Crypto Tokens Overview
This overview provides information on what crypto tokens are, what they do and also lists crypto token fields.
For more information about how to manage crypto tokens, see Crypto Tokens Operations.
Description
Historically the term crypto token denotes the differentiation of a smart keycard and a slot reader, where the card and the slot from which it is read are not permanent.
As the modern HSM became widely used, this model has become dated, but the terminology remains. The modern crypto token most often remains in the same memory area of the HSM (the two being one and the same), though while crypto token labels and slot indexes are always constant, slot numbering may vary. In EJBCA, the term crypto token means an area of memory containing keys, whether this is an HSM slot or a soft keystore created locally.
Usage
Common for all EJBCA crypto tokens is that:
A crypto token may exist on one and only one slot.
A crypto token may contain any number of keypairs and aliases.
To this end, crypto tokens have several different applications in EJBCA:
Contained within CAs for signing certificates and CRLs. For more information, see Certificate Authority Overview.
Referred to by OCSP Responders to sign OCSP replies. For more information, see OCSP KeyBindings.
Used to authenticate TLS communication between EJBCA nodes. For more information, see Authentication Keybinding.
Crypto Token Fields
Common Fields
Common fields for all crypto tokens:
|
Field |
Description |
|
Name |
A user-friendly name for the Crypto Token. |
|
Type |
PKCS#11 HSM slot mapping or a Soft PKCS#12 keystore in the database. |
|
Authentication Code |
The PKCS#11 slot PIN or the password that will protect the soft keystore. |
|
Repeat Authentication Code |
Should be the same as the Authentication Code value. |
|
Auto-activation |
If the authentication code should be stored (encrypted) in the database and used to always keep the Crypto Token active. |
|
Allow export of private keys |
If selected, EJBCA will not try to prevent Soft Crypto Token keystore export. |
|
Use explicit ECC parameters (ICAO CSCA and DS certificates) |
Select to use the explicit ECC parameters. If cleared, the parameters are ignored.
|
Note that this is only applicable for ePassport ICAO CSCA and DS certificates.PKCS#11 Fields
In addition to the common fields, the following fields are available if you have chosen to create a PKCS#11 crypto token:
|
Field |
Description |
|
PKCS#11 Library |
PKCS#11 shared library configured as available in conf/web.properties. |
|
PKCS#11 Reference Type |
Type of a slot reference described by the PKCS#11 Reference (Id, Index or Label). |
|
PKCS#11 Reference |
PKCS#11 slot number, index or label. |
|
PCKS#11 Attribute File |
If required, this is a PKCS#11 attribute file configured as available in conf/web.properties. Note that this should only be required for non-common HSMs. |
PKCS#11 may require additional configuration of your application server, see Application Servers.
For more information on PKCS#11 properties, see Hardware Security Modules (HSM). A unique Crypto Token identifier is generated when the token is created.
Crypto Token Authorization
For all authorized CA operations, authorization for underlying Crypto Token operations are implied. The minimum authorization required to create a CA is authorization to "view" and "use" (or "modify") a Crypto Token. Since modification of PKCS#11 Crypto Tokens can change the slot mapping, the same authorization for creation and modification are required.
The following lists the authorization rules:
|
Authorization Rule |
Description |
|
/cryptotoken/ |
Required for displaying the Crypto Token management in the Admin GUI. |
|
/cryptotoken/view/cryptoTokenId |
Required for viewing Crypto Token information and listing key pairs. |
|
/cryptotoken/use/cryptoTokenId |
Required for binding a Crypto Token to a CA. |
|
/cryptotoken/modify/ |
Required for creating or modifying a Crypto Token. |
|
/cryptotoken/delete/ |
Required for deletion of a Crypto Token. |
|
/cryptotoken/activate/cryptoTokenId |
Required for activation of a Crypto Token. |
|
/cryptotoken/deactivate/cryptoTokenId |
Required for de-activation of a Crypto Token. |
|
/cryptotoken/keys/generate/cryptoTokenId |
Required for key pair generation. |
|
/cryptotoken/keys/remove/cryptoTokenId |
Required for key pair removal. |
|
/cryptotoken/keys/test/cryptoTokenId |
Required for key pair testing. |