Next Previous Contents

1. Introduction

This application is intended as Certificate and Keystore and as signing application issuing certificates.

All datastructures (Keys, Certificate signing requests, Certificates and Templates) can be imported and exported in several formats like DER or PEM. Import means reading a file from the filesystem and storing the datastructure into the databasefile, while exporting means to write the datastructure from the databasefile to the filesystem to be e.g imported into an other application.

When starting the application the first time, it needs a password to encrypt the private keys in the database. After starting the application all RSA keys are hold unencrypted in the RAM of the computer. This is a security issue to be aware of.

The different parts are divided over 5 Tabs: Keys, Requests, Certificates, Templates and Revokation lists. All items can be manipulated either by a context menu available by right-clicking on the item, or by using the buttons at the right border. Every item is identified by an internal name which is unique in one tab-view and is always shown in the first column.

1.1 File formats

There are several default file-formats to exchange cryptographic data with other applications.

1.2 Further reading

  1. SSL Certificates HOWTO
  2. OS-PKI book

1.3 Copyright 

/*
 * Copyright (C) 2001 Christian Hohnstaedt.
 *
 *  All rights reserved.
 *
 *
 *  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without 
 *  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
 *
 *  - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
 *    this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 *  - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
 *    this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
 *    and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 *  - Neither the name of the author nor the names of its contributors may be 
 *    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without
 *    specific prior written permission.
 *
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
 * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
 * THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 * PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR
 * CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
 * EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
 * PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS;
 * OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
 * WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR
 * OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
 * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 *
 *
 * This program links to software with different licenses from:
 *
 *      http://www.openssl.org which includes cryptographic software
 *      written by Eric Young (eay@cryptsoft.com)"
 *
 *      http://www.sleepycat.com
 *
 *      http://www.trolltech.com
 * 
 *
 *
 * http://www.hohnstaedt.de/xca
 * email: christian@hohnstaedt.de
 *
 */

1.4 Credits 

Kerstin Steinhauff <tine (at) kerstine.de>
        Arts and graphics

Ilya Kozhevnikov <ilya (at) ef.unn.ru>
        Compiling and testing the WIN32-port

Paul Kirner <kirner (at) fhwgt.de>
        Providing compile and test hardware

Wolfgang Glas <wolfgang.glas (at) ev-i.at>
        Implementation of SPKAC and UTF8 support

Bugreports and feature input:
        Frank Werner <Frank (at) WeSoft.de>
        Peter Bieringer <pb (at) bieringer.de>

Thank you very much.

Next Previous Contents