How do I encrypt a string with SwiftyRSA?

Create a ClearMessage from the string, then use a PublicKey to encrypt it with padding like .PKCS1, as shown in the quick start example. This returns an EncryptedMessage with data or base64 representation for easy handling.

SwiftyRSA vs CommonCrypto for RSA in Swift?

SwiftyRSA provides a higher-level, Swifty API that simplifies keychain interactions and key management, whereas CommonCrypto requires more low-level code and manual handling of security framework details. SwiftyRSA is better for ease of use, but CommonCrypto offers more direct control.

Can SwiftyRSA be used on Linux with Swift?

No, SwiftyRSA relies on Apple's Security framework, which is only available on iOS and macOS. It is not compatible with server-side Swift on Linux or other non-Apple platforms.

How to sign data with a private key in SwiftyRSA?

Create a ClearMessage from your data, then call the signed method with a PrivateKey and a digest type like .sha1. This returns a Signature object that can be base64 encoded or used for verification, as demonstrated in the advanced usage section.

Is SwiftyRSA secure for production use?

Yes, SwiftyRSA is used in production apps like Scoop and abstracts Apple's well-vetted Security framework. However, ensure you follow best practices for key management, use appropriate key sizes, and stay updated with library releases.

What's the performance impact of using SwiftyRSA?

RSA operations are inherently slow for large data, and SwiftyRSA adds overhead for keychain management. It's best suited for encrypting small payloads like keys or signatures, not for bulk data encryption in performance-critical applications.

Open-Awesome

SwiftyRSA

MITSwift1.8.0

A Swift library for RSA public/private key encryption, signing, and verification on iOS/macOS.

GitHub

1.3k stars357 forks0 contributors

What is SwiftyRSA?

SwiftyRSA is a Swift library that enables RSA public/private key encryption, decryption, signing, and verification for iOS and macOS applications. It solves the problem of implementing secure cryptographic operations by providing a simple, Swifty API that abstracts the underlying Security framework complexities.

Target Audience

iOS and macOS developers who need to integrate RSA encryption, digital signatures, or secure data transmission into their Swift applications.

Value Proposition

Developers choose SwiftyRSA for its clean, intuitive Swift API, comprehensive feature set (including key generation and X.509 support), and reliable handling of keychain operations, making cryptography accessible without deep security expertise.

Overview

RSA public/private key encryption in Swift

Use Cases

Best For

Encrypting sensitive data like driver licenses before API transmission
Implementing digital signatures for data integrity verification
Adding public-key cryptography to iOS/macOS apps in Swift
Generating RSA key pairs programmatically within an app
Working with PEM or DER formatted keys in Swift projects
Simplifying keychain interactions for cryptographic operations

Not Ideal For

Cross-platform projects needing consistent cryptography across iOS, Android, and web
Applications requiring real-time encryption of large data streams or bulk data
Projects focused on future-proof security with post-quantum cryptographic algorithms
Environments where minimizing third-party dependencies is a priority for security or simplicity

Pros & Cons

Pros

Clean Swift API

Abstracts the complex iOS/macOS Security framework with intuitive classes like ClearMessage and EncryptedMessage, making encryption and signing operations straightforward.

Multi-format Key Support

Supports loading keys from PEM, DER, Base64 strings, