Man1 - ts.1ssl

The -query switch can be used for creating and printing a timestamp request with the following options:

-rand file…

A file or files containing random data used to seed the random number generator. Multiple files can be specified separated by an OS-dependent character. The separator is ; for MS-Windows, , for OpenVMS, and : for all others.

[-writerand file]

Writes random data to the specified file upon exit. This can be used with a subsequent -rand flag.

-config configfile

The configuration file to use. Optional; for a description of the default value, see COMMAND SUMMARY in openssl (1).

-data file_to_hash

The data file for which the timestamp request needs to be created. stdin is the default if neither the -data nor the -digest parameter is specified. (Optional)

-digest digest_bytes

It is possible to specify the message imprint explicitly without the data file. The imprint must be specified in a hexadecimal format, two characters per byte, the bytes optionally separated by colons (e.g. 1A:F6:01:… or 1AF601…). The number of bytes must match the message digest algorithm in use. (Optional)

-digest

The message digest to apply to the data file. Any digest supported by the OpenSSL dgst command can be used. The default is SHA-1. (Optional)

-tspolicy object_id

The policy that the client expects the TSA to use for creating the timestamp token. Either the dotted OID notation or OID names defined in the config file can be used. If no policy is requested the TSA will use its own default policy. (Optional)

-no_nonce

No nonce is specified in the request if this option is given. Otherwise a 64 bit long pseudo-random none is included in the request. It is recommended to use nonce to protect against replay-attacks. (Optional)

-cert

The TSA is expected to include its signing certificate in the response. (Optional)

-in request.tsq

This option specifies a previously created timestamp request in DER format that will be printed into the output file. Useful when you need to examine the content of a request in human-readable format. (Optional)

-out request.tsq

Name of the output file to which the request will be written. Default is stdout. (Optional)

-text

If this option is specified the output is human-readable text format instead of DER. (Optional)

A timestamp response (TimeStampResp) consists of a response status and the timestamp token itself (ContentInfo), if the token generation was successful. The -reply command is for creating a timestamp response or timestamp token based on a request and printing the response/token in human-readable format. If -token_out is not specified the output is always a timestamp response (TimeStampResp), otherwise it is a timestamp token (ContentInfo).

-config configfile

The configuration file to use. Optional; for a description of the default value, see COMMAND SUMMARY in openssl (1). See CONFIGURATION FILE OPTIONS for configurable variables.

-section tsa_section

The name of the config file section containing the settings for the response generation. If not specified the default TSA section is used, see CONFIGURATION FILE OPTIONS for details. (Optional)

-queryfile request.tsq

The name of the file containing a DER encoded timestamp request. (Optional)

-passin password_src

Specifies the password source for the private key of the TSA. See Pass Phrase Options in openssl (1). (Optional)

-signer tsa_cert.pem

The signer certificate of the TSA in PEM format. The TSA signing certificate must have exactly one extended key usage assigned to it: timeStamping. The extended key usage must also be critical, otherwise the certificate is going to be refused. Overrides the signer_cert variable of the config file. (Optional)

-inkey file_or_id

The signer private key of the TSA in PEM format. Overrides the signer_key config file option. (Optional) If no engine is used, the argument is taken as a file; if an engine is specified, the argument is given to the engine as a key identifier.

-digest

Signing digest to use. Overrides the signer_digest config file option. (Mandatory unless specified in the config file)

-chain certs_file.pem

The collection of certificates in PEM format that will all be included in the response in addition to the signer certificate if the -cert option was used for the request. This file is supposed to contain the certificate chain for the signer certificate from its issuer upwards. The -reply command does not build a certificate chain automatically. (Optional)

-tspolicy object_id

The default policy to use for the response unless the client explicitly requires a particular TSA policy. The OID can be specified either in dotted notation or with its name. Overrides the default_policy config file option. (Optional)

-in response.tsr

Specifies a previously created timestamp response or timestamp token (if -token_in is also specified) in DER format that will be written to the output file. This option does not require a request, it is useful e.g. when you need to examine the content of a response or token or you want to extract the timestamp token from a response. If the input is a token and the output is a timestamp response a default ’granted’ status info is added to the token. (Optional)

-token_in

This flag can be used together with the -in option and indicates that the input is a DER encoded timestamp token (ContentInfo) instead of a timestamp response (TimeStampResp). (Optional)

-out response.tsr

The response is written to this file. The format and content of the file depends on other options (see -text, -token_out). The default is stdout. (Optional)

-token_out

The output is a timestamp token (ContentInfo) instead of timestamp response (TimeStampResp). (Optional)

-text

If this option is specified the output is human-readable text format instead of DER. (Optional)

-engine id

Specifying an engine (by its unique id string) will cause ts to attempt to obtain a functional reference to the specified engine, thus initialising it if needed. The engine will then be set as the default for all available algorithms. Default is builtin. (Optional)

The -verify command is for verifying if a timestamp response or timestamp token is valid and matches a particular timestamp request or data file. The -verify command does not use the configuration file.

