PKCS11js

PKCS11js is a package for direct interaction with the PKCS#11 API, the standard interface for interacting with hardware crypto devices such as Smart Cards and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs). It was developed to the PKCS#11 2.40 specification and has been tested with a variety of devices.

Versioning Note:

• Version 1.x was implemented using the nan module, which allowed the package to be built for older versions of Node.js.
• Starting from version 2.x, the module has been rewritten to use napi. As a result, the minimum required Node.js version is now v18.

For most use cases, we recommend our package Graphene, which provides a simplistic Object Oriented interface for interacting with PKCS#11 devices.

This was developed to the PKCS#11 2.40 specification. It should be easy enough to extend it for any new versions at a later date.

It has been tested with :

• SoftHSM2
• Thales NShield
• Safenet Luna HSMs
• RuToken

NOTE: For testing purposes it may be easier to work with SoftHSM2 which is a software implementation of PKCS#11 based on OpenSSL or Botan.

Installation

$ npm install pkcs11js
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Documentation

https://peculiarventures.github.io/pkcs11js/

Install SoftHSM2

• For OSX see the instructions here
• For linux instructions here
• For Windows instructions here

Examples

Example #1

var pkcs11js = require("pkcs11js");

var pkcs11 = new pkcs11js.PKCS11();
pkcs11.load("/usr/local/lib/softhsm/libsofthsm2.so");

pkcs11.C_Initialize();

try {
    // Getting info about PKCS11 Module
    var module_info = pkcs11.C_GetInfo();

    // Getting list of slots
    var slots = pkcs11.C_GetSlotList(true);
    var slot = slots[0];

    // Getting info about slot
    var slot_info = pkcs11.C_GetSlotInfo(slot);
    // Getting info about token
    var token_info = pkcs11.C_GetTokenInfo(slot);

    // Getting info about Mechanism
    var mechs = pkcs11.C_GetMechanismList(slot);
    var mech_info = pkcs11.C_GetMechanismInfo(slot, mechs[0]);

    var session = pkcs11.C_OpenSession(slot, pkcs11js.CKF_RW_SESSION | pkcs11js.CKF_SERIAL_SESSION);

    // Getting info about Session
    var info = pkcs11.C_GetSessionInfo(session);
    pkcs11.C_Login(session, 1, "password");

    /**
     * Your app code here
     */
    
    pkcs11.C_Logout(session);
    pkcs11.C_CloseSession(session);
}
catch(e){
    console.error(e);
}
finally {
    pkcs11.C_Finalize();
}
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Example #2

Generating secret key using AES mechanism

var template = [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_SECRET_KEY },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My AES Key" },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_VALUE_LEN, value: 256 / 8 },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_ENCRYPT, value: true },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_DECRYPT, value: true },
];
var key = pkcs11.C_GenerateKey(session, { mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_AES_KEY_GEN }, template);
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Example #3

Generating key pair using RSA-PKCS1 mechanism

var publicKeyTemplate = [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_PUBLIC_KEY },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My RSA Public Key" },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_PUBLIC_EXPONENT, value: new Buffer([1, 0, 1]) },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_MODULUS_BITS, value: 2048 },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_VERIFY, value: true }
];
var privateKeyTemplate = [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_PRIVATE_KEY },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My RSA Private Key" },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_SIGN, value: true },
];
var keys = pkcs11.C_GenerateKeyPair(session, { mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_RSA_PKCS_KEY_PAIR_GEN }, publicKeyTemplate, privateKeyTemplate);
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Example #4

Generating key pair using ECDSA mechanism

var publicKeyTemplate = [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_PUBLIC_KEY },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My EC Public Key" },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_EC_PARAMS, value: new Buffer("06082A8648CE3D030107", "hex") }, // secp256r1
];
var privateKeyTemplate = [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_PRIVATE_KEY },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My EC Private Key" },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_DERIVE, value: true },
];
var keys = pkcs11.C_GenerateKeyPair(session, { mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_EC_KEY_PAIR_GEN }, publicKeyTemplate, privateKeyTemplate);
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Example #4

