Keytool and SSL: What's the Difference Between a Key Store and a Trust Store?

Trust Store versus Key Store: Distinguishing with Keytool

The concept of a trust store and a key store can be confusing in the context of secure communication. This article aims to clarify the distinction when using keytool, a tool for manipulating keystores.

Keytool and Trust Store

Keytool is an essential tool for creating and managing keystores, which contain digital certificates, private keys, and trusted certificates. The keystore used in javax.net.ssl.keyStore is intended to hold your private keys and certificates.

Trust Store

The trust store, specified by javax.net.ssl.trustStore, holds trusted certificates from Certification Authorities (CAs). When a remote party presents its certificate during SSL communication, the TrustManager checks the certificate against the trusted certificates in the trust store.

Distinguishing the Stores Using Keytool

When importing a certificate into a keystore using keytool, you are prompted to specify whether to trust the certificate. This is where the distinction between key store and trust store becomes important.

If you answer "yes" to the prompt, the certificate will be added to both the key store and the trust store. If you answer "no," it will only be added to the key store. However, you can later use keytool to copy certificates between the two stores.

Keytool Output

The output of keytool when importing a certificate into a keystore is the same regardless of whether it is intended for the key store or the trust store. The convention is followed to designate the purpose of the keystore based on the properties used in your application.

Relationship in SSL

During SSL communication, the KeyManager retrieves your private key and certificate from the javax.net.ssl.keyStore. Simultaneously, the TrustManager checks the remote party's certificate against certificates in the javax.net.ssl.trustStore.

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