Converting a Java Keystore into PEM Format

The keytool command will not allow you to export the private key from a key store. You have to write some Java code to do this. Open the key store, get the key you need, and save it to a file in PKCS #8 format. Save the associated certificate too.

KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance("jks");
/* Load the key store. */
...
char[] password = ...;
/* Save the private key. */
FileOutputStream kos = new FileOutputStream("tmpkey.der");
Key pvt = ks.getKey("your_alias", password);
kos.write(pvt.getEncoded());
kos.flush();
kos.close();
/* Save the certificate. */
FileOutputStream cos = new FileOutputStream("tmpcert.der");
Certificate pub = ks.getCertificate("your_alias");
cos.write(pub.getEncoded());
cos.flush();
cos.close();

Use OpenSSL utilities to convert these files (which are in binary format) to PEM format.

openssl pkcs8 -inform der -nocrypt < tmpkey.der > tmpkey.pem
openssl x509 -inform der < tmpcert.der > tmpcert.pem

I kept getting errors from openssl when using StoBor's command:

MAC verified OK
Error outputting keys and certificates
139940235364168:error:06065064:digital envelope routines:EVP_DecryptFinal_ex:bad decrypt:evp_enc.c:535:
139940235364168:error:23077074:PKCS12 routines:PKCS12_pbe_crypt:pkcs12 cipherfinal error:p12_decr.c:97:
139940235364168:error:2306A075:PKCS12 routines:PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i:pkcs12 pbe crypt error:p12_decr.c:123:

For some reason, only this style of command would work for my JKS file

keytool -importkeystore -srckeystore foo.jks \
   -destkeystore foo.p12 \
   -srcstoretype jks \
   -srcalias mykey \
   -deststoretype pkcs12 \
   -destkeypass DUMMY123

The key was setting destkeypass, the value of the argument did not matter.

Direct conversion from jks to pem file using the keytool

keytool -exportcert -alias selfsigned -keypass password -keystore test-user.jks -rfc -file test-user.pem

It's pretty straightforward, using jdk6 at least...

bash$ keytool -keystore foo.jks -genkeypair -alias foo \
        -dname 'CN=foo.example.com,L=Melbourne,ST=Victoria,C=AU'
Enter keystore password:  
Re-enter new password: 
Enter key password for 
        (RETURN if same as keystore password):  
bash$ keytool -keystore foo.jks -exportcert -alias foo | \
       openssl x509 -inform der -text
Enter keystore password:  asdasd
Certificate:
    Data:
        Version: 3 (0x2)
        Serial Number: 1237334757 (0x49c03ae5)
        Signature Algorithm: dsaWithSHA1
        Issuer: C=AU, ST=Victoria, L=Melbourne, CN=foo.example.com
        Validity
            Not Before: Mar 18 00:05:57 2009 GMT
            Not After : Jun 16 00:05:57 2009 GMT
        Subject: C=AU, ST=Victoria, L=Melbourne, CN=foo.example.com
        Subject Public Key Info:
            Public Key Algorithm: dsaEncryption
            DSA Public Key:
                pub: 
                    00:e2:66:5c:e0:2e:da:e0:6b:a6:aa:97:64:59:14:
                    7e:a6:2e:5a:45:f9:2f:b5:2d:f4:34:27:e6:53:c7:
 

bash$ keytool -importkeystore -srckeystore foo.jks \
       -destkeystore foo.p12 \
       -srcstoretype jks \
       -deststoretype pkcs12
Enter destination keystore password:  
Re-enter new password: 
Enter source keystore password:  
Entry for alias foo successfully imported.
Import command completed:  1 entries successfully imported, 0 entries failed or cancelled

bash$ openssl pkcs12 -in foo.p12 -out foo.pem
Enter Import Password:
MAC verified OK
Enter PEM pass phrase:
Verifying - Enter PEM pass phrase:

bash$ openssl x509 -text -in foo.pem
Certificate:
    Data:
        Version: 3 (0x2)
        Serial Number: 1237334757 (0x49c03ae5)
        Signature Algorithm: dsaWithSHA1
        Issuer: C=AU, ST=Victoria, L=Melbourne, CN=foo.example.com
        Validity
            Not Before: Mar 18 00:05:57 2009 GMT
            Not After : Jun 16 00:05:57 2009 GMT
        Subject: C=AU, ST=Victoria, L=Melbourne, CN=foo.example.com
        Subject Public Key Info:
            Public Key Algorithm: dsaEncryption
            DSA Public Key:
                pub: 
                    00:e2:66:5c:e0:2e:da:e0:6b:a6:aa:97:64:59:14:
                    7e:a6:2e:5a:45:f9:2f:b5:2d:f4:34:27:e6:53:c7:
 

bash$ openssl dsa -text -in foo.pem
read DSA key
Enter PEM pass phrase:
Private-Key: (1024 bit)
priv:
    00:8f:b1:af:55:63:92:7c:d2:0f:e6:f3:a2:f5:ff:
    1a:7a:fe:8c:39:dd
pub: 
    00:e2:66:5c:e0:2e:da:e0:6b:a6:aa:97:64:59:14:
    7e:a6:2e:5a:45:f9:2f:b5:2d:f4:34:27:e6:53:c7:

You end up with:

• foo.jks - keystore in java format.
• foo.p12 - keystore in PKCS#12 format.
• foo.pem - all keys and certs from keystore, in PEM format.

(This last file can be split up into keys and certificates if you like.)

---

Command summary - to create JKS keystore:

keytool -keystore foo.jks -genkeypair -alias foo \
    -dname 'CN=foo.example.com,L=Melbourne,ST=Victoria,C=AU'

Command summary - to convert JKS keystore into PKCS#12 keystore, then into PEM file:

keytool -importkeystore -srckeystore foo.jks \
   -destkeystore foo.p12 \
   -srcstoretype jks \
   -deststoretype pkcs12

openssl pkcs12 -in foo.p12 -out foo.pem

if you have more than one certificate in your JKS keystore, and you want to only export the certificate and key associated with one of the aliases, you can use the following variation:

keytool -importkeystore -srckeystore foo.jks \
   -destkeystore foo.p12 \
   -srcalias foo \
   -srcstoretype jks \
   -deststoretype pkcs12

openssl pkcs12 -in foo.p12 -out foo.pem

Command summary - to compare JKS keystore to PEM file:

keytool -keystore foo.jks -exportcert -alias foo | \
   openssl x509 -inform der -text

openssl x509 -text -in foo.pem

openssl dsa -text -in foo.pem