_bytes(cert_bytes: bytes, password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to load a certificate or certificate request from a byte array. Provide the password via the Password parameter. The Password parameter is optional. If it is omitted and it is later discovered that the key is password-encrypted, the on_password_needed event will be fired to request it. This method supports certificates in DER, PEM, PFX, and SPC formats.

import_from_file Method

Loads a certificate from a file.

Syntax

def import_from_file(path: str, password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

This method can load certificates saved in one of the following formats: DER, PEM, PFX, SPC.

Use the Path parameter to provide a path to the certificate, and Password to specify the password. The Password parameter is optional. If it is omitted and it is later discovered that the certificate is password-encrypted, the on_password_needed event will be fired to request it.

import_from_object Method

Imports a certificate from a platform object.

Syntax

def import_from_object(src_obj: int) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to import a certificate from a native platform object, such as X509Certificate2. Depending on the platform, the ObjHandle parameter can be one of the following:

• .NET: X509Certificate2
• Java: X509Certificate
• Windows-based platforms: PCCERT_CONTEXT

Note: in .NET edition, this method is currently only supported on Windows.

import_key Method

Imports a private key.

Syntax

def import_key(key: bytes, password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to load a private key from a byte array. Provide the encryption password via the Password parameter. The Password parameter is optional. If it is omitted and it is later discovered that the key is password-encrypted, the on_password_needed event will be fired to request it. If there is an initialized certificate or certificate request object inside the manager, the loaded key gets associated with that object. This method supports keys in DER, PEM, PKCS#8, and PVK formats.

import_key_from_file Method

Imports a private key from a file.

Syntax

def import_key_from_file(path: str, password: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to load a private key from a file. Provide the encryption password via the Password parameter. The Password parameter is optional. If it is omitted and it is later discovered that the key is password-encrypted, the on_password_needed event will be fired to request it. If there is an initialized certificate or certificate request object inside the manager, the loaded key gets associated with that object. This method supports keys in DER, PEM, PKCS#8, and PVK formats.

list_extensions Method

List extensions currently available in the certificate or CRL.

Syntax

def list_extensions() -> str: ...

Remarks

Use this method to list the extensions included in the certificate or CRL. The method returns a list of OIDs separated by newline characters.

reset Method

Resets the class settings.

Syntax

def reset() -> None: ...

Remarks

reset is a generic method available in every class.

set_extension_data Method

Sets extension data.

Syntax

def set_extension_data(oid: str, value: bytes) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to set extension data in encoded ASN.1 format. Use set_extension_state to enable the extension or change its critical attribute.

set_extension_state Method

Sets certificate extension state.

Syntax

def set_extension_state(oid: str, state: int) -> None: ...

Remarks

Use this method to enable or disable the extension and set its critical attribute.

update Method

Renews the certificate.

Syntax

def update() -> None: ...

Remarks

This method renews a certificate by updating its validity period and re-signing the updated version.

Note that this operation expects both certificate and ca_certificate properties to be set.

validate Method

Validates the certificate.

Syntax

def validate() -> int: ...

Remarks

Use this method to validate the certificate contained in certificate. If the certificate being validated is not self-signed, please provide the CA certificate via ca_certificate property.

on_error Event

Information about errors during certificate loading, saving or validation.

Syntax

class CertificateManagerErrorEventParams(object):
  @property
  def error_code() -> int: ...

  @property
  def description() -> str: ...

# In class CertificateManager:
@property
def on_error() -> Callable[[CertificateManagerErrorEventParams], None]: ...
@on_error.setter
def on_error(event_hook: Callable[[CertificateManagerErrorEventParams], None]) -> None: ...

Remarks

Reports exceptional conditions during certificate loading, exporting, or validation.

ErrorCode contains an error code and Description contains a textual description of the error.

on_external_sign Event

Handles remote or external signing initiated by the SignExternal method or other source.

Syntax

class CertificateManagerExternalSignEventParams(object):
  @property
  def operation_id() -> str: ...

  @property
  def hash_algorithm() -> str: ...

  @property
  def pars() -> str: ...

  @property
  def data() -> str: ...

  @property
  def signed_data() -> str: ...
  @signed_data.setter
  def signed_data(value) -> None: ...

# In class CertificateManager:
@property
def on_external_sign() -> Callable[[CertificateManagerExternalSignEventParams], None]: ...
@on_external_sign.setter
def on_external_sign(event_hook: Callable[[CertificateManagerExternalSignEventParams], None]) -> None: ...

Remarks

Assign a handler to this event if you need to delegate a low-level signing operation to an external, remote, or custom signing engine. Depending on the settings, the handler will receive a hashed or unhashed value to be signed.

The event handler must pass the value of Data to the signer, obtain the signature, and pass it back to the class via the SignedData parameter.

OperationId provides a comment about the operation and its origin. It depends on the exact class being used, and may be empty. HashAlgorithm specifies the hash algorithm being used for the operation, and Pars contains algorithm-dependent parameters.

The class uses base16 (hex) encoding for the Data, SignedData, and Pars parameters. If your signing engine uses a different input and output encoding, you may need to decode and/or encode the data before and/or after the signing.

A sample MD5 hash encoded in base16: a0dee2a0382afbb09120ffa7ccd8a152 - lower case base16 A0DEE2A0382AFBB09120FFA7CCD8A152 - upper case base16

A sample event handler that uses the .NET RSACryptoServiceProvider class may look like the following: signer.OnExternalSign += (s, e) => { var cert = new X509Certificate2("cert.pfx", "", X509KeyStorageFlags.Exportable); var key = (RSACryptoServiceProvider)cert.PrivateKey; var dataToSign = e.Data.FromBase16String(); var signedData = key.SignHash(dataToSign, "2.16.840.1.101.3.4.2.1"); e.SignedData = signedData.ToBase16String(); };

on_notification Event

This event notifies the application about an underlying control flow event.

Syntax

class CertificateManagerNotificationEventParams(object):
  @property
  def event_id() -> str: ...

  @property
  def event_param() -> str: ...

# In class CertificateManager:
@property
def on_notification() -> Callable[[CertificateManagerNotificationEventParams], None]: ...
@on_notification.setter
def on_notification(event_hook: Callable[[CertificateManagerNotificationEventParams], None]) -> None: ...

Remarks

The class fires this event to let the application know about some event, occurrence, or milestone in the class. For example, it may fire to report completion of the document processing. The list of events being reported is not fixed, and may be flexibly extended over time.

The unique identifier of the event is provided in the EventID parameter. EventParam contains any parameters accompanying the occurrence. Depending on the type of the class, the exact action it is performing, or the document being processed, one or both may be omitted.

on_password_needed Event

This event is fired when a decryption password is needed.

Syntax

class CertificateManagerPasswordNeededEventParams(object):
  @property
  def password() -> str: ...
  @password.setter
  def password(value) -> None: ...

  @property
  def cancel() -> bool: ...
  @cancel.setter
  def cancel(value) -> None: ...

# In class CertificateManager:
@property
def on_password_needed() -> Callable[[CertificateManagerPasswordNeededEventParams], None]: ...
@on_password_needed.setter
def on_password_needed(event_hook: Callable[[CertificateManagerPasswordNeededEventParams], None]) -> None: ...

Remarks

The class fires this event when a password is needed to decrypt a certificate or a private key.

In the handler of this event, assign the password to the Password parameter, or set Cancel to true to abort the operation.

CertificateManager Config Settings

The class accepts one or more of the following configuration settings. Configuration settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the class, access to these internal properties is provided through the config method.

CertificateManager Config Settings

Base Config Settings

CertificateManager Errors

CertificateManager Errors