Programmatically verify certificate chain using OpenSSL API - c

Question

This is very similar to other questions but the ones I've looked at either don't have an answer or don't quite ask the same question. I have a self-signed CA certificate, and two other certificates that are signed with that CA certificate. I'm fairly sure the certificates are correct, because 'openssl verify' works:
$ openssl verify -CAfile ca.pem server.pem
server.pem: OK
(The above is from memory, I don't have them in front of me, so it may be slightly off).
Now I want to verify the certificates programatically. I have a utility function with pseudocode below:
int verify_cert(X509 *cert, X509 *cacert)
{
int ret;
X509_STORE *store;
X509_STORE_CTX *ctx;
store = X509_STORE_new();
X590_STORE_add_cert(store, cacert);
ctx = X509_STORE_CTX_new();
X509_STORE_CTX_init(ctx, store, cert, NULL);
ret = X509_verify_cert(ctx);
/* check for errors and clean up */
}
My problem is that the above code always returns 'failed to find issuer certificate'. What have I done wrong? I believe I am creating a new store, adding the cacert, creating a new context, and adding the child cert to be verified to the context with a pointer to the store which contains the CA. I'm pretty obviously doing something wrong, but I'm unsure what.
Any ideas?
Update: I'm aware I can save these certs to disk and use something like X509_LOOKUP_file or something similar. I'm looking for a solution that doesn't touch the disk unnecessarily.

