SIGNVER(1) NSS Security Tools SIGNVER(1)

NAME
       signver - Verify a detached PKCS#7 signature for a file.

SYNOPSIS
       signtool -A | -V  -d directory [-a] [-i inputfile] [-o outputfile]
                [-s signaturefile] [-v]

STATUS
       This documentation is still work in progress. Please contribute to the
       initial review in Mozilla NSS bug 836477[1]

DESCRIPTION
       The Signature Verification Tool, signver, is a simple command-line
       utility that unpacks a base-64-encoded PKCS#7 signed object and
       verifies the digital signature using standard cryptographic techniques.
       The Signature Verification Tool can also display the contents of the
       signed object.

OPTIONS
       -A
           Displays all of the information in the PKCS#7 signature.

       -V
           Verifies the digital signature.

       -d [sql:]directory
           Specify the database directory which contains the certificates and
           keys.

           signver supports two types of databases: the legacy security
           databases (cert8.db, key3.db, and secmod.db) and new SQLite
           databases (cert9.db, key4.db, and pkcs11.txt). If the prefix sql:
           is not used, then the tool assumes that the given databases are in
           the old format.

       -a
           Sets that the given signature file is in ASCII format.

       -i inputfile
           Gives the input file for the object with signed data.

       -o outputfile
           Gives the output file to which to write the results.

       -s signaturefile
           Gives the input file for the digital signature.

       -v
           Enables verbose output.

EXTENDED EXAMPLES
   Verifying a Signature
       The -V option verifies that the signature in a given signature file is
       valid when used to sign the given object (from the input file).

           signver -V -s signaturefile -i signedfile -d sql:/home/my/sharednssdb

           signatureValid=yes

   Printing Signature Data
       The -A option prints all of the information contained in a signature
       file. Using the -o option prints the signature file information to the
       given output file rather than stdout.

           signver -A -s signaturefile -o outputfile

NSS DATABASE TYPES
       NSS originally used BerkeleyDB databases to store security information.
       The last versions of these legacy databases are:

       ·   cert8.db for certificates

       ·   key3.db for keys

       ·   secmod.db for PKCS #11 module information

       BerkeleyDB has performance limitations, though, which prevent it from
       being easily used by multiple applications simultaneously. NSS has some
       flexibility that allows applications to use their own, independent
       database engine while keeping a shared database and working around the
       access issues. Still, NSS requires more flexibility to provide a truly
       shared security database.

       In 2009, NSS introduced a new set of databases that are SQLite
       databases rather than BerkleyDB. These new databases provide more
       accessibility and performance:

       ·   cert9.db for certificates

       ·   key4.db for keys

       ·   pkcs11.txt, which is listing of all of the PKCS #11 modules
           contained in a new subdirectory in the security databases directory

       Because the SQLite databases are designed to be shared, these are the
       shared database type. The shared database type is preferred; the legacy
       format is included for backward compatibility.

       By default, the tools (certutil, pk12util, modutil) assume that the
       given security databases follow the more common legacy type. Using the
       SQLite databases must be manually specified by using the sql: prefix
       with the given security directory. For example:

           # signver -A -s signature -d sql:/home/my/sharednssdb

       To set the shared database type as the default type for the tools, set
       the NSSDEFAULTDBTYPE environment variable to sql:

           export NSSDEFAULTDBTYPE="sql"

       This line can be added to the ~/.bashrc file to make the change
       permanent for the user.

       Most applications do not use the shared database by default, but they
       can be configured to use them. For example, this how-to article covers
       how to configure Firefox and Thunderbird to use the new shared NSS
       databases:

       ·   https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSSSharedDBHowto

       For an engineering draft on the changes in the shared NSS databases,
       see the NSS project wiki:

       ·   https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSSSharedDB

SEE ALSO
       signtool (1)

       The NSS wiki has information on the new database design and how to
       configure applications to use it.

       ·   Setting up the shared NSS database

           https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSSSharedDBHowto

       ·   Engineering and technical information about the shared NSS database

           https://wiki.mozilla.org/NSSSharedDB

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
       For information about NSS and other tools related to NSS (like JSS),
       check out the NSS project wiki at
       http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/. The NSS site relates
       directly to NSS code changes and releases.

       Mailing lists: https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-tech-crypto

       IRC: Freenode at #dogtag-pki

AUTHORS
       The NSS tools were written and maintained by developers with Netscape,
       Red Hat, Sun, Oracle, Mozilla, and Google.

       Authors: Elio Maldonado , Deon Lackey
       .

LICENSE
       Licensed under the Mozilla Public License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL
       was not distributed with this file, You can obtain one at
       http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.

NOTES
        1. Mozilla NSS bug 836477
           https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/showbug.cgi?id=836477



nss-tools                         5 June 2014                       SIGNVER(1)