Delphi ActiveX

Save a Private Key as an Encrypted PKCS #8 PEM File

Demonstrates the Chilkat PrivateKey.SavePkcs8EncryptedPemFile method, which saves the key as password-protected PKCS #8 PEM (the ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY label). The first argument is the password and the second is the destination path.

Note: The file paths are relative to the application's current working directory. Absolute paths may also be used. Supply the paths appropriate to your own environment.

Background: The text (PEM) form of an encrypted saved key — portable across systems and safe to store because the private material is protected by a passphrase. It is the encrypted counterpart to SavePkcs8PemFile and a good default for keys kept in configuration or version-controlled deployment repositories. Source the password securely.

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var
success: Integer;
privKey: TPrivateKey;
password: WideString;

begin
success := 0;

//  Load a private key to export.
privKey := TPrivateKey.Create(Self);
success := privKey.LoadPemFile('qa_data/private.pem');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(privKey.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  The key password is not hard-coded in a real application; obtain it from an interactive
//  prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
password := 'myKeyPassword';

//  Save as password-protected PKCS #8 PEM (the "ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY" label).  The 1st argument
//  is the password and the 2nd is the destination path.
success := privKey.SavePkcs8EncryptedPemFile(password,'qa_output/private_pkcs8_enc.pem');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(privKey.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
Memo1.Lines.Add('Saved (encrypted).');