I am trying to secure my RESTful WebApi service with ssl and client authentication using client certificates.
To test; I have generated a self signed certificate and placed in the local machine, trusted root certification authorities folder and i have generated a "server" and "client" certificates.
Standard https to the server works without issue.
However I have some code in the server to validate the certificate, this never gets called when I connect using my test client which supplies my client certificate and the test client is returned a 403 Forbidden status.
This imples the server is failing my certificate before it reaches my validation code.
However if i fire up fiddler it knows a client certificate is required and asks me to supply one to My Documents\Fiddler2. I gave it the same client certificate i use in my test client and my server now works and received the client certificate i expect!
This implies that the WebApi client is not properly sending the certificate, my client code below is pretty much the same as other examples i have found.
static async Task RunAsync()
{
try
{
var handler = new WebRequestHandler();
handler.ClientCertificateOptions = ClientCertificateOption.Manual;
handler.ClientCertificates.Add(GetClientCert());
handler.ServerCertificateValidationCallback += Validate;
handler.UseProxy = false;
using (var client = new HttpClient(handler))
{
client.BaseAddress = new Uri("https://hostname:10001/");
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/xml"));
var response = await client.GetAsync("api/system/");
var str = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
Console.WriteLine(str);
}
} catch(Exception ex)
{
Console.Write(ex.Message);
}
}
Any ideas why it would work in fiddler but not my test client?
Edit: Here is the code to GetClientCert()
private static X509Certificate GetClientCert()
{
X509Store store = null;
try
{
store = new X509Store(StoreName.My, StoreLocation.LocalMachine);
store.Open(OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly | OpenFlags.ReadOnly);
var certs = store.Certificates.Find(X509FindType.FindBySubjectName, "Integration Client Certificate", true);
if (certs.Count == 1)
{
var cert = certs[0];
return cert;
}
}
finally
{
if (store != null)
store.Close();
}
return null;
}
Granted the test code does not handle a null certificate but i am debugging to enssure that the correct certificate is located.
There are 2 types of certificates. The first is the public .cer file that is sent to you from the owner of the server. This file is just a long string of characters. The second is the keystore certificate, this is the selfsigned cert you create and send the cer file to the server you are calling and they install it. Depending on how much security you have, you might need to add one or both of these to the Client (Handler in your case). I've only seen the keystore cert used on one server where security is VERY secure. This code gets both certificates from the bin/deployed folder:
#region certificate Add
// KeyStore is our self signed cert
// TrustStore is cer file sent to you.
// Get the path where the cert files are stored (this should handle running in debug mode in Visual Studio and deployed code) -- Not tested with deployed code
string executableLocation = Path.GetDirectoryName(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.RelativeSearchPath ?? AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);
#region Add the TrustStore certificate
// Get the cer file location
string pfxLocation = executableLocation + "\\Certificates\\TheirCertificate.cer";
// Add the certificate
X509Certificate2 theirCert = new X509Certificate2();
theirCert.Import(pfxLocation, "Password", X509KeyStorageFlags.DefaultKeySet);
handler.ClientCertificates.Add(theirCert);
#endregion
#region Add the KeyStore
// Get the location
pfxLocation = executableLocation + "\\Certificates\\YourCert.pfx";
// Add the Certificate
X509Certificate2 YourCert = new X509Certificate2();
YourCert.Import(pfxLocation, "PASSWORD", X509KeyStorageFlags.DefaultKeySet);
handler.ClientCertificates.Add(YourCert);
#endregion
#endregion
Also - you need to handle cert errors (note: this is BAD - it says ALL cert issues are okay) you should change this code to handle specific cert issues like Name Mismatch. it's on my list to do. There are plenty of example on how to do this.
This code at the top of your method
// Ignore Certificate errors need to fix to only handle
ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback = MyCertHandler;
Method somewhere in your class
private bool MyCertHandler(object sender, X509Certificate certificate, X509Chain chain, SslPolicyErrors error)
{
// Ignore errors
return true;
}
In the code you are using store = new X509Store(StoreName.My, StoreLocation.LocalMachine);.
Client certificates are not picked up from LocalMachine, you should instead use StoreLocation.CurrentUser.
Checking MMC -> File -> Add or Remove Snap-ins -> Certificates -> My user account you will see the certificate that fiddler uses. If you remove it from My user account and only have it imported in Computer account you will see that Fiddler can not pick it up either.
A side note is when finding certificates you also have to address for culture.
Example:
var certificateSerialNumber= "83 c6 62 0a 73 c7 b1 aa 41 06 a3 ce 62 83 ae 25".ToUpper().Replace(" ", string.Empty);
//0 certs
var certs = store.Certificates.Find(X509FindType.FindBySerialNumber, certificateSerialNumber, true);
//null
var cert = store.Certificates.Cast<X509Certificate>().FirstOrDefault(x => x.GetSerialNumberString() == certificateSerialNumber);
//1 cert
var cert1 = store.Certificates.Cast<X509Certificate>().FirstOrDefault(x =>
x.GetSerialNumberString().Equals(certificateSerialNumber, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase));
try this.
