securityUtility command

The securityUtility command supports plain text encryption, SSL certificate creation, and creating LTPA keys for Liberty. Documentation for the securityUtility command in version 21.0.0.11 and later is available on the Open Liberty website.


Syntax

The command syntax is as follows: 

    securityUtility task [options]

Where the options are different based on the value of task. CAUTION:

Different operating systems and command line environments treat some characters differently. In many environments, we can redefine which characters are special and how they behave. in your input string, it must be escaped by the caret character (^). The following example has a value of a! encoded.

For some operating systems, we might need to use single quotation marks around arguments passed to the tool.

If we use a terminal emulator, make sure that your session is configured to use the same code page as the server.

Refer to your operating system, command shell, and terminal emulator documentation about special characters and code pages if you experience unexpected results.


Parameters

The following tasks are available for the securityUtility command:

    help

    Prints help information for a specified task.

    encode

    Encodes the provided text using Base64. If no options are specified, the command enters interactive mode. Otherwise, the provided text is encoded. Text with spaces must be put in quotation marks.The options are:

      --encoding=encoding_type

      Specifies how to encode the password. Supported encodings are xor, aes, and hash. The default value is xor.

      In version 25.0.0.1 and earlier, the aes type uses AES-128 encryption.

      We can use the hash encoding option to encode passwords for the basic user registry and the quickStartSecurity element. hash options use enhanced algorithms to encrypt and encode strings. Strings that were encrypted or encoded with these options before the algorithms were enhanced might fail in FIPS 140-3 environments.

      --key=encryption_key

      Specifies the key to be used when you encode using AES encryption. This string is hashed to produce an encryption key used to encrypt and decrypt the password. The key can be provided to the server by defining the variable wlp.password.encryption.key whose value is the key. If this option is not provided, a default key is used.

      See also information about setting the variable for wlp.password.encryption.key.

      --keyring

      Specifies the key ring where the AES encryption key is stored when the z/OS Encryption Key feature is enabled to obtain the key.

      See Storing an AES password encryption key in the SAF key ring.

      --keyringType

      Specifies the type of the key ring specified by the --keyring flag when the z/OS Encryption Key feature is enabled to obtain the key.

      --keylabel

      Specifies the name of the personal certificate entry to use as the AES encryption key when the z/OS Encryption Key feature is enabled to obtain the key.

      --listCustom

      Display the information of the custom password encryption in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. The information consists of:

      • name: The custom password encryption algorithm name.
      • featurename: The feature name.
      • description: The description of the custom password encryption.

      For more information about custom password encryption, see Develop a customPasswordEncryption Provider.

      --notrim

      Specify whether space characters are removed from the beginning and end of the specified text. If this option is specified, the provided text is encoded as it is. If this option is not specified, space characters from the beginning and end of the specified text are removed.

      text

      The text that is to be encoded.

    createSSLCertificate

    Creates a default keystore that includes an SSL certificate for use in a server or client configuration.

      Keystore details:

      location: In the resource/security/key.p12 file of the server or client directory.

      type: PKCS12

      In version 19.0.0.2 and earlier: location: In the resource/security/key.jks file of the server or client directory.

      In version 19.0.0.2 and earlier: type: JKS

      password: Password provided with the --password option. The password is needed to open the keystore file and retrieve the key from the keystore file.

      Certificate details:

      type: Self-signed certificate.

      size: 2048 by default, an alternative size can be specified with the --keySize option.

      signature algorithm: SHA256withRSA, can be customized with the--sigAlg option.

      validity: 365 days by default, can be customized with the --validity option.

      SubjectDN: CN=<hostname>,OU=<client or server name>,O=ibm,C=us by default, can be customized with the --subject option.

    The options are:

      --server=name

      Specifies the name of the Liberty server for which the keystore and certificate is created. This option cannot be used if the --client option is specified.

      --client=name

      Specifies the name of the Liberty client for which the keystore and certificate is created. This option cannot be used if the --server option is specified.

      --keyType=keystore type

      Specifies the keystore type to generate. To generate a JKS keystore, specify the --keyType option with the value of JKS. By default, a PKCS12 keystore is generated. However, to explicitly specify the generation of a PKCS12 keystore, specify the --keyType option with the value of PKCS12.

      A PKCS12 keystore has a number of advantages over a JKS keystore. The PKCS12 keystore is more extensible, supports stronger cryptographic algorithms, and is widely adopted. The PKCS12 format is frequently the format that certificate authorities provide when they issue certificates.

      --keySize=size

      Specifies the certificate key bit size. The default value is 2048.

      --password=password

      Specifies the password to be used in the keystore, which must be at least six characters in length. This option is required.

      --passwordEncoding=password_encoding_type

      Specifies how to encode the keystore password. Supported encoding value is xor or aes. If this option is not provided, a default value of xor is used.

      --passwordkey=password_encryption_key

      Specifies the key to use to encode the keystore password using AES encryption. This string is hashed to produce an encryption key used to encrypt and decrypt the password. The key can be provided to the server by defining the variable wlp.password.encryption.key whose value is the key. If this option is not provided, a default key is used.

      --validity=days

      Specifies the number of days that the certificate is valid, which must be equal to or greater than 365. If this option is not provided, a default value of 365 is used.

      --subject=DN

      Specifies the Distinguished Name (DN) for the certificate subject and issuer. If this option is not provided, a default value of CN=<hostname>,OU=<server or client name>,O=ibm,C=us is used. The CN value is retrieved using a java method to get the machine's local hostname. If the hostname cannot be resolved, the IP address is returned.

      --sigAlg

      Signature algorithm used to sign the self-signed certificate. The signature algorithm that is supported depends on what is supported by the underlying JRE. Stronger signature algorithms might require the JRE to have the unrestricted policy file in place.

      The command accepts SHA256withRSA (default), SHA1withRSA, SHA384withRSA, SHA512withRSA, SHA1withECDSA, SHA256withECDSA, SHA384withECDSA, and SHA512withECDSA. The signature algorithms that end with RSA creates certificates with RSA keys and the signature algorithms that end with ECDSA creates certificates with Elliptical Curve (EC) keys.

      Note: If we are using certificates created with EC keys, then the server needs a customized ciphers list in the ssl configuration to include EC ciphers.

      --extInfo

      Specifies any X.509 certificate extension information that it uses to create the default certificate. By default, the Subject Alternative Name extension is added to the certificate with the host name of the server. If the --extInfo option is used, the value is passed directly to the keytool command. Use the syntax of the --ext flag on the keytool command.

    createLTPAKeys

    Creates a set of LTPA keys for use by the server, or that can be shared with multiple servers. If no server or file is specified, an ltpa.keys file is created in the current working directory.

    The options are:

      --file=name

      The file in which to write the LTPA keys. This option can't be used if the --server option is specified.

      --passwordEncoding=password_encoding_type

      Specifies how to encode the LTPA keys password in the server.xml file. Supported encoding types are xor and aes. If this option isn't specified, a default encoding type of xor is used.

      We can use the securityUtility encode --listCustom command to see if any additional custom encryptions are supported.

      --passwordKey=password_encryption_key

      Specifies the key to use to encode an LTPA keys password with AES encryption. This string is hashed to produce an encryption key used to encrypt and decrypt the password. We can provide the key by defining the wlp.password.encryption.key variable as the key value. If this option isn't specified, a default key is used.

      --server=name

      Specifies the name of the Open Liberty server for which the LTPA keys are created. This option can't be used if the --file option is specified.

    approved algorithms. To create LTPA keys that use FIPS 140-3 approved algorithms, export the following system property before we run the createLTPAKeys command: 

      export JVM_ARGS="-Xenablefips140-3 -Dcom.ibm.jsse2.usefipsprovider=true -Dcom.ibm.jsse2.usefipsProviderName=IBMJCEPlusFIPS"

    After the system properties are set, replace the existing LTPA keys with the newly created LTPA keys. For more information, see Set up Liberty for FIPS compliance.


Usage

The following examples demonstrate correct syntax: 

    securityUtility encode --encoding=aes GiveMeLiberty
securityUtility createSSLCertificate --server=myserver --password=mypassword --validity=365
  --subject=CN=mycompany,O=myOrg,C=myCountry
securityUtility help createSSLCertificate
securityUtility createLTPAKeys --password=mypassword