CkPython

Load a Private Key from BinData (Any Format)

Demonstrates the Chilkat PrivateKey.LoadAnyFormat method, which loads a private key by inspecting the bytes in a BinData. The first argument is the BinData and the second is the password (used if the detected key is encrypted).

Note: The file path is relative to the application's current working directory. Absolute paths may also be used. Supply the path to your own key file.

Background: When you have key bytes in memory but do not know their exact format — downloaded, decrypted, or pulled from a database — this figures it out for you, recognizing PKCS #1/#8 DER, encrypted PKCS #8, PEM, JWK, Chilkat XML, Microsoft formats, and more. It removes the guesswork of choosing a specific loader, at the small cost of the detection step. Supply the password so it can decrypt an encrypted key without a second call.

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import sys
import chilkat

success = False

#  Demonstrates the PrivateKey.LoadAnyFormat method, which loads a private key by inspecting the
#  bytes in a BinData.  The 1st argument is the BinData and the 2nd is the password (used if the
#  detected key is encrypted).

bd = chilkat.CkBinData()
success = bd.LoadFile("qa_data/some_private_key")
if (success == False):
    print(bd.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

privKey = chilkat.CkPrivateKey()

#  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"

#  Chilkat auto-detects the representation: PKCS #1/#8 DER, encrypted PKCS #8, PEM, JWK,
#  Chilkat XML, Microsoft formats, and more.
success = privKey.LoadAnyFormat(bd,password)
if (success == False):
    print(privKey.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

print("Loaded a " + privKey.keyType() + " private key.")