-data file_to_hash

The response or token must be verified against file_to_hash. The file is hashed with the message digest algorithm specified in the token. The -digest and -queryfile options must not be specified with this one. (Optional)

-digest digest_bytes

The response or token must be verified against the message digest specified with this option. The number of bytes must match the message digest algorithm specified in the token. The -data and -queryfile options must not be specified with this one. (Optional)

-queryfile request.tsq

The original timestamp request in DER format. The -data and -digest options must not be specified with this one. (Optional)

-in response.tsr

The timestamp response that needs to be verified in DER format. (Mandatory)

-token_in

This flag can be used together with the -in option and indicates that the input is a DER encoded timestamp token (ContentInfo) instead of a timestamp response (TimeStampResp). (Optional)

-CApath trusted_cert_path

The name of the directory containing the trusted CA certificates of the client. See the similar option of verify (1) for additional details. Either this option or -CAfile must be specified. (Optional)

-CAfile trusted_certs.pem

The name of the file containing a set of trusted self-signed CA certificates in PEM format. See the similar option of verify (1) for additional details. Either this option or -CApath must be specified. (Optional)

-untrusted cert_file.pem

Set of additional untrusted certificates in PEM format which may be needed when building the certificate chain for the TSA’s signing certificate. This file must contain the TSA signing certificate and all intermediate CA certificates unless the response includes them. (Optional)

verify options

The options -attime timestamp, -check_ss_sig, -crl_check, -crl_check_all, -explicit_policy, -extended_crl, -ignore_critical, -inhibit_any, -inhibit_map, -issuer_checks, -no_alt_chains, -no_check_time, -partial_chain, -policy, -policy_check, -policy_print, -purpose, -suiteB_128, -suiteB_128_only, -suiteB_192, -trusted_first, -use_deltas, -auth_level, -verify_depth, -verify_email, -verify_hostname, -verify_ip, -verify_name, and -x509_strict can be used to control timestamp verification. See verify (1).

To create a timestamp request for design1.txt with SHA-1 without nonce and policy and no certificate is required in the response:

openssl ts -query -data design1.txt -no_nonce \ -out design1.tsq

To create a similar timestamp request with specifying the message imprint explicitly:

openssl ts -query -digest b7e5d3f93198b38379852f2c04e78d73abdd0f4b \ -no_nonce -out design1.tsq

To print the content of the previous request in human readable format:

openssl ts -query -in design1.tsq -text

To create a timestamp request which includes the MD-5 digest of design2.txt, requests the signer certificate and nonce, specifies a policy id (assuming the tsa_policy1 name is defined in the OID section of the config file):

openssl ts -query -data design2.txt -md5 \ -tspolicy tsa_policy1 -cert -out design2.tsq

Before generating a response a signing certificate must be created for the TSA that contains the timeStamping critical extended key usage extension without any other key usage extensions. You can add this line to the user certificate section of the config file to generate a proper certificate;

extendedKeyUsage = critical,timeStamping

See req (1), ca (1), and x509 (1) for instructions. The examples below assume that cacert.pem contains the certificate of the CA, tsacert.pem is the signing certificate issued by cacert.pem and tsakey.pem is the private key of the TSA.

To create a timestamp response for a request:

openssl ts -reply -queryfile design1.tsq -inkey tsakey.pem \ -signer tsacert.pem -out design1.tsr

If you want to use the settings in the config file you could just write:

openssl ts -reply -queryfile design1.tsq -out design1.tsr

To print a timestamp reply to stdout in human readable format:

openssl ts -reply -in design1.tsr -text

To create a timestamp token instead of timestamp response:

openssl ts -reply -queryfile design1.tsq -out design1_token.der -token_out

To print a timestamp token to stdout in human readable format:

openssl ts -reply -in design1_token.der -token_in -text -token_out

To extract the timestamp token from a response:

openssl ts -reply -in design1.tsr -out design1_token.der -token_out

To add ’granted’ status info to a timestamp token thereby creating a valid response:

openssl ts -reply -in design1_token.der -token_in -out design1.tsr

To verify a timestamp reply against a request:

openssl ts -verify -queryfile design1.tsq -in design1.tsr \ -CAfile cacert.pem -untrusted tsacert.pem

To verify a timestamp reply that includes the certificate chain:

openssl ts -verify -queryfile design2.tsq -in design2.tsr \ -CAfile cacert.pem

To verify a timestamp token against the original data file: openssl ts -verify -data design2.txt -in design2.tsr \ -CAfile cacert.pem

To verify a timestamp token against a message imprint: openssl ts -verify -digest b7e5d3f93198b38379852f2c04e78d73abdd0f4b \ -in design2.tsr -CAfile cacert.pem

You could also look at the ’test’ directory for more examples.