Cert should be with the current user store.
Or give full rights and read from a file as it is a console application.
// Load the client certificate from a file.
X509Certificate x509 = X509Certificate.CreateFromCertFile(#"c:\user.cer");
Read from the user store.
private static X509Certificate2 GetClientCertificate()
{
X509Store userCaStore = new X509Store(StoreName.My, StoreLocation.CurrentUser);
try
{
userCaStore.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly);
X509Certificate2Collection certificatesInStore = userCaStore.Certificates;
X509Certificate2Collection findResult = certificatesInStore.Find(X509FindType.FindBySubjectName, "localtestclientcert", true);
X509Certificate2 clientCertificate = null;
if (findResult.Count == 1)
{
clientCertificate = findResult[0];
}
else
{
throw new Exception("Unable to locate the correct client certificate.");
}
return clientCertificate;
}
catch
{
throw;
}
finally
{
userCaStore.Close();
}
}
Related
I'm developing a authentication system with a user certificates based on C# and MVC and I’m having some problems.
I use a SSL security with a CA certificate and I want to get back some certificates on a client side. When I run my application on the local side, I get the personal certificate, and my authentication system works correctly.
However, when I run the same application on the server side, I don't get back any personal certificate if it's installed in the navigator...
Here, you have the C# code that im developing.
private X509Certificate2 GetClientCertificate()
{
X509Store userCaStore = new X509Store(StoreName.My,StoreLocation.CurrentUser);
try
{
userCaStore.Open(OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly);
X509Certificate2Collection certificatesInStore = userCaStore.Certificates
.Find(X509FindType.FindByTimeValid, DateTime.Now, true);
X509Certificate2 clientCertificate = null;
if (certificatesInStore.Count > 0)
{
clientCertificate = certificatesInStore[0];
}
else
{
return null;
}
return clientCertificate;
}
catch
{
throw;
}
finally
{
userCaStore.Close();
}
}
In my WCF self-hosting WebService using mutual certificate to validate the client, i set the CertificateValidationMode = PeerTrust but its seems ignored, since i can still execute the methods with some client wich i have deleted the corresponding certificate of the TrustedPeople server store.
Heres the host example:
static void Main()
{
var httpsUri = new Uri("https://192.168.0.57:xxx/HelloServer");
var binding = new WSHttpBinding
{
Security =
{
Mode = SecurityMode.Transport,
Transport = {ClientCredentialType = HttpClientCredentialType.Certificate}
};
var host = new ServiceHost(typeof(HelloWorld), httpsUri);
//This line is not working
host.Credentials.ClientCertificate.Authentication.CertificateValidationMode =X509CertificateValidationMode.PeerTrust;
host.AddServiceEndpoint(typeof(IHelloWorld), binding, string.Empty, httpsUri);
host.Credentials.ServiceCertificate.SetCertificate(
StoreLocation.LocalMachine,
StoreName.My,
X509FindType.FindBySubjectName,
"server.com");
// Open the service.
host.Open();
Console.WriteLine("Listening on {0}...", httpsUri);
Console.ReadLine();
// Close the service.
host.Close();
}
The client app:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
var c = new HelloWorld.HelloWorldClient();
ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback = (sender, cert, chain, error) => true;
c.ClientCredentials.ClientCertificate.SetCertificate(
StoreLocation.LocalMachine,
StoreName.My,
X509FindType.FindBySubjectName,
"client.com");
Console.WriteLine(c.GetIp());
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
}
Console.ReadKey();
}
I generate the server.com and the client.com with a RootCA certificate. This RootCA certificate is instaled on the trusted root store of the client and server.
The question is, i should not execute the GetIp() method if my client.com certificate is not in the TrustedPeople store of the server, right? But im executing it without any problems.
The question is, how to, in this scenario, validate the client certificate put its public key on TrustedPeople of server?
ps: In this MSDN article of Transport security with client certificate, theres a quote saying The server’s certificate must be trusted by the client and the client’s certificate must be trusted by the server. But i can execute the webmethods from client even if the client certificate isnt in the server TrustedPeople store.
My suggestion would be to use custom validation. This way you can set some breakpoints and watch the validation take place as well as see what other validation options you could come up with based on the data available throughout the validation process.
First make sure you have your binding requiring Certificate for Message Client Credentials. If you only use Certificate for Transport, the Client in my tests did not validate. This alone may fix your issue.
binding.Security.Mode = SecurityMode.TransportWithMessageCredential;
binding.Security.Message.ClientCredentialType =
MessageCredentialType.Certificate;
To setup a custom validator follow the rest.
