A managed .NET wrapper for unmanaged PKCS#11 libraries, enabling .NET applications to interface with cryptographic hardware like HSMs and smart cards.
Pkcs11Interop is a managed .NET library that wraps unmanaged PKCS#11 libraries, enabling .NET applications to interact with cryptographic hardware like HSMs, smart cards, and tokens. It solves the problem of accessing native PKCS#11 APIs from managed code, providing a seamless bridge for security-sensitive applications.
.NET developers building applications that require hardware-based cryptography, such as financial systems, identity management solutions, or secure document signing tools.
Developers choose Pkcs11Interop because it offers a fully managed, cross-platform solution with comprehensive PKCS#11 compliance, extensive hardware support, and production-ready reliability, eliminating the need for complex native interop code.
Managed .NET wrapper for unmanaged PKCS#11 libraries
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Implements PKCS#11 v2.40 specification and supports PKCS#11 URI scheme from RFC 7512, ensuring broad compatibility with cryptographic standards.
Compatible with .NET Framework, .NET Core, Mono, and Xamarin on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, as verified by CI badges in the README.
Confirmed to work with diverse devices like Thales nShield HSMs, YubiKey, and national eID cards, reducing integration risks for production use.
Uses 100% managed C# code with full XML documentation, enhancing safety and ease of integration within the .NET ecosystem.
Relies on vendor-provided PKCS#11 libraries, which can introduce platform-specific deployment issues and complicate maintenance.
Requires familiarity with PKCS#11 specification chapters, as noted in the documentation, making it challenging for developers new to cryptographic hardware.
Exposes low-level PKCS#11 APIs directly, which can be cumbersome for applications needing simpler cryptographic operations without hardware complexity.