PHP Extension

Load a Private Key from PEM Text

Demonstrates the Chilkat PrivateKey.LoadPem method, which loads a private key from PEM text. The only argument is the PEM string. It has no password argument, so it cannot load an encrypted PEM — use LoadEncryptedPem for that.

Background: PEM is the Base64 text format (delimited by -----BEGIN----- lines) that most tooling uses for keys. This method is for the plain, unencrypted case where the key material sits in the clear inside the PEM — convenient, but it means the file itself is the only thing protecting the key. When the PEM is password-protected (a BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY block or a legacy encrypted header), reach for the Encrypted loader instead.

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<?php

include("chilkat.php");

$success = false;

//  Demonstrates the PrivateKey.LoadPem method, which loads a private key from PEM text.  The only
//  argument is the PEM string.  This method has no password argument, so it cannot load an
//  encrypted PEM -- use LoadEncryptedPem for that.

$privKey = new CkPrivateKey();

//  The PEM text of an unencrypted private key.
$pemText = '-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----\nMIIEvAIBADANBgkq...\n-----END PRIVATE KEY-----';

$success = $privKey->LoadPem($pemText);
if ($success == false) {
    print $privKey->lastErrorText() . "\n";
    exit;
}

print 'Loaded a ' . $privKey->keyType() . ' private key.' . "\n";

?>