5 d2i_X509, i2d_X509, d2i_X509_bio, d2i_X509_fp, i2d_X509_bio,
6 i2d_X509_fp - X509 encode and decode functions
10 #include <openssl/x509.h>
12 X509 *d2i_X509(X509 **px, const unsigned char **in, int len);
13 int i2d_X509(X509 *x, unsigned char **out);
15 X509 *d2i_X509_bio(BIO *bp, X509 **x);
16 X509 *d2i_X509_fp(FILE *fp, X509 **x);
18 int i2d_X509_bio(BIO *bp, X509 *x);
19 int i2d_X509_fp(FILE *fp, X509 *x);
23 The X509 encode and decode routines encode and parse an
24 B<X509> structure, which represents an X509 certificate.
26 d2i_X509() attempts to decode B<len> bytes at B<*in>. If
27 successful a pointer to the B<X509> structure is returned. If an error
28 occurred then B<NULL> is returned. If B<px> is not B<NULL> then the
29 returned structure is written to B<*px>. If B<*px> is not B<NULL>
30 then it is assumed that B<*px> contains a valid B<X509>
31 structure and an attempt is made to reuse it. If the call is
32 successful B<*in> is incremented to the byte following the
35 i2d_X509() encodes the structure pointed to by B<x> into DER format.
36 If B<out> is not B<NULL> is writes the DER encoded data to the buffer
37 at B<*out>, and increments it to point after the data just written.
38 If the return value is negative an error occurred, otherwise it
39 returns the length of the encoded data.
41 For OpenSSL 0.9.7 and later if B<*out> is B<NULL> memory will be
42 allocated for a buffer and the encoded data written to it. In this
43 case B<*out> is not incremented and it points to the start of the
46 d2i_X509_bio() is similar to d2i_X509() except it attempts
47 to parse data from BIO B<bp>.
49 d2i_X509_fp() is similar to d2i_X509() except it attempts
50 to parse data from FILE pointer B<fp>.
52 i2d_X509_bio() is similar to i2d_X509() except it writes
53 the encoding of the structure B<x> to BIO B<bp> and it
54 returns 1 for success and 0 for failure.
56 i2d_X509_fp() is similar to i2d_X509() except it writes
57 the encoding of the structure B<x> to BIO B<bp> and it
58 returns 1 for success and 0 for failure.
62 The letters B<i> and B<d> in for example B<i2d_X509> stand for
63 "internal" (that is an internal C structure) and "DER". So that
64 B<i2d_X509> converts from internal to DER.
66 The functions can also understand B<BER> forms.
68 The actual X509 structure passed to i2d_X509() must be a valid
69 populated B<X509> structure it can B<not> simply be fed with an
70 empty structure such as that returned by X509_new().
72 The encoded data is in binary form and may contain embedded zeroes.
73 Therefore any FILE pointers or BIOs should be opened in binary mode.
74 Functions such as B<strlen()> will B<not> return the correct length
75 of the encoded structure.
77 The ways that B<*in> and B<*out> are incremented after the operation
78 can trap the unwary. See the B<WARNINGS> section for some common
81 The reason for the auto increment behaviour is to reflect a typical
82 usage of ASN1 functions: after one structure is encoded or decoded
83 another will processed after it.
87 Allocate and encode the DER encoding of an X509 structure:
90 unsigned char *buf, *p;
92 len = i2d_X509(x, NULL);
94 buf = OPENSSL_malloc(len);
103 If you are using OpenSSL 0.9.7 or later then this can be
112 len = i2d_X509(x, &buf);
117 Attempt to decode a buffer:
121 unsigned char *buf, *p;
125 /* Something to setup buf and len */
129 x = d2i_X509(NULL, &p, len);
134 Alternative technique:
138 unsigned char *buf, *p;
142 /* Something to setup buf and len */
148 if(!d2i_X509(&x, &p, len))
154 The use of temporary variable is mandatory. A common
155 mistake is to attempt to use a buffer directly as follows:
160 len = i2d_X509(x, NULL);
162 buf = OPENSSL_malloc(len);
169 /* Other stuff ... */
173 This code will result in B<buf> apparently containing garbage because
174 it was incremented after the call to point after the data just written.
175 Also B<buf> will no longer contain the pointer allocated by B<OPENSSL_malloc()>
176 and the subsequent call to B<OPENSSL_free()> may well crash.
178 The auto allocation feature (setting buf to NULL) only works on OpenSSL
179 0.9.7 and later. Attempts to use it on earlier versions will typically
180 cause a segmentation violation.
182 Another trap to avoid is misuse of the B<xp> argument to B<d2i_X509()>:
186 if (!d2i_X509(&x, &p, len))
189 This will probably crash somewhere in B<d2i_X509()>. The reason for this
190 is that the variable B<x> is uninitialized and an attempt will be made to
191 interpret its (invalid) value as an B<X509> structure, typically causing
192 a segmentation violation. If B<x> is set to NULL first then this will not
197 In some versions of OpenSSL the "reuse" behaviour of d2i_X509() when
198 B<*px> is valid is broken and some parts of the reused structure may
199 persist if they are not present in the new one. As a result the use
200 of this "reuse" behaviour is strongly discouraged.
202 i2d_X509() will not return an error in many versions of OpenSSL,
203 if mandatory fields are not initialized due to a programming error
204 then the encoded structure may contain invalid data or omit the
205 fields entirely and will not be parsed by d2i_X509(). This may be
206 fixed in future so code should not assume that i2d_X509() will
211 d2i_X509(), d2i_X509_bio() and d2i_X509_fp() return a valid B<X509> structure
212 or B<NULL> if an error occurs. The error code that can be obtained by
213 L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>.
215 i2d_X509() returns the number of bytes successfully encoded or a negative
216 value if an error occurs. The error code can be obtained by
217 L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>.
219 i2d_X509_bio() and i2d_X509_fp() return 1 for success and 0 if an error
220 occurs The error code can be obtained by L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>.
224 L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>
228 d2i_X509, i2d_X509, d2i_X509_bio, d2i_X509_fp, i2d_X509_bio and i2d_X509_fp
229 are available in all versions of SSLeay and OpenSSL.