OSkeystore

OSkeystore is a system-level keystore framework intended to provide secure storage for cryptographic keys, certificates, and sensitive secrets used by applications and the operating system. It abstracts storage, access control, and lifecycle management from applications and aims to leverage hardware-backed security where available.

Core features include creation, generation, import, and retrieval of keys and secrets; operations such as signing, verification, wrapping, and unwrapping; per-item access controls and metadata tagging; key rotation and versioning; and policy enforcement. OSkeystore is designed to integrate with hardware security modules, trusted platform modules, Secure Enclaves, and other secure elements to protect key material.

API and interoperability: OSkeystore envisions a cross-platform API with pluggable backends and language bindings. Implementations on different platforms expose similar capabilities while using native security services as backends. Applications request keys by logical aliases, specify usage policies, and may be prompted for user consent where appropriate. Export of raw key material is generally restricted or prohibited.

Platform landscape and examples: In current systems, equivalent functionality is provided by Windows Credential Manager and DPAPI, macOS Keychain, Linux secret service backends, and Android and iOS keystores. OSkeystore would serve as an overarching abstraction layer to unify security guarantees and improve portability across platforms.

Security and governance: OSkeystore emphasizes least privilege, isolation, auditing, and robust backup and recovery considerations. Strong authentication is typically required to access the keystore. Potential challenges include porting keys between backends, preserving non-exportability guarantees, and managing cross-platform policy consistency.