Delphi ActiveX

Save a Private Key as a PKCS #8 DER File

Demonstrates the Chilkat PrivateKey.SavePkcs8File method, which saves the key as unencrypted PKCS #8 DER to a file. The only argument 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 file-writing counterpart to GetPkcs8ENC/GetPkcs8Pem, producing a compact binary .der in the algorithm-independent PKCS #8 container. Because it is unencrypted, the file itself is the only protection for the key — store it with restrictive permissions, or use SavePkcs8EncryptedFile to add a passphrase.

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var
success: Integer;
privKey: TPrivateKey;

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;

//  Save as unencrypted PKCS #8 DER.
success := privKey.SavePkcs8File('qa_output/private_pkcs8.der');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(privKey.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
Memo1.Lines.Add('Saved.');