Convert the Java JKS key-store to Microsoft PFX format

Copyright © 2004, 2005 TJ

The GNU General Public License version 2 or later applies to my ExportPrvKey.class. See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html

Here's how to get and use a code-signing Thawte digital certificate to sign your Java JAR and Microsoft CAB, EXE, DLL, VBscript, etc. code, to create trusted applets for downloading over the Internet, and to convert the Java JKS key-store to P12/Microsoft PFX (Personal Information Exchange) format to share the same certificate with Java JAR files and Microsoft CAB files.

This allows software authors to increase the range of activities the Java Security Manager will permit.

Contents

• Overview
• Download and Install Tools
• Personal Freemail account at Thawte
• Request a Free Test Certificate
• Create a New Java Key/Certificate Pair
• Generate a Certificate Signing Request
• Import Thawte Certificate to Sun Java JKS Key-store
• Convert Sun Java JKS Keystore to Microsoft PFX format
• Import Key & Certificate to Microsoft Key-store
• Sign a Java JAR File
• Sign a Microsoft CAB file
• Observations

Personal Freemail account at Thawte

For testing purposes you can obtain a free certificate from Thawte and others. In this guide I've used Thawte because they make it easy to obtain a free 1-year test certificate. If you have already decided on getting a real code-signing certificate, then follow the same procedures as outlined in this guide in generating a new key and certificate request, but adapt them to your certificate issuer's requirements.

Visit the Thawte web site.

Choose Products\free personal e-mail certificates.

If you already have an account, login, else join and create an account.

View my emails and if you want to have a separate email address for your code-signing certificate, create a new email address.

If you have any comments or simply find this guide a useful time-saver I'd welcome hearing from you. You can email me at codesigning@tjworld.net.

© Copyright 2004, 2005 TJ. You are welcome to link directly to this article and make a non-public personal copy (not redistributed or republished). The article must remain in XHTML form (mustn't be converted to proprietary formats such as PDF or DOC). If you would like to include it in a commercial service (e.g. a subscription or advertiser-supported web site) please ask.