Learning Network Programming with Java

Creating a keystore

A keystore stores cryptographic keys and certificates and is frequently used in conjunction with servers and clients. A keystore is usually a file, but it can be a hardware device. Java supports the following types of keystore entries:

• PrivateKey: This is used in asymmetric cryptography
• Certificate: This contains a public key
• SecretKey: This is used in symmetric cryptography

There are five different types of keystores that are supported by Java 8: JKS, JCEKS, PKCS12, PKCS11, and DKS:

• JKS: This is the Java KeyStore (JKS) that usually has an extension of jks.
• JCEKS: This is the Java Cryptography Extension KeyStore (JCE). It can store all three keystore entity types, provides stronger protection for keys, and uses a jceks extension. ...