3 In the .NET framework cryptography can be found under a number of
4 namespaces in several assemblies.
8 *** Namespace: <b>System.Security.Cryptography</b>
10 Thanks to the work of many people this namespace is almost complete.
14 * Every classes are present.
16 * Most classes have their unit tests. Some tests like <code>
17 SymmetricAlgorithmTest</code> are generated by external
20 * MACTripleDES is compatible with the implementation shipped in
21 framework 1.0. Version 1.1 gives different results when the
22 MACed data is a multiple of BlockSize (8 bytes).
27 * RNGCryptoServiceProvider is currently only working on Linux.
28 The current implementation reside in Mono's runtime and use
29 the <code>/dev/[u]random</code> device (which do not exists
30 under Windows). A Windows specific alternative is available
31 using the Mono.Security.Win32 assembly.
33 * Keypair persistance for RSA and DSA. This persistance must
34 somehow be linked with X509 certificate stores (in planning).
36 * <code>PasswordDeriveBytes.CryptDeriveKey</code> is included
37 in MS BCL to provide compatibility with existing Windows
38 applications. The main problem is that the key derivation
39 algorithm can be different for every CSP (Crypto Service
40 Provider). However for compatibility we should provide an
41 implementation compatible with the MS CSP (most likely used).
46 * All cryptographic algorithms are entirely managed, including
47 classes named <code>*CryptoServiceProvider</code>, with the
48 exception of <code>RNGCryptoServiceProvider</code> (which
49 implementation resides in the runtime).
51 * There is a bug in the <code>PKCS1MaskGenerationMethod</code>
52 class (in both framework 1.0 and 1.1). This means our
53 implementation isn't compatible with MS (but is compatible with
54 PKCS#1 v.2.1). However we get OAEP padding for every platform!
56 * Look at assembly Mono.Security.Win32 if you require more
57 compatiblity with the Microsoft implementation (like accessing
58 a particuliar keypair container inside a specific CSP).
62 *** Namespace: <b>System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates</b>
66 * X.509 certificates are parsed using 100% managed code
67 (using the Mono.Security.ASN1 class).
69 * Software Publisher Certificates (SPC) used by Authenticode
70 (tm) to sign assemblies are supported and <b>minimally</b>
73 * Unit tests are generated from a set of existing certificates
74 (about a dozen) each having different properties. Another
75 set of certificates (more than 700) are used for a more
76 complete test (but isn't part of the standard test suite for
77 size and time consideration, i.e. a 7.5Mb C# source file).
82 * Except for their structure <b>there are no validation of the
83 certificates</b> done by this class (this is by design and
84 isn't a restriction of Mono!). This means that certificate
85 signatures and validity dates are <b>never</b> checked
86 (except when used for Authenticode, i.e.
87 <code>CreateFromSignedFile</code>).
89 * The newer X509Certificate class included in Microsoft's Web
90 Service Enhancement (WSE) is a little better (as it includes
91 CryptoAPI's validation) when <code>IsCurrent</code> is called.
92 See assembly <b>Microsoft.Web.Services</b> for more details.
94 * The class Mono.Security.X509.X509Certificate (in Mono.Security
95 assembly) is becoming a much better alternative - and will
96 continue to evolve to support the security tools.
98 * Microsoft implementation of <code>X509Certificate</code> is
99 done by using CryptoAPI (unmanaged code). Based on the
100 exceptions thrown, Authenticode(tm) support is done via COM.
104 ** Assembly: System.Security
106 *** Namespace: <b>System.Security.Cryptography.Xml</b>
108 This namespace implements the <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core/">
109 XML Digital Signature</a> specification from
110 <a href="http://www.w3.org/">W3C</a>.
114 * All classes are present but some Transforms are only stubbed.
116 * We now have a fully managed C14N implementation.
118 * Most classes have their unit tests.
123 * Complete all Transform derived classes.
127 ** Assembly: Mono.Security
130 This assembly provides the missing pieces to .NET security. On Windows
131 CryptoAPI is often used to provide much needed functionalities (like
132 some cryptographic algorithms, code signing, X.509 certificates). Mono,
133 for platform independance, implements these functionalities in 100%
136 *** Namespace: Mono.Security
138 * Structures (ASN1, PKCS7) and primitives (PKCS1).
