SSLSocketFactory can be used to validate the identity of the HTTPS server against a list of trusted certificates and to authenticate to the HTTPS server using a private key.
SSLSocketFactory will enable server authentication when supplied with a {@link java.security.KeyStore trust-store} file containing one or several trusted certificates. The clientsecure socket will reject the connection during the SSL session handshake if the target HTTPS server attempts to authenticate itself with a non-trusted certificate.
Use JDK keytool utility to import a trusted certificate and generate a trust-store file:
keytool -import -alias "my server cert" -file server.crt -keystore my.truststore
In special cases the standard trust verification process can be bypassed by using a custom {@link org.apache.http.conn.ssl.TrustStrategy}. This interface is primarily intended for allowing self-signed certificates to be accepted as trusted without having to add them to the trust-store file.
SSLSocketFactory will enable client authentication when supplied with a {@link java.security.KeyStore key-store} file containing a private key/public certificatepair. The client secure socket will use the private key to authenticate itself to the target HTTPS server during the SSL session handshake if requested to do so by the server. The target HTTPS server will in its turn verify the certificate presented by the client in order to establish client's authenticity.
Use the following sequence of actions to generate a key-store file
Use JDK keytool utility to generate a new key
keytool -genkey -v -alias "my client key" -validity 365 -keystore my.keystore
For simplicity use the same password for the key as that of the key-store
Issue a certificate signing request (CSR)
keytool -certreq -alias "my client key" -file mycertreq.csr -keystore my.keystore
Send the certificate request to the trusted Certificate Authority for signature. One may choose to act as her own CA and sign the certificate request using a PKI tool, such as OpenSSL.
Import the trusted CA root certificate
keytool -import -alias "my trusted ca" -file caroot.crt -keystore my.keystore
Import the PKCS#7 file containing the complete certificate chain
keytool -import -alias "my client key" -file mycert.p7 -keystore my.keystore
Verify the content of the resultant keystore file
keytool -list -v -keystore my.keystore
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