NAME

       softhsm2-util - support tool for libsofthsm2

SYNOPSIS

       softhsm2-util --show-slots

       softhsm2-util --init-token --free --label text \
              [--so-pin PIN --pin PIN]

       softhsm2-util --import path [--file-pin PIN] --token label \
              [--pin PIN --no-public-key] --label text --id hex

       softhsm2-util --import path --aes --token label \
              [--pin PIN] --label text --id hex

       softhsm2-util --delete-token --token text

DESCRIPTION

       softhsm2-util  is a support tool mainly for libsofthsm2. It can also be used with other PKCS#11 libraries
       by using the option --module

       Read the sections below to get more information  on  the  libsofthsm2  and  PKCS#11.   Most  applications
       assumes  that the token they want to use is already initialized.  It is then up to the user to initialize
       the PKCS#11 token.  This is done by using the PKCS#11 interface, but instead of writing your own tool you
       can use the softhsm2-util tool.

       Keys  are usually created directly in the token, but the user may want to use an existing key pair.  Keys
       can be imported to a token by using the PKCS#11 interface, but this tool can also be used if the user has
       the key pair in a PKCS#8 file.  If you need to convert keys from BIND .private-key format over to PKCS#8,
       one can use softhsm2-keyconv.

       The libary libsofthsm2, known as SoftHSM, provides cryptographic functionality by using the PKCS#11  API.
       It  was  developed  as  a  part  of  the  OpenDNSSEC  project,  thus designed to meet the requirements of
       OpenDNSSEC, but can also work together with other software that want to  use  the  functionality  of  the
       PKCS#11 API.

       SoftHSM  is  a software implementation of a generic cryptographic device with a PKCS#11 interface.  These
       devices are often called tokens.  Read in the manual softhsm2.conf(5) on how to create these  tokens  and
       how they are added to a slot in SoftHSM.

       The  PKCS#11  API  can  be  used to handle and store cryptographic keys.  This interface specifies how to
       communicate with cryptographic devices such as HSMs (Hardware Security Modules)  and  smart  cards.   The
       purpose  of  these  devices is, among others, to generate cryptographic keys and sign information without
       revealing private-key material to the outside world.  They are often designed to perform  well  on  these
       specific tasks compared to ordinary processes in a normal computer.

ACTIONS

       --delete-token
              Delete  the  token  at  a given slot.  Use with --token or --serial.  Any content in token will be
              erased.

       --help, -h
              Show the help information.

       --import path
              Import a key pair from the given path.  The file must be in PKCS#8-format.
              Use with --slot or --token or --serial, --file-pin, --pin, --no-public-key, --label, and --id.
              Can also be used with --aes to use file as is and import it as AES.

       --init-token
              Initialize the token at a given slot, token label or  token  serial.   If  the  token  is  already
              initialized  then  this  command  will reinitialize it, thus erasing all the objects in the token.
              The matching Security Officer  (SO)  PIN  must  also  be  provided  when  doing  reinitialization.
              Initialized tokens will be reassigned to another slot (based on the token serial number).
              Use with --slot or --token or --serial or --free, --label, --so-pin, and --pin.

       --show-slots
              Display all the available slots and their current status.

       --version, -v
              Show the version info.

OPTIONS

       --aes  Used to tell import to use file as is and import it as AES.

       --file-pin PIN
              The  PIN will be used to decrypt the PKCS#8 file.  If not given then the PKCS#8 file is assumed to
              be unencrypted.

       --force
              Use this option to override the warnings and force the given action.

       --free Use the first free/uninitialized token.

       --id hex
              Choose an ID of the key pair.  The ID is in hexadecimal with a variable length.  Use with  --force
              when importing a key pair if the ID already exists.

       --label text
              Defines the label of the object or the token that will be set.

       --module path
              Use another PKCS#11 library than SoftHSM.

       --no-public-key
              Do not import the public key.

       --pin PIN
              The PIN for the normal user.

       --serial number
              Will use the token with a matching serial number.

       --slot number
              The slot where the token is located.

       --so-pin PIN
              The PIN for the Security Officer (SO).

       --token label
              Will use the token with a matching token label.

EXAMPLES

       The token can be initialized using this command:

              softhsm2-util --init-token --slot 1 --label "mytoken"

       A  key  pair  can  be  imported  using  the softhsm tool where you specify the path to the key file, slot
       number, label and ID of the new objects, and the user PIN.  The file must be in PKCS#8 format.

              softhsm2-util --import key1.pem --token "mytoken" --label "My key" \
                     --id A1B2 --pin 123456
              (Add, --file-pin PIN, if the key file is encrypted.)

AUTHORS

       Written by Rickard Bellgrim, Francis Dupont, René Post, and Roland van Rijswijk.

SEE ALSO

       softhsm2-keyconv(1), softhsm2-migrate(1), softhsm2.conf(5)