NAME

       signver - Verify a detached PKCS#7 signature for a file.

SYNOPSIS

       signtool -A | -V  -d directory [-a] [-i input_file] [-o output_file] [-s signature_file]
                [-v]

STATUS

       This documentation is still work in progress. Please contribute to the initial review in
       Mozilla NSS bug 836477[1]

DESCRIPTION

       The Signature Verification Tool, signver, is a simple command-line utility that unpacks a
       base-64-encoded PKCS#7 signed object and verifies the digital signature using standard
       cryptographic techniques. The Signature Verification Tool can also display the contents of
       the signed object.

OPTIONS

       -A
           Displays all of the information in the PKCS#7 signature.

       -V
           Verifies the digital signature.

       -d [sql:]directory
           Specify the database directory which contains the certificates and keys.

           signver supports two types of databases: the legacy security databases (cert8.db,
           key3.db, and secmod.db) and new SQLite databases (cert9.db, key4.db, and pkcs11.txt).
           If the prefix sql: is not used, then the tool assumes that the given databases are in
           the old format.

       -a
           Sets that the given signature file is in ASCII format.

       -i input_file
           Gives the input file for the object with signed data.

       -o output_file
           Gives the output file to which to write the results.

       -s signature_file
           Gives the input file for the digital signature.

       -v
           Enables verbose output.

EXTENDED EXAMPLES

   Verifying a Signature
       The -V option verifies that the signature in a given signature file is valid when used to
       sign the given object (from the input file).

           signver -V -s signature_file -i signed_file -d sql:/home/my/sharednssdb

           signatureValid=yes

   Printing Signature Data
       The -A option prints all of the information contained in a signature file. Using the -o
       option prints the signature file information to the given output file rather than stdout.

           signver -A -s signature_file -o output_file

NSS DATABASE TYPES

       NSS originally used BerkeleyDB databases to store security information. The last versions
       of these legacy databases are:

       •   cert8.db for certificates

       •   key3.db for keys

       •   secmod.db for PKCS #11 module information

       BerkeleyDB has performance limitations, though, which prevent it from being easily used by
       multiple applications simultaneously. NSS has some flexibility that allows applications to
       use their own, independent database engine while keeping a shared database and working
       around the access issues. Still, NSS requires more flexibility to provide a truly shared
       security database.

       In 2009, NSS introduced a new set of databases that are SQLite databases rather than
       BerkleyDB. These new databases provide more accessibility and performance:

       •   cert9.db for certificates

       •   key4.db for keys

       •   pkcs11.txt, which is listing of all of the PKCS #11 modules contained in a new
           subdirectory in the security databases directory

       Because the SQLite databases are designed to be shared, these are the shared database
       type. The shared database type is preferred; the legacy format is included for backward
       compatibility.

       By default, the tools (certutil, pk12util, modutil) assume that the given security
       databases follow the more common legacy type. Using the SQLite databases must be manually
       specified by using the sql: prefix with the given security directory. For example:

           # signver -A -s signature -d sql:/home/my/sharednssdb

       To set the shared database type as the default type for the tools, set the
       NSS_DEFAULT_DB_TYPE environment variable to sql:

           export NSS_DEFAULT_DB_TYPE="sql"

       This line can be added to the ~/.bashrc file to make the change permanent for the user.

       Most applications do not use the shared database by default, but they can be configured to
       use them. For example, this how-to article covers how to configure Firefox and Thunderbird
       to use the new shared NSS databases:

       •   https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSS_Shared_DB_Howto

       For an engineering draft on the changes in the shared NSS databases, see the NSS project
       wiki:

       •   https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSS_Shared_DB

SEE ALSO

       signtool (1)

       The NSS wiki has information on the new database design and how to configure applications
       to use it.

       •   Setting up the shared NSS database

           https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSS_Shared_DB_Howto

       •   Engineering and technical information about the shared NSS database

           https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSS_Shared_DB

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

       For information about NSS and other tools related to NSS (like JSS), check out the NSS
       project wiki at http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/. The NSS site relates
       directly to NSS code changes and releases.

       Mailing lists: https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-tech-crypto

       IRC: Freenode at #dogtag-pki

AUTHORS

       The NSS tools were written and maintained by developers with Netscape, Red Hat, Sun,
       Oracle, Mozilla, and Google.

       Authors: Elio Maldonado <emaldona@redhat.com>, Deon Lackey <dlackey@redhat.com>.

LICENSE

       Licensed under the Mozilla Public License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not
       distributed with this file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.

NOTES

        1. Mozilla NSS bug 836477
           https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=836477