140 *** Namespace: Mono.Security.Authenticode
142 * Code signing and verification.
143 * Support for SPC (Software Publisher Certificate) files and
144 PVK (Private Key) files.
146 *** Namespace: Mono.Security.Cryptography
148 * Additional algorithms: MD2, ARCFOUR (required for SSL)
151 *** Namespace: Mono.Security.Protocol.Tls
153 * An 100% managed TLS implementation from Carlos Guzman Alvarez.
155 *** Namespace: Mono.Security.X509
157 * X.509 structures (certificate, CRL...) building and decoding.
159 *** Namespace: Mono.Security.X509.Extensions
161 * X.509 extensions (from public X.509 to private PKIX, Netsapce,
162 Microsoft, Entrust...).
167 * A big part of this assembly is also included inside Mono's
168 corlib. The classes are duplicated in this assembly so the
169 functionalities can be used without a dependency on Mono's
170 corlib (which depends on Mono's runtime).
172 * Unit test coverage isn't (yet) complete.
176 ** Assembly: Mono.Security.Win32
179 This assembly goal is to provide maximum compatibility with CryptoAPI
180 to application running with Mono's runtime on the Windows operating
183 <b>This assembly should NEVER be used directly by any application</b>
184 (e.g. referecing the assembly from a project).
185 The classes should only be used by modifying the <code>machine.config
186 </code> configuration file (and then only if this increased
187 compatibility is required by an application).
189 See the file <code><a href="http://cvs.hispalinux.es/cgi-bin/cvsweb/~checkout~/mcs/class/Mono.Security.Win32/README?rev=1.1&content-type=text/plain&cvsroot=mono">/mcs/class/Mono.Security.Win32/README</a></code>
190 for complete instructions.
192 *** Namespace: Mono.Security.Cryptography
196 * A RNGCryptoServiceProvider built on top of CryptoAPI. This
197 allows Windows users to get around the limitation of the
198 runtime RNG (which requires <code>/dev/[u]random/</code>).
200 * Wrapper classes for unmanaged versions of hash algorithms:
201 MD2, MD4, MD5 and SHA1 are supported. <b>note</b>: some
202 algorithms shouldn't be used in new design (MD4 is broken,
203 MD2 and MD5 aren't considered safe for some usage). They are
204 included to preserve interoperability with older applications
205 (e.g. some old, but still valid, X.509 certificates use MD2,
206 MD4 is required for NTLM authentication ...).
211 * Wrapper classes for unmanaged versions of symmetric
212 encryption algorithms (like DES, TripleDES, RC2 and others
213 present in default CSP).
215 * Wrapper classes for unmanaged versions of asymmetric
216 algorithms (like DSA and RSA) which persist their keypair
217 into the specified CSP.
222 * Similar assemblies (e.g. <code>Mono.Security.XXX</code>)
223 could be created for <a href="http://www.openssl.org">OpenSSL</a>,
224 <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/">NSS</a>,
225 <a href="http://www.eskimo.com/~weidai/cryptlib.html">crypto++</a>,
226 <a href="http://www.cryptlib.orion.co.nz/">cryptlib</a> ... for
227 improved performance and/or HSM (Hardware Security Module) support
228 under Linux and/or Windows.
231 ** Assembly: Microsoft.Web.Services
233 Microsoft Web Service Enhancement (WSE), known as Web Service
234 Development Kit (WSDK) in it's beta days, is an add-on the .NET
235 framework that implements WS-Security (and other WS-* specifications).
236 It also includes improved support for XML Signature (replacing and/or
237 extending <code>System.Security.Cryptography.Xml</code>) and X.509
238 certificates classes.
240 Note: WSE is distributed as an add-on because some specifications,
241 like WS-Security, aren't yet completed by
242 <a href="http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/wss/">OASIS</a> or
245 *** Namespace: Microsoft.Web.Services.Security
249 * Most WSE 1.0 classes are implemented.
254 * Some classes from System.Security assembly need to be
255 duplicated (and somewhat fixed) in WSE for XMLDSIG.