Working with Object

var nObject = pkcs11.C_CreateObject(session, [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_DATA },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_PRIVATE, value: false },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My custom data" },
]);

// Updating label of Object
pkcs11.C_SetAttributeValue(session, nObject, [{ type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "My custom data!!!" }]);

// Getting attribute value
var label = pkcs11.C_GetAttributeValue(session, nObject, [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL },
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN }
]);
console.log(label[0].value.toString()); // My custom data!!!
console.log(!!label[1].value[0]); // false

// Copying Object
var cObject = pkcs11.C_CopyObject(session, nObject, [
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS},
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN},
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_PRIVATE},
    { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL},
]);

// Removing Object
pkcs11.C_DestroyObject(session, cObject);
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Example #4

Searching objects

NOTE: If template is not set for C_FindObjectsInit, then C_FindObjects returns all objects from slot

pkcs11.C_FindObjectsInit(session, [{ type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_DATA }]);
var hObject = pkcs11.C_FindObjects(session);
while (hObject) {
    var attrs = pkcs11.C_GetAttributeValue(session, hObject, [
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL }
    ]);
    // Output info for objects from token only
    if (attrs[1].value[0]){
        console.log(`Object #${hObject}: ${attrs[2].value.toString()}`);
    }
    hObject = pkcs11.C_FindObjects(session);
}
pkcs11.C_FindObjectsFinal(session);
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Example #5

Generating random values

var random = pkcs11.C_GenerateRandom(session, new Buffer(20));
console.log(random.toString("hex"));
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or

var random = new Buffer(20);
pkcs11.C_GenerateRandom(session, random);
console.log(random.toString("hex"));
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Example #6

Digest

pkcs11.C_DigestInit(_session, { mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_SHA256 });

pkcs11.C_DigestUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming message 1"));
pkcs11.C_DigestUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming message N"));

var digest = pkcs11.C_DigestFinal(_session, Buffer(256 / 8));

console.log(digest.toString("hex"));
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Example #7

Signing data

pkcs11.C_SignInit(session, { mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_SHA256_RSA_PKCS }, keys.privateKey);

pkcs11.C_SignUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming message 1"));
pkcs11.C_SignUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming message N"));

var signature = pkcs11.C_SignFinal(session, Buffer(256));
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Verifying data

pkcs11.C_VerifyInit(session, { mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_SHA256_RSA_PKCS }, keys.publicKey);

pkcs11.C_VerifyUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming message 1"));
pkcs11.C_VerifyUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming message N"));

var verify = pkcs11.C_VerifyFinal(session, signature);
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Example #8

Encrypting data with AES-CBC mechanism

var cbc_param = pkcs11.C_GenerateRandom(new Buffer(16));

pkcs11.C_EncryptInit(
    session,
    {
        mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_AES_CBC,
        parameter: cbc_param
    },
    secretKey
);

var enc = new Buffer(0);
enc = Buffer.concat([enc, pkcs11.C_EncryptUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming data 1"), new Buffer(16))]);
enc = Buffer.concat([enc, pkcs11.C_EncryptUpdate(session, new Buffer("Incoming data N"), new Buffer(16))]);
enc = Buffer.concat([enc, pkcs11.C_EncryptFinal(session, new Buffer(16))]);

console.log(enc.toString("hex"));
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Decrypting data with AES-CBC mechanism

pkcs11.C_DecryptInit(
    session,
    {
        mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_AES_CBC,
        parameter: cbc_param
    },
    secretKey
);

var dec = new Buffer(0);
dec = Buffer.concat([dec, pkcs11.C_DecryptUpdate(session, enc, new Buffer(32))]);
dec = Buffer.concat([dec, pkcs11.C_DecryptFinal(session, new Buffer(16))]);

console.log(dec.toString());
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Example #9

