Browser Keystores

Overview

Java Plug-in and Java Web Start support browser keystore in Internet Explorer and Mozilla; certificates and keys in browser keystores are used for the following purpose:

Signature signing verification
HTTPS server authentication
HTTPS client authentication

If the certificates and keys are on the smart cards, they are also recognized by Java Plug-in and Java Web Start if exposed in the browser keystore.

By default, browser keystore support is enabled; users may configure the support through the Advanced tab in the Java Control Panel.

Internet Explorer keystore support

On Windows, browser keystore is supported through Internet Explorer. Certificates and keys in Internet Explorer are automatically recognized by Java Plug-in and Java Web Start when Java applications and applets are deployed on Windows.

This feature is supported only with Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher.

Mozilla keystore support

On Linux and Solaris, browser keystore is supported through Mozilla. Certificates and keys in Mozilla are recognized by Java Plug-in and Java Web Start when Java applications and applets are deployed on Linux and Solaris.

Support for Mozilla keystore requires a Mozilla library called JSS (Network Security Services for Java). By default, JSS is a separate component that does not ship with Mozilla -- it is the responsibility of the deployer to install JSS with Mozilla. Java Plug-in and Java Web Start will enable the Mozilla keystore support appropriately after JSS is deployed.

This feature is supported only with Mozilla 1.4 or higher and JSS 3.2 or higher, assuming both Mozilla and JSS are compiled using the same compiler on the same platform.

Installing JSS with Mozilla
Windows
1. Create jss directory under Mozilla's installed directory.
2. Copy JSS JAR file into the jss directory.
3. Copy JSS native library DLL into Mozilla's installed directory.
Linux / Solaris
1. Create jss directory under Mozilla's installed directory.
2. Copy JSS JAR file into the jss directory.
3. Copy JSS native library .so into Mozilla's installed directory.
4. Set environment variable MOZILLA_HOME to Mozilla's installed directory in Mozilla's launch script.
5. Change environment variable LD_LIBRARY_PATH to include Mozilla's installed directory in Mozilla's launch script.

Java Technology