[stunnel-users] patch for using stunnel as client with pkcs11-engine and opensc smartcard

Märt Laak martlaak at gmail.com
Sun Oct 3 09:49:11 CEST 2010


Dear stunnel managers,

I would like to inform you that there exist some incompatibility with 
stunnel and openssl pkcs11-engine with external PIN entry device (like 
RSA smartcard using opensc) in Linux.

We use this config to load openssl engine stunnel.conf:
---
engine=dynamic
engineCtrl=SO_PATH:/usr/lib/engines/engine_pkcs11.so
engineCtrl=ID:pkcs11
engineCtrl=LIST_ADD:1
engineCtrl=LOAD
engineCtrl=MODULE_PATH:/usr/lib/opensc-pkcs11.so
engineCtrl=INIT
---

Problem is, with this setup stunnel does not allow user to enter PIN for 
the secret key.
Instead it tries to get secret key without PIN, 3 times (and then 
therefore usually blocks card PIN) and retires:
----
Initializing engine 1
Engine 1 initialized
PRNG seeded successfully
Certificate: mart.pem
Certificate loaded
Key file: id_01
error queue: 26096080 : error:26096080:engine 
routines:ENGINE_load_private_key:failed loading private key
error queue: 800050A0 : error:800050A0:PKCS11 library:PKCS11_login:PIN 
incorrect
Wrong PIN: retrying
error queue: 26096080 : error:26096080:engine 
routines:ENGINE_load_private_key:failed loading private key
error queue: 800050A0 : error:800050A0:PKCS11 library:PKCS11_login:PIN 
incorrect
Wrong PIN: retrying
error queue: 26096080 : error:26096080:engine 
routines:ENGINE_load_private_key:failed loading private key
ENGINE_load_private_key: 800050A0: error:800050A0:PKCS11 
library:PKCS11_login:PIN incorrect
----

I discovered workaround that is valid form version 4.26 till current 
4.34, as follows, NULL-ing the ui_data.method property in ctx.c:
---
diff -cr stunnel-4.34/src/ctx.c stunnel-4.34-patched/src/ctx.c
*** stunnel-4.34/src/ctx.c    2010-09-14 18:08:43.000000000 +0300
--- stunnel-4.34-patched/src/ctx.c    2010-09-28 21:56:36.219081931 +0300
***************
*** 304,309 ****
--- 304,310 ----
       UI_method_set_reader(ui_method, pin_cb);
   #else /* USE_WIN32 */
       ui_method=UI_OpenSSL();
+     ui_data.section = NULL;
   #endif /* USE_WIN32 */
       if(section->engine)
           for(i=1; i<=3; i++) {
---

After that patch private key loads correctly:
---
Initializing engine 1
Engine 1 initialized
PRNG seeded successfully
Certificate: mart.pem
Certificate loaded
Key file: id_01
private key loaded
---

It would be nice if:
* somebody investigates more precisely why the OpenSSL PIN entry is not 
showing with unpached stunnel
* include my or better patch for this situation

Thank you very much for excellent piece of software!

With best regards,
Märt Laak



More information about the stunnel-users mailing list