Answer 1

You can use the normal validation routines (see How do you verify a public key was issued by your private CA?), like the -verify function in OpenSSL does. You need to create a lookup method (X509_LOOKUP_METHOD) like X509_LOOKUP_file(), but which works with a character string instead of a filename. The code for X509_LOOKUP_buffer() is as follows.
Header file by_buffer.h:
/* File: by_buffer.h */
#ifndef BY_BUFFER_H
#define BY_BUFFER_H
#include <openssl/x509.h>
#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C" {
#endif
#define X509_L_BUF_LOAD 1
#define X509_LOOKUP_load_buf(x,name,type) \
X509_LOOKUP_ctrl((x),X509_L_BUF_LOAD,(name),(long)(type),NULL)
X509_LOOKUP_METHOD *X509_LOOKUP_buffer(void);
#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif
#endif /* BY_BUFFER_H */
The c program by_buffer.c:
/* by_buffer.c - copied and modified from crypto/x509/by_file.c */
/* Copyright (C) - should be the same as for OpenSSL
*/
#include "by_buffer.h"
#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include "../crypto/cryptlib.h"
#include <openssl/lhash.h>
#include <openssl/buffer.h>
#include <openssl/pem.h>
#include <openssl/err.h>
static int by_buffer_ctrl(X509_LOOKUP *ctx, int cmd, const char *argc,
long argl, char **ret);
X509_LOOKUP_METHOD x509_buffer_lookup=
{
"Load buffer into cache",
NULL, /* new */
NULL, /* free */
NULL, /* init */
NULL, /* shutdown */
by_buffer_ctrl, /* ctrl */
NULL, /* get_by_subject */
NULL, /* get_by_issuer_serial */
NULL, /* get_by_fingerprint */
NULL, /* get_by_alias */
};
X509_LOOKUP_METHOD *X509_LOOKUP_buffer(void)
{
return(&x509_buffer_lookup);
}
static int by_buffer_ctrl(X509_LOOKUP *ctx, int cmd, const char *argp, long argl,
char **ret)
{
int ok=0;
char *certBuf;
switch (cmd)
{
case X509_L_BUF_LOAD:
if (argl == X509_FILETYPE_DEFAULT)
{
X509err(X509_F_BY_FILE_CTRL,X509_R_LOADING_DEFAULTS);
}
else
{
if(argl == X509_FILETYPE_PEM)
ok = (X509_load_cert_crl_buf(ctx,argp,
X509_FILETYPE_PEM) != 0);
else
ok = (X509_load_cert_buf(ctx,argp,(int)argl) != 0);
}
break;
}
return(ok);
}
int X509_load_cert_buf(X509_LOOKUP *ctx, const char *certBuf, int type)
{
int ret=0;
BIO *in=NULL;
int i,count=0;
X509 *x=NULL;
if (certBuf == NULL) return(1);
in=BIO_new(BIO_s_mem());
if(in==NULL) goto err;
if (type == X509_FILETYPE_PEM)
{
for (;;)
{
x=PEM_read_bio_X509_AUX(in,NULL,NULL,NULL);
if (x == NULL)
{
if ((ERR_GET_REASON(ERR_peek_last_error()) ==
PEM_R_NO_START_LINE) && (count > 0))
{
ERR_clear_error();
break;
}
else
{
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CERT_FILE,
ERR_R_PEM_LIB);
goto err;
}
}
i=X509_STORE_add_cert(ctx->store_ctx,x);
if (!i) goto err;
count++;
X509_free(x);
x=NULL;
}
ret=count;
}
else if (type == X509_FILETYPE_ASN1)
{
x=d2i_X509_bio(in,NULL);
if (x == NULL)
{
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CERT_FILE,ERR_R_ASN1_LIB);
goto err;
}
i=X509_STORE_add_cert(ctx->store_ctx,x);
if (!i) goto err;
ret=i;
}
else
{
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CERT_FILE,X509_R_BAD_X509_FILETYPE);
goto err;
}
err:
if (x != NULL) X509_free(x);
if (in != NULL) BIO_free(in);
return(ret);
}
int X509_load_crl_buf(X509_LOOKUP *ctx, const char *certBuf, int type)
{
int ret=0;
BIO *in=NULL;
int i,count=0;
X509_CRL *x=NULL;
if (certBuf == NULL) return(1);
//in=BIO_new(BIO_s_file_internal());
in=BIO_new(BIO_s_mem());
