Summary: Nested Classes | Protected Ctors | Methods | Inherited Methods

KeyStore

public class KeyStore
extends Object

java.lang.Object
↳	java.security.KeyStore

This class represents a storage facility for cryptographic keys and certificates.

A KeyStore manages different types of entries. Each type of entry implements the KeyStore.Entry interface. Three basic KeyStore.Entry implementations are provided:

KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry
This type of entry holds a cryptographic PrivateKey, which is optionally stored in a protected format to prevent unauthorized access. It is also accompanied by a certificate chain for the corresponding public key.
Private keys and certificate chains are used by a given entity for self-authentication. Applications for this authentication include software distribution organizations which sign JAR files as part of releasing and/or licensing software.
KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry
This type of entry holds a cryptographic SecretKey, which is optionally stored in a protected format to prevent unauthorized access.
KeyStore.TrustedCertificateEntry
This type of entry contains a single public key Certificate belonging to another party. It is called a trusted certificate because the keystore owner trusts that the public key in the certificate indeed belongs to the identity identified by the subject (owner) of the certificate.
This type of entry can be used to authenticate other parties.

Each entry in a keystore is identified by an "alias" string. In the case of private keys and their associated certificate chains, these strings distinguish among the different ways in which the entity may authenticate itself. For example, the entity may authenticate itself using different certificate authorities, or using different public key algorithms.

Whether aliases are case sensitive is implementation dependent. In order to avoid problems, it is recommended not to use aliases in a KeyStore that only differ in case.

Whether keystores are persistent, and the mechanisms used by the keystore if it is persistent, are not specified here. This allows use of a variety of techniques for protecting sensitive (e.g., private or secret) keys. Smart cards or other integrated cryptographic engines (SafeKeyper) are one option, and simpler mechanisms such as files may also be used (in a variety of formats).

Typical ways to request a KeyStore object include specifying an existing keystore file, relying on the default type and providing a specific keystore type.

To specify an existing keystore file:
```
 // get keystore password char[] password = getPassword(); // probe the keystore file and load the keystore entries KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance(new File("keyStoreName"), password); 
```
The system will probe the specified file to determine its keystore type and return a keystore implementation with its entries already loaded. When this approach is used there is no need to call the keystore's load method.
To rely on the default type:
```
 KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType()); 
```
The system will return a keystore implementation for the default type.
To provide a specific keystore type:
```
 KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance("JKS"); 
```
The system will return the most preferred implementation of the specified keystore type available in the environment.

Before a keystore can be accessed, it must be loaded.

 KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance(KeyStore.getDefaultType()); // get user password and file input stream char[] password = getPassword(); try (FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream("keyStoreName")) { ks.load(fis, password); }

To create an empty keystore using the above load method, pass null as the InputStream argument.

Once the keystore has been loaded, it is possible to read existing entries from the keystore, or to write new entries into the keystore:

 KeyStore.ProtectionParameter protParam = new KeyStore.PasswordProtection(password); // get my private key KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry pkEntry = (KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry) ks.getEntry("privateKeyAlias", protParam); PrivateKey myPrivateKey = pkEntry.getPrivateKey(); // save my secret key javax.crypto.SecretKey mySecretKey; KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry skEntry = new KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry(mySecretKey); ks.setEntry("secretKeyAlias", skEntry, protParam); // store away the keystore try (FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream("newKeyStoreName")) { ks.store(fos, password); }

Note that although the same password may be used to load the keystore, to protect the private key entry, to protect the secret key entry, and to store the keystore (as is shown in the sample code above), different passwords or other protection parameters may also be used.

Android provides the following KeyStore types:

Algorithm	Supported API Levels
AndroidCAStore	14+
AndroidKeyStore	18+
BCPKCS12	1-8
BKS	1+
BouncyCastle	1+
PKCS12	1+
PKCS12-DEF	1-8

These types are described in the KeyStore section of the Java Cryptography Architecture Standard Algorithm Name Documentation.

See also:

Summary

Nested classes
`class`	`KeyStore.Builder` A description of a to-be-instantiated KeyStore object.
`class`	`KeyStore.CallbackHandlerProtection` A ProtectionParameter encapsulating a CallbackHandler.
`interface`	`KeyStore.Entry` A marker interface for `KeyStore` entry types.
`interface`	`KeyStore.LoadStoreParameter` A marker interface for `KeyStore` `load` and `store` parameters.
`class`	`KeyStore.PasswordProtection` A password-based implementation of `ProtectionParameter`.
`class`	`KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry` A `KeyStore` entry that holds a `PrivateKey` and corresponding certificate chain.
`interface`	`KeyStore.ProtectionParameter` A marker interface for keystore protection parameters.
`class`	`KeyStore.SecretKeyEntry` A `KeyStore` entry that holds a `SecretKey`.
`class`	`KeyStore.TrustedCertificateEntry` A `KeyStore` entry that holds a trusted `Certificate`.