Deriving key with ECDH mechanism

// Receive public data from EC public key
var attrs = pkcs11.C_GetAttributeValue(session, publicKeyEC, [{ type: pkcs11js.CKA_EC_POINT }])
var ec = attrs[0].value;

var derivedKey = pkcs11.C_DeriveKey(
    session,
    {
        mechanism: pkcs11js.CKM_ECDH1_DERIVE,
        parameter: {
            type: pkcs11js.CK_PARAMS_EC_DH,
            kdf: 2,
            publicData: ec
        }
    },
    privateKeyEC,
    [
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_CLASS, value: pkcs11js.CKO_SECRET_KEY },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_TOKEN, value: false },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_KEY_TYPE, value: pkcs11js.CKK_AES },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_LABEL, value: "Derived AES key" },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_ENCRYPT, value: true },
        { type: pkcs11js.CKA_VALUE_LEN, value: 256 / 8 }
    ]
);
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Example #10

Initializing NSS crypto library

Use options parameter for C_Initialize function.

Type

interface InitializationOptions {
    /**
     * NSS library parameters
     */
    libraryParameters?: string;
    /**
     * bit flags specifying options for `C_Initialize`
     * - CKF_LIBRARY_CANT_CREATE_OS_THREADS. True if application threads which are executing calls to the library
     *   may not use native operating system calls to spawn new threads; false if they may
     * - CKF_OS_LOCKING_OK. True if the library can use the native operation system threading model for locking;
     *   false otherwise
     */
    flags?: number;
}
/**
 * Initializes the Cryptoki library
 * @param options Initialization options
 * Supports implementation of standard `CK_C_INITIALIZE_ARGS` and extended NSS format.
 * - if `options` is null or empty, it calls native `C_Initialize` with `NULL`
 * - if `options` doesn't have `libraryParameters`, it uses `CK_C_INITIALIZE_ARGS` structure
 * - if `options` has `libraryParameters`, it uses extended NSS structure
 */
C_Initialize(options?: InitializationOptions): void;
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Code

const mod = new pkcs11.PKCS11();
mod.load("/usr/local/opt/nss/lib/libsoftokn3.dylib");

mod.C_Initialize({
    libraryParameters: "configdir='' certPrefix='' keyPrefix='' secmod='' flags=readOnly,noCertDB,noModDB,forceOpen,optimizeSpace",
});

// Your code here

mod.C_Finalize();
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More info about NSS params for C_Initialize

Example #11

Detect a slot event

var pkcs11js = require("pkcs11js");
var pkcs11 = new pkcs11js.PKCS11();
// Need a compliant Cryptoki Version 2.01 or later
pkcs11.load("/usr/local/lib/softhsm/libsofthsm2.so");

pkcs11.C_Initialize();

try {
    const slotId = pkcs11.C_WaitForSlotEvent(pkcs11js.CKF_DONT_BLOCK);
    if (slotId) {
        console.log(`Slot ${slotId} has been inserted`);
    } else {
        console.log(`No slot event`);
    }
} catch (e) {
    console.error(e);
} finally {
    pkcs11.C_Finalize();
}
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Suitability

At this time this solution should be considered suitable for research and experimentation, further code and security review is needed before utilization in a production application.

Bug Reporting

Please report bugs either as pull requests or as issues in the issue tracker. Graphene has a full disclosure vulnerability policy. Please do NOT attempt to report any security vulnerability in this code privately to anybody.

Related

• PKCS #11 2.40 Specification
• Many PKCS #11 Specifications
• Attacking and Fixing PKCS#11 Security Tokens
• PERL PKCS #11 binding
• .NET PKCS #11 binding
• Ruby PKCS #11 binding
• OCaml PKCS #11 binding
• OCaml PKCS #11 CLI
• Go PKCS #11 binding
• PKCS #11 Admin
• Node.js Foreign Function Interface
• GOST PKCS#11 constants
• PKCS#11 logging proxy module
• PKCS#11 Proxy
• PKCS#11 Tests
• OpenCryptoKi
• SoftHSM
• SofHSM2 for Windows
• node-pcsc
• PKCS#11 URIs
• Key Length Recommendations