if(in==NULL) goto err;
if (type == X509_FILETYPE_PEM)
{
for (;;)
{
x=PEM_read_bio_X509_CRL(in,NULL,NULL,NULL);
if (x == NULL)
{
if ((ERR_GET_REASON(ERR_peek_last_error()) ==
PEM_R_NO_START_LINE) && (count > 0))
{
ERR_clear_error();
break;
}
else
{
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CRL_FILE,
ERR_R_PEM_LIB);
goto err;
}
}
i=X509_STORE_add_crl(ctx->store_ctx,x);
if (!i) goto err;
count++;
X509_CRL_free(x);
x=NULL;
}
ret=count;
}
else if (type == X509_FILETYPE_ASN1)
{
x=d2i_X509_CRL_bio(in,NULL);
if (x == NULL)
{
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CRL_FILE,ERR_R_ASN1_LIB);
goto err;
}
i=X509_STORE_add_crl(ctx->store_ctx,x);
if (!i) goto err;
ret=i;
}
else
{
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CRL_FILE,X509_R_BAD_X509_FILETYPE);
goto err;
}
err:
if (x != NULL) X509_CRL_free(x);
if (in != NULL) BIO_free(in);
return(ret);
}
int X509_load_cert_crl_buf(X509_LOOKUP *ctx, const char *certBuf, int type)
{
STACK_OF(X509_INFO) *inf;
X509_INFO *itmp;
BIO *in;
int i, count = 0;
if(type != X509_FILETYPE_PEM)
return X509_load_cert_buf(ctx, certBuf, type);
in = BIO_new(BIO_s_mem());
if(!in) {
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CERT_CRL_FILE,ERR_R_SYS_LIB);
return 0;
}
BIO_write(in, certBuf, strlen(certBuf));
inf = PEM_X509_INFO_read_bio(in, NULL, NULL, NULL);
BIO_free(in);
if(!inf) {
X509err(X509_F_X509_LOAD_CERT_CRL_FILE,ERR_R_PEM_LIB);
return 0;
}
for(i = 0; i < sk_X509_INFO_num(inf); i++) {
itmp = sk_X509_INFO_value(inf, i);
if(itmp->x509) {
X509_STORE_add_cert(ctx->store_ctx, itmp->x509);
count++;
}
if(itmp->crl) {
X509_STORE_add_crl(ctx->store_ctx, itmp->crl);
count++;
}
}
sk_X509_INFO_pop_free(inf, X509_INFO_free);
return count;
}
Routine in C++ which calls the above routines:
#include "by_buffer.h"
static int check(X509_STORE *ctx, const char *certBuf);
static X509 *load_cert(const char *certBuf);
int validateKey(const char *rsaKeyCA, const char *rsaCertificate) {
int ret=0;
X509_STORE *cert_ctx=NULL;
X509_LOOKUP *lookup=NULL;
cert_ctx=X509_STORE_new();
if (cert_ctx == NULL) goto end;
OpenSSL_add_all_algorithms();
lookup=X509_STORE_add_lookup(cert_ctx,X509_LOOKUP_buffer());
if (lookup == NULL)
goto end;
if(!X509_LOOKUP_load_buf(lookup,rsaKeyCA,X509_FILETYPE_PEM))
goto end;
lookup=X509_STORE_add_lookup(cert_ctx,X509_LOOKUP_hash_dir());
if (lookup == NULL)
goto end;
X509_LOOKUP_add_dir(lookup,NULL,X509_FILETYPE_DEFAULT);
ret = check(cert_ctx, rsaCertificate);
end:
if (cert_ctx != NULL) X509_STORE_free(cert_ctx);
return ret;
}
static X509 *load_cert(const char *certBuf)
{
X509 *x=NULL;
BIO *cert;
if ((cert=BIO_new(BIO_s_mem())) == NULL)
goto end;
BIO_write(cert, certBuf, strlen(certBuf));
x=PEM_read_bio_X509_AUX(cert,NULL, NULL, NULL);
end:
if (cert != NULL) BIO_free(cert);
return(x);
}
static int check(X509_STORE *ctx, const char *certBuf)
{
X509 *x=NULL;
int i=0,ret=0;
X509_STORE_CTX *csc;
x = load_cert(certBuf);
if (x == NULL)
goto end;
csc = X509_STORE_CTX_new();
if (csc == NULL)
goto end;
X509_STORE_set_flags(ctx, 0);
if(!X509_STORE_CTX_init(csc,ctx,x,0))
goto end;
////// See crypto/asn1/t_x509.c for ideas on how to access and print the values
//printf("X.509 name: %s\n", x->name);
i=X509_verify_cert(csc);
X509_STORE_CTX_free(csc);
ret=0;
end:
ret = (i > 0);
if (x != NULL)
X509_free(x);
return(ret);
}