Replace:
host.Credentials.ClientCertificate.Authentication.CertificateValidationMode
=X509CertificateValidationMode.PeerTrust;
With:
host.Credentials.ClientCertificate.Authentication.CertificateValidationMode
=X509CertificateValidationMode.Custom;
host.Credentials.ClientCertificate.Authentication.CustomCertificateValidator =
new IssuerNameCertValidator("CN=client.com");
Then add this to create the custom validator and tweak as needed (this one validates based on Issuer):
public class IssuerNameCertValidator : X509CertificateValidator
{
string allowedIssuerName;
public IssuerNameCertValidator(string allowedIssuerName)
{
if (allowedIssuerName == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("allowedIssuerName");
}
this.allowedIssuerName = allowedIssuerName;
}
public override void Validate(X509Certificate2 certificate)
{
// Check that there is a certificate.
if (certificate == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("certificate");
}
// Check that the certificate issuer matches the configured issuer.
if (allowedIssuerName != certificate.IssuerName.Name)
{
throw new SecurityTokenValidationException
("Certificate was not issued by a trusted issuer");
}
}
}
My C#.NET SSL connect works when I import the certificate manually in IE (Tools/Internet Options/Content/Certificates), but how can I load the certificate by code?
Here is my code:
TcpClient client = new TcpClient(ConfigManager.SSLSwitchIP, Convert.ToInt32(ConfigManager.SSLSwitchPort));
SslStream sslStream = new SslStream(
client.GetStream(),
false,
new RemoteCertificateValidationCallback(ValidateServerCertificate),
null
);
sslStream.AuthenticateAsClient("Test");
The above code works fine if i import my certificate file manually in Internet Explorer. But if i remove my certificate from IE and use the following code instead, i get Authentication exception:
sslStream.AuthenticateAsClient("Test", GetX509CertificateCollection(), SslProtocols.Default, false);
and here is the 'GetX509CertificateCollection' method :
public static X509CertificateCollection GetX509CertificateCollection()
{
X509Certificate2 certificate1 = new X509Certificate2("c:\\ssl.txt");
X509CertificateCollection collection1 = new X509CertificateCollection();
collection1.Add(certificate1);
return collection1;
}
What should I do to load my certificate dynamically?
To build upon owlstead's answer, here's how I use a single CA certificate and a custom chain in the verification callback to avoid Microsoft's store.
I have not figured out how to use this chain (chain2 below) by default such that there's no need for the callback. That is, install it on the ssl socket and the connection will "just work". And I have not figured out how install it such that its passed into the callback. That is, I have to build the chain for each invocation of the callback. I think these are architectural defects in .Net, but I might be missing something obvious.
The name of the function does not matter. Below, VerifyServerCertificate is the same callback as RemoteCertificateValidationCallback. You can also use it for the ServerCertificateValidationCallback in ServicePointManager.
static bool VerifyServerCertificate(object sender, X509Certificate certificate,
X509Chain chain, SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
{
try
{
String CA_FILE = "ca-cert.der";
X509Certificate2 ca = new X509Certificate2(CA_FILE);
X509Chain chain2 = new X509Chain();
chain2.ChainPolicy.ExtraStore.Add(ca);
// Check all properties
chain2.ChainPolicy.VerificationFlags = X509VerificationFlags.NoFlag;
// This setup does not have revocation information
chain2.ChainPolicy.RevocationMode = X509RevocationMode.NoCheck;
// Build the chain
chain2.Build(new X509Certificate2(certificate));
// Are there any failures from building the chain?
if (chain2.ChainStatus.Length == 0)
return true;
// If there is a status, verify the status is NoError
bool result = chain2.ChainStatus[0].Status == X509ChainStatusFlags.NoError;
Debug.Assert(result == true);
return result;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex);
}
return false;
}
A quick Google pointed me to a piece of text from the Microsoft SslStream class.
The authentication is handled by the Security Support Provider (SSPI)
channel provider. The client is given an opportunity to control
validation of the server's certificate by specifying a
RemoteCertificateValidationCallback delegate when creating an
SslStream. The server can also control validation by supplying a
RemoteCertificateValidationCallback delegate. The method referenced by
the delegate includes the remote party's certificate and any errors
SSPI encountered while validating the certificate. Note that if the
server specifies a delegate, the delegate's method is invoked
regardless of whether the server requested client authentication. If
the server did not request client authentication, the server's
delegate method receives a null certificate and an empty array of
certificate errors.
So simply implement the delegate and do the verification yourself.
