[External] : Re: PEM KeyStore Implementation

[Sean Mullan]

Hi Karl,

The OpenJDK Developer’s Guide includes a helpful section on Contributing to an OpenJDK Project [1]. I suggest you read through that if you have not already. In particular, have you signed the OCA? I don’t want to review your code/contribution until that is done.

For this particular contribution, I don’t think there has been enough discussion and evaluation from members of the Security project. This would be a fairly major contribution. Keep in mind that a contribution doesn’t mean the work ends there.  There would need to be documentation, tests, and ongoing support for the foreseeable future. We need to think about these aspects every time we add a new feature, so there needs to be a strong motivation for doing it.

Thanks,
Sean

[1] https://openjdk.org/guide/#contributing-to-an-openjdk-project

> On Oct 4, 2023, at 4:21 AM, Karl Scheibelhofer <karl.scheibelhofer at gmx.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I would like to contribute my PEM KeyStore implementation to the
> OpenJDK, including integration in the OpenJDK source and creating a
> pull request.
> What is the recommended way to do this?
> Who can create a suitable ticket in OpenJDK to document the
> enhancement and to track the progress?
> 
> What are the requirements for a pull request to get merged?
> 
> Best regards
> 
> Karl
> 
> Am Mi., 20. Sept. 2023 um 11:26 Uhr schrieb Karl Scheibelhofer
> <karl.scheibelhofer at gmx.net>:
>> 
>> Hi  Tony!
>> 
>> When the PEM API implementation becomes available it would make sense
>> to use it inside the PEM Keystore implementation. It will reduce the
>> code (the internal classes PemReader und PemWriter may become
>> obsolete), but it does not affect the functionality of the PEM
>> keystore. Users of the PEM Keystore won't experience a difference.
>> 
>> Let me know when there is something for the PEM API and I will see if
>> I can assist.
>> 
>> I would suggest starting with PEM Keystore now and not wait for the
>> PEM API, because the time schedule for it seems vague. I would try to
>> refactor my current PEM Keystore implementation to integrate in the
>> OpenJDK sun.security.provider package. I do not expect any API changes
>> or other compatibility issues with existing code. Then consult this
>> group for feedback before creating a pull request.
>> 
>> When the PEM API becomes available, rework the PEM Keystore
>> implementation to use it internally.
>> 
>> What do you think?
>> 
>> Best regards
>> 
>>  Karl Scheibelhofer
>> 
>> Am Di., 19. Sept. 2023 um 22:31 Uhr schrieb Anthony Scarpino
>> <anthony.scarpino at oracle.com>:
>>> 
>>> There are no doc links yet.
>>> 
>>> Tony
>>> 
>>> On 9/10/23 1:04 AM, Karl Scheibelhofer wrote:
>>>> Hi Tony,
>>>> 
>>>> The motivation was mostly about reading PEM keys and certificates
>>>> generated somewhere else. This is common practice in enterprise
>>>> environments I work in. Because corporate key material is subject to
>>>> centralized key management, including generation, backup and rollover.
>>>> PEM is the format most software products can handle. For Java
>>>> applications, having a PEM KeyStore would reduce the often required
>>>> additional step of converting PEM key and certificate in a Java
>>>> Keystore/PKCS#12.
>>>> Even truststores handling is easier with individual PEM certificates
>>>> instead of a single PKCS#12 Truststore. Adding or deleting a single
>>>> file instead of replacing the complete PKCS#12 store is less error
>>>> prone and cleaner to track in version control. The additional benefit
>>>> of a MAC in PKCS#12 adds little to no security in most cases.
>>>> And being text based, PEM is more version control friendly than binary PKCS#12.
>>>> 
>>>> But to enable sound support of PEM, I also implemented writing PEM
>>>> keys and certificates. This way, one can use the JDK keytool to
>>>> generate key and certificate signing requests in PEM format. Getting
>>>> the certificate from the CA in PEM, one can use PEM throughout the
>>>> process.
>>>> 
>>>> Do you have any links or documentation on the PEM API JEP that you mentioned?
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you for your feedback and best regards
>>>> 
>>>>   Karl
>>>> 
>>>> Am Fr., 8. Sept. 2023 um 21:17 Uhr schrieb Anthony Scarpino
>>>> <anthony.scarpino at oracle.com>:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hi Karl
>>>>> 
>>>>> The keystore is interesting and may have some value.  Was your use case
>>>>> mostly reading PEM keys and certificates generated elsewhere for use
>>>>> with a particular application, maybe webservers?  Did you see value in
>>>>> writing to this keystore from Java?
>>>>> 
>>>>> On the topic of PEM, I hope before the end of the year to have a PEM API
>>>>> JEP.  I would be interested in your API feedback from your keystore
>>>>> experiences.  I think if this keystore contribution was accepted, it
>>>>> should wait so it can use that API.
>>>>> 
>>>>> thanks
>>>>> 
>>>>> Tony
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 9/1/23 12:15 PM, Karl Scheibelhofer wrote:
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Working with Java and the JCA KeyStore for decades, I came across
>>>>>> many situations where I thought it would be convenient to be
>>>>>> able to load private keys and certificates in PEM format directly
>>>>>> using the KeyStore API. Without the need to convert them to PKCS#12/JKS.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> You can find my implementation of a PEM KeyStore in
>>>>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/KarlScheibelhofer/java-crypto-tools__;!!ACWV5N9M2RV99hQ!Oty2x6ce8fseqwbwEZ1eFN9xJCtVxU8aUXn1GXt81SA1JkTeB9GSykdwShzJKOFYUAA1oUtLGaX1kmZV984WRsO-8KQq5dw$ .
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I wondered if it would make sense to integrate such an implementation
>>>>>> in one of the standard providers of OpenJDK - like the SUN provider.
>>>>>> What do you think?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Best regards
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>    Karl