Answer 2

I think, you can use "X509_STORE_set_verify_cb" to add a callback to identify the actual error:
static int verify_cb(int ok, X509_STORE_CTX *ctx)
{
if (!ok)
{
/* check the error code and current cert*/
X509 *currentCert = X509_STORE_CTX_get_current_cert(ctx);
int certError = X509_STORE_CTX_get_error(ctx);
int depth = X509_STORE_CTX_get_error_depth(ctx);
printCert(currentCert);
printf("Error depth %d, certError %d", depth, certError)
}
return(ok);
}
int verify_cert(X509 *cert, X509 *cacert)
{
int ret;
X509_STORE *store;
X509_STORE_CTX *ctx;
store = X509_STORE_new();
X509_STORE_set_verify_cb(store, verify_cb);
X590_STORE_add_cert(store, cacert);
ctx = X509_STORE_CTX_new();
X509_STORE_CTX_init(ctx, store, cert, NULL);
ret = X590_verify_cert(ctx);
/* check for errors and clean up */
}
Unless we know the error code it is difficult to guess the actual problem. The code otherwise looks OK.

Answer 3

I encountered this problem myself and started off with code very close to the OP. My certificate chain included 3 certificates:
Certificate 1 (root-ca) Issuer: root-ca Subject: root-ca
Certificate 2 (signing-ca) Issuer: root-ca Subject: signing-ca
Certificate 3 (device) Issuer: signing-ca Subject: device
I wanted to verify the device certificate. My ca.pem equivalent (wrt OP) contained the root-ca and signing-ca.
The X509_verify_cert function needs the entire certificate chain all the way to the root (root-ca & signing-ca) in the X509_store.
Below is my code that works for me. Checks on return values were omitted to lean the code down.
int getIssuerCert(X509_STORE *x509_store){
STACK_OF(X509_INFO) *inf;
X509_INFO *itmp;
BIO *in;
int i, count = 0;
in = BIO_new(BIO_s_mem());
BIO_write(in, issuerCertStr, strlen(issuerCertStr)); //string containing root-ca & signing-ca
inf = PEM_X509_INFO_read_bio(in, NULL, NULL, NULL);
if(in != NULL) BIO_free(in);
for(i = 0; i < sk_X509_INFO_num(inf); i++) {
itmp = sk_X509_INFO_value(inf, i);
if(itmp->x509) {
X509_STORE_add_cert(x509_store, itmp->x509);
count++;
}
if(itmp->crl) {
X509_STORE_add_crl(x509_store, itmp->crl);
count++;
}
}
sk_X509_INFO_pop_free(inf, X509_INFO_free);
return 0;
}
int verify_cert(){
int ret = 0;
X509 *devCert = NULL;
X509_STORE *x509_store = NULL;
X509_STORE_CTX *x509_store_ctx = NULL;
OpenSSL_add_all_algorithms();
devCert = getDeviceCert(); // Returns X509 pointer
x509_store = X509_STORE_new();
X509_STORE_set_verify_cb(x509_store, verify_cb);
X509_STORE_set_flags(x509_store, 0);
x509_store_ctx = X509_STORE_CTX_new();
X509_STORE_CTX_init(x509_store_ctx, x509_store, devCert, NULL)
X509_STORE_CTX_set_purpose(x509_store_ctx, X509_PURPOSE_ANY);
ret = X509_verify_cert(x509_store_ctx);
if(x509_store_ctx != NULL) X509_STORE_CTX_free(x509_store_ctx);
if(x509_store != NULL) X509_STORE_free(x509_store);
if(devCert != NULL) X509_free(devCert);
EVP_cleanup();
return ret;
}
I didn't need to create any lookup methods. The key for me was looping through my certificates from my string in memory so I had all the certificates I need to complete the chain. The string is equivalent to what I would have fed into openssl verify for the option -CAfile.
Also, make sure your X509 pointers are not null when the are used.

Answer 4

A possible answer (don't have the rep points to add a comment, sorry): the manpage for SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(3) says,
When building its own certificate chain, an OpenSSL client/server will try to fill in
missing certificates from CAfile/CApath, if the certificate chain was not explicitly
specified (see SSL_CTX_add_extra_chain_cert(3), SSL_CTX_use_certificate(3).
(Failure to match parens theirs, not mine.)
Which seems to mean that, as an alternative to SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(3), it should be possible to use SSL_CTX_add_extra_chain_cert(3) or SSL_CTX_use_certificate(3) -- both of which take a X509 * arg. Thus obviating the need for Mr Ed's solution as seen above.

Answer 5

Please take a look at SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations () function: http://www.openssl.org/docs/ssl/SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations.html
SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations() specifies the locations for ctx, at
which CA certificates for verification purposes are located. The
certificates available via CAfile and CApath are trusted.
You can generate a CA certificate file containing both ca.pem server.pem:
#!/bin/sh
rm CAfile.pem
for i in ca.pem server.pem ; do
openssl x509 -in $i -text >> CAfile.pem
done
And then set CAfile variable to point to CAfile.pem file.
Hope it helps !

Answer 6

See the official source code:
apps/verify.c
static int check(X509_STORE *ctx, const char *file,
STACK_OF(X509) *uchain, STACK_OF(X509) *tchain,
STACK_OF(X509_CRL) *crls, int show_chain);
You can see how to output 'OK' here:
if (i > 0 && X509_STORE_CTX_get_error(csc) == X509_V_OK) {
printf("%s: OK\n", (file == NULL) ? "stdin" : file);
The function dependence can be found in apps/apps.c