I wrote another method to add my certificate to Trusted Root Certification Authorities (root) before attempting to authenticate as client via SSLStream object:
public static void InstallCertificate()
{
X509Store store = new X509Store(StoreName.Root, StoreLocation.LocalMachine);
store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadWrite);
string fileName = "sslcert.pem";
X509Certificate2 certificate1;
try
{
certificate1 = new X509Certificate2(fileName);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
throw new Exception("Error loading SSL certificate file." + Environment.NewLine + fileName);
}
store.Add(certificate1);
store.Close();
}
And then:
InstallCertificate();
sslStream.AuthenticateAsClient("Test");
It works fine without any warnings or errors. But base question still remains unsolved:
How can I use a certificate to authenticate as client without installing it in Windows?
I am trying to find where the certificate is stored on my local machine and then as well as our dev servers. I can go Run -> MMC -> File - > Add/Remove SnapIns and select certificates and Current User and see my personal certificates. However, I am trying to utilize this code for an HttpWebRequest and I cannot find the url.
string certPath = #"e:\mycertificate.cer"; //This Value
X509Certificate myCert = X509Certificate.CreateFromCertFile(certPath);
request.ClientCertificates.Add(myCert);
In another area we set up a proxy and do it like this.
proxy.ClientCredentials.ClientCertificate.SetCertificate(StoreLocation.LocalMachine, StoreName.My, X509FindType.FindBySubjectName, CertificateName);
So obviously a little different implementation and I am unsure as to where/how to find the location to fill in for the first example.
Solution that worked for me
public WebRequest GetWebRequest(string address)
{
HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(address);
X509Certificate myCert = null;
X509Store store = new X509Store("My");
store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly);
foreach (X509Certificate2 mCert in store.Certificates)
{
if (mCert.FriendlyName.Contains("certname"))
{
myCert = mCert;
}
}
if (myCert != null) { request.ClientCertificates.Add(myCert); }
return request;
}
Assuming like you want to pick a certificate somehow and not really care if it is from file or not. In this case you can use certificate store object and find one you need (i.e. by thumbprint). Check out this Get list of certificates from the certificate store in C# and MSDN article on X509Store.Certificates which contains sample too:
X509Store store = new X509Store("My");
store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly);
foreach (X509Certificate2 mCert in store.Certificates){
//TODO's
}
I have a Windows certification authority that I am using to issue client authentication certificates via .net / c#. I have been able to successfully get it to issue certificates programmatically by calling the certification authority's API through COM. I issue a new certificate when I set up a client.
At runtime, these clients attach the certificates to requests to my server. How can I verify programmatically that an X509Certificate2 was signed by the root certificate of my certificate authority (and reject certificates signed by any other source)?
I've done this a lot. Here's some easy code you can use.
The part in the if (!isChainValid) block is to make a pretty error message. You don't have to use that if you don't want, but you should throw an error if the chain cannot be built. The chain elements are necessary to check for your root.
X509Certificate2 authority = GetAuthorityCertificate();
X509Certificate2 certificateToValidate = GetCertificateToValidate();
X509Chain chain = new X509Chain();
chain.ChainPolicy.RevocationMode = X509RevocationMode.NoCheck;
chain.ChainPolicy.RevocationFlag = X509RevocationFlag.ExcludeRoot;
chain.ChainPolicy.VerificationFlags = X509VerificationFlags.AllowUnknownCertificateAuthority;
chain.ChainPolicy.VerificationTime = DateTime.Now;
chain.ChainPolicy.UrlRetrievalTimeout = new TimeSpan(0, 0, 0);
// This part is very important. You're adding your known root here.
// It doesn't have to be in the computer store at all. Neither certificates do.
chain.ChainPolicy.ExtraStore.Add(authority);
bool isChainValid = chain.Build(certificateToValidate);
if (!isChainValid)
{
string[] errors = chain.ChainStatus
.Select(x => String.Format("{0} ({1})", x.StatusInformation.Trim(), x.Status))
.ToArray();
string certificateErrorsString = "Unknown errors.";
if (errors != null && errors.Length > 0)
{
certificateErrorsString = String.Join(", ", errors);
}
throw new Exception("Trust chain did not complete to the known authority anchor. Errors: " + certificateErrorsString);
}
// This piece makes sure it actually matches your known root
var valid = chain.ChainElements
.Cast<X509ChainElement>()
.Any(x => x.Certificate.Thumbprint == authority.Thumbprint);
if (!valid)
{
throw new Exception("Trust chain did not complete to the known authority anchor. Thumbprints did not match.");
}
You can also use the built in method Verify() for X509Certificate2.
X509Certificate2 certificateToValidate = GetCertificateToValidate();
bool valid = certificateToValidate.Verify()
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.security.cryptography.x509certificates.x509certificate2.verify.aspx
If you say you have a root (which is self-signed) certificate, then your only option is to keep this root certificate available on your server (without the private key of course) and perform certificate validation procedure against your root certificate. This is a mirrored situation to the web client validating server certificate chain.