257 * There are still missing classes and <b>many</b> missing
262 *** Namespace: Microsoft.Web.Services.Timestamp
266 * This seems complete for WSE 1.0 but some new classes were
267 introduced in WSE 2.0.
270 *** Namespace: Microsoft.Web.Services.Security.X509
274 * X509Certificate support is complete for both WSE 1.0 and 2.0.
279 * We need to define certificate stores (for both users and
280 machines). These sames stores must be linked with asymmetric
281 keypairs. This could also be used to store the SPC roots.
286 * Microsoft has <a href="http://microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=21FB9B9A-C5F6-4C95-87B7-FC7AB49B3EDD&displaylang=en">released</a>
287 a technical preview of WSE 2. <b>Note that WSDK (the technical
288 preview of WSE) had A LOT of changes before it's initial
295 There are many tools in the .NET framework that indirectly interacts
296 with some cryptographic classes. Mono will eventually need these tools.
297 Unless noted the tools should work on any CLR (tested with both Mono
302 The following tools are complete (or mostly complete):
304 * <code>secutil</code> is a tool to extract certificates and
305 strongnames from assemblies in a format that can be easily
306 re-used in source code (C# or VB.NET syntax).
308 * <code>cert2spc</code> is a tool to transform multiple X.509
309 certificates and CRLs into a Software Publisher Certificate
310 (SPC) file - which is a long name for a simple PKCS#7 file.
312 * <code>makecert</code> to create X.509 test certificates that
313 can be used (once transformed in SPC) to sign assemblies. It's
314 now possible to generate SSL certificates for web servers.
316 * <code>sn</code> is a clone of the <code>sn</code> to manage
317 strongnames. Current version can create, convert, sign and
318 verify strongnames signatures. Some configuration options
321 * <code>signcode</code> and <code>chktrust</code> for signing
322 and validating Authenticode(tm) signatures on assemblies (or
323 any PE file) are now working (signature and timestamps) but
324 some options aren't yet supported.
327 Somewhat usable, somewhat incomplete:
329 * <code>certview</code> is a certificate viewer for
330 <code>System.Windows.Forms</code> (right now only working on
331 Windows), while <code>gcertview</code> is the same viewer
332 implemented for GTK# (working on both Windows and Linux).
334 * <code>monosn</code> is a clone of the <code>sn</code> to manage
335 strongnames. This tools is part of the runtime (not the class
336 library) and as such is written in C and won't run without Mono.
341 The following tools are still missing or largely incomplete:
343 * Other tools like a, GUI-based, certificate manager...
346 Note that many of the tools requires the class library and/or the
347 runtime to be ready for them. E.g. StrongName and Authenticode signatures
348 tools are of limited use until supported by the runtime.
354 * RSA Laboratories' <a href="http://www.rsasecurity.com/rsalabs/faq/index.html">
355 Frequently Asked Questions</a> About Today's Cryptography, Version 4.1
357 * Public-Key Cryptography Standards (<a href="http://www.rsasecurity.com/rsalabs/pkcs/index.html">
360 * National Institute of Standards and Technology - Federal
361 Information Processing Standards <a href="http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/index.html">
369 * Complete any of the TODO (and feel good about it ;-).
371 * Analyse the current coverage of the unit tests on the
372 cryptographic classes and complete the unit tests. <b><code>
373 monocov</code> does a great job at this! Now we just need to
374 complete the missing unit tests.</b>
376 * Optimization can also be done on most algorithms as crypto
377 is never fast enough. Some have been done using the
378 Community Edition of BoundChecker (a free VisualStudio
379 addon) - recommanded! Just be sure to test every optimization
380 (using the unit tests) carefully - it's so fast to break an
383 * Write some documentation on the cryptographic classes for
384 <b>monodoc</b> as I'm not a very good writer (at least in English).
387 Contact Sebastien Pouliot (<a href="mailto:spouliot@videotron.ca">home</a>
388 , <a href="mailto:spouliot@motus.com">work</a>) if you need additional
389 informations about the status of the cryptographic classes.
392 Last reviewed: October 26, 2003 (post mono 0.28)