Protected constructors
`KeyStore(KeyStoreSpi keyStoreSpi, Provider provider, String type)` Creates a KeyStore object of the given type, and encapsulates the given provider implementation (SPI object) in it.

Public methods
`final Enumeration<String>`	`aliases()` Lists all the alias names of this keystore.
`final boolean`	`containsAlias(String alias)` Checks if the given alias exists in this keystore.
`final void`	`deleteEntry(String alias)` Deletes the entry identified by the given alias from this keystore.
`final boolean`	`entryInstanceOf(String alias, Class<? extends KeyStore.Entry> entryClass)` Determines if the keystore `Entry` for the specified `alias` is an instance or subclass of the specified `entryClass`.
`final Certificate`	`getCertificate(String alias)` Returns the certificate associated with the given alias.
`final String`	`getCertificateAlias(Certificate cert)` Returns the (alias) name of the first keystore entry whose certificate matches the given certificate.
`final Certificate[]`	`getCertificateChain(String alias)` Returns the certificate chain associated with the given alias.
`final Date`	`getCreationDate(String alias)` Returns the creation date of the entry identified by the given alias.
`static final String`	`getDefaultType()` Returns the default keystore type as specified by the `keystore.type` security property, or the string "jks" (acronym for "Java keystore") if no such property exists.
`final KeyStore.Entry`	`getEntry(String alias, KeyStore.ProtectionParameter protParam)` Gets a keystore `Entry` for the specified alias with the specified protection parameter.
`static KeyStore`	`getInstance(String type)` Returns a keystore object of the specified type.
`static final KeyStore`	`getInstance(File file, char[] password)` Returns a loaded keystore object of the appropriate keystore type.
`static KeyStore`	`getInstance(String type, String provider)` Returns a keystore object of the specified type.
`static KeyStore`	`getInstance(String type, Provider provider)` Returns a keystore object of the specified type.
`static final KeyStore`	`getInstance(File file, KeyStore.LoadStoreParameter param)` Returns a loaded keystore object of the appropriate keystore type.
`final Key`	`getKey(String alias, char[] password)` Returns the key associated with the given alias, using the given password to recover it.
`final Provider`	`getProvider()` Returns the provider of this keystore.
`final String`	`getType()` Returns the type of this keystore.
`final boolean`	`isCertificateEntry(String alias)` Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias was created by a call to `setCertificateEntry`, or created by a call to `setEntry` with a `TrustedCertificateEntry`.
`final boolean`	`isKeyEntry(String alias)` Returns true if the entry identified by the given alias was created by a call to `setKeyEntry`, or created by a call to `setEntry` with a `PrivateKeyEntry` or a `SecretKeyEntry`.
`final void`	`load(KeyStore.LoadStoreParameter param)` Loads this keystore using the given `LoadStoreParameter`.
`final void`	`load(InputStream stream, char[] password)` Loads this KeyStore from the given input stream.
`final void`	`setCertificateEntry(String alias, Certificate cert)` Assigns the given trusted certificate to the given alias.
`final void`	`setEntry(String alias, KeyStore.Entry entry, KeyStore.ProtectionParameter protParam)` Saves a keystore `Entry` under the specified alias.
`final void`	`setKeyEntry(String alias, Key key, char[] password, Certificate[] chain)` Assigns the given key to the given alias, protecting it with the given password.
`final void`	`setKeyEntry(String alias, byte[] key, Certificate[] chain)` Assigns the given key (that has already been protected) to the given alias.
`final int`	`size()` Retrieves the number of entries in this keystore.
`final void`	`store(OutputStream stream, char[] password)` Stores this keystore to the given output stream, and protects its integrity with the given password.
`final void`	`store(KeyStore.LoadStoreParameter param)` Stores this keystore using the given `LoadStoreParameter`.

Inherited methods

From class java.lang.Object

`Object`	`clone()` Creates and returns a copy of this object.
`boolean`	`equals(Object obj)` Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
`void`	`finalize()` Called by the garbage collector on an object when garbage collection determines that there are no more references to the object.
`final Class<?>`	`getClass()` Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
`int`	`hashCode()` Returns a hash code value for the object.
`final void`	`notify()` Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
`final void`	`notifyAll()` Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
`String`	`toString()` Returns a string representation of the object.
`final void`	`wait(long timeoutMillis, int nanos)` Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
`final void`	`wait(long timeoutMillis)` Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
`final void`	`wait()` Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted.

Parameters
`keyStoreSpi`	`KeyStoreSpi`: the provider implementation.
`provider`	`Provider`: the provider.
`type`	`String`: the keystore type.

Parameters
`alias`	`String`: the alias name
`entryClass`	`Class`: the entry class

Throws
`NullPointerException`	if `alias` or `entryClass` is `null`
`KeyStoreException`	if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded)

Parameters
`alias`	`String`: get the keystore `Entry` for this alias
`protParam`	`KeyStore.ProtectionParameter`: the `ProtectionParameter` used to protect the `Entry`, which may be `null`

Throws
`NullPointerException`	if `alias` is `null`
`NoSuchAlgorithmException`	if the algorithm for recovering the entry cannot be found
`UnrecoverableEntryException`	if the specified `protParam` were insufficient or invalid
`UnrecoverableKeyException`	if the entry is a `PrivateKeyEntry` or `SecretKeyEntry` and the specified `protParam` does not contain the information needed to recover the key (e.g. wrong password)
`KeyStoreException`	if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded).

Parameters
`file`	`File`: the keystore file
`password`	`char`: the keystore password, which may be `null`

Throws
`KeyStoreException`	if no Provider supports a KeyStoreSpi implementation for the specified keystore file.
`IOException`	if there is an I/O or format problem with the keystore data, if a password is required but not given, or if the given password was incorrect. If the error is due to a wrong password, the `cause` of the `IOException` should be an `UnrecoverableKeyException`.
`NoSuchAlgorithmException`	if the algorithm used to check the integrity of the keystore cannot be found.
`CertificateException`	if any of the certificates in the keystore could not be loaded.
`IllegalArgumentException`	if file does not exist or does not refer to a normal file.
`NullPointerException`	if file is `null`.
`SecurityException`	if a security manager exists and its `SecurityManager.checkRead(FileDescriptor)` method denies read access to the specified file.

Parameters
`type`	`String`: the type of keystore. See the KeyStore section in the Java Security Standard Algorithm Names Specification for information about standard keystore types.
`provider`	`String`: the name of the provider.

Throws
`KeyStoreException`	if a KeyStoreSpi implementation for the specified type is not available from the specified provider.
`NoSuchProviderException`	if the specified provider is not registered in the security provider list.
`IllegalArgumentException`	if the provider name is null or empty.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException`	if the specified provider is `null`
`KeyStoreException`	if `KeyStoreSpi` implementation for the specified type is not available from the specified `Provider` object
`NullPointerException`	if `type` is `null`

Parameters
`file`	`File`: the keystore file
`param`	`KeyStore.LoadStoreParameter`: the `LoadStoreParameter` that specifies how to load the keystore, which may be `null`

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException`	if the given `LoadStoreParameter` input is not recognized
`IOException`	if there is an I/O or format problem with the keystore data. If the error is due to an incorrect `ProtectionParameter` (e.g. wrong password) the `cause` of the `IOException` should be an `UnrecoverableKeyException`
`NoSuchAlgorithmException`	if the algorithm used to check the integrity of the keystore cannot be found
`CertificateException`	if any of the certificates in the keystore could not be loaded

Parameters
`stream`	`InputStream`: the input stream from which the keystore is loaded, or `null`
`password`	`char`: the password used to check the integrity of the keystore, the password used to unlock the keystore, or `null`

Parameters
`alias`	`String`: the alias name
`cert`	`Certificate`: the certificate

Parameters
`alias`	`String`: save the keystore `Entry` under this alias
`entry`	`KeyStore.Entry`: the `Entry` to save
`protParam`	`KeyStore.ProtectionParameter`: the `ProtectionParameter` used to protect the `Entry`, which may be `null`

Throws
`NullPointerException`	if `alias` or `entry` is `null`
`KeyStoreException`	if the keystore has not been initialized (loaded), or if this operation fails for some other reason

Parameters
`alias`	`String`: the alias name
`key`	`Key`: the key to be associated with the alias
`password`	`char`: the password to protect the key
`chain`	`Certificate`: the certificate chain for the corresponding public key (only required if the given key is of type `java.security.PrivateKey`).

Parameters
`stream`	`OutputStream`: the output stream to which this keystore is written.
`password`	`char`: the password to generate the keystore integrity check

KeyStore

Summary

Nested classes

Protected constructors

Public methods

Inherited methods

Protected constructors

KeyStore

Public methods

aliases

containsAlias

deleteEntry

entryInstanceOf

getCertificate

getCertificateAlias

getCertificateChain

getCreationDate

getDefaultType

getEntry

getInstance

getInstance

getInstance

getInstance

getInstance

getKey

getProvider

getType

isCertificateEntry

isKeyEntry

load

load

setCertificateEntry

setEntry

setKeyEntry

setKeyEntry

size

store

store