Project 02 / security tooling
Java key tooling made easy.
The keyToolZ are a set of independent security related tools which simplify some recurring tasks. The set contains a Keystore Explorer for certificates and keys, and an SSL capable TCP proxy.
- Platform
- Java 6 JDK or JRE
- Tools
- 2
- Source
- Subversion
- Downloads
- 2 jar files
- Wiki pages
- 3 archived
- Latest work
- 2011
Tool 01
Keystore Explorer
A graphical view of the JDK keytool, with certificate details that the command line output cannot show comfortably.
The Keystore Explorer is a graphical user interface for the command line keytool from the JDK. It provides an easy interface to the keytool functions and a much better overview of certificate details. The look and feel of the certificate viewer is inspired by the Microsoft certificate viewer.
The tool also has additional features that distinguish it from the simple command line tool:
- A simple, easy to use mini certificate authority is integrated into the tool.
- Private key related functions are already implemented or on the roadmap.
Why a separate viewer
The JDK keytool prints certificate details as text. A certificate chain, a validity period and a set of key usages are quicker to compare when they are laid out as fields and columns. The Keystore Explorer keeps the keystore file format unchanged, so a keystore created with the tool still opens with the standard JDK tool.
Everyday tasks
- Inspect an existing keystore and read the certificate chain for an alias.
- Compare the owner, issuer and validity period of several certificates.
- Create a small test certificate authority for a development environment.
Tool 02
SSLProxy
A TCP proxy that can mix plain connections and SSL on either side, and record what passes through.
The SSLProxy is an enhanced TCP proxy that allows all combinations of plain TCP and SSL as input and output protocols. A plain client can therefore reach a TLS protected service, or an SSL client can reach a plain internal service, without changing either endpoint.
Additionally, the communication content can be logged to log files. That makes the proxy useful when a protocol needs to be inspected on a machine where a packet capture is not available.
Typical uses
- Test a new TLS configuration before switching a production service.
- Inspect a protocol exchange between two hosts that cannot be reconfigured.
- Give a plain test client access to a service that only accepts SSL.
Downloads
Getting the tools.
Binary distributions were attached to the project wiki. The recorded attachments are listed below with their sizes and dates.
Download both libraries to one directory, together with the libraries they depend on. This version needs a Java 6 JDK or JRE.
| File | Size | Added by | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
fawkez.jar | 112.2 kB | cloroff | 05 May 2011 |
keystoreexplorer.jar | 104.2 kB | cloroff | 15 September 2011 |
Afterwards the Keystore Explorer can be started from the command line:
java -jar keystoreexplorer.jarAlternatively, double click the jar file if Java is registered as the default application for jar files on your system.
The original page referred to additional libraries, but their list was not recorded in the archive. The current source and release files are published on GitHub.
Start here
Three pages worth opening.
The wiki is short. These pages cover the tool overview, the project history and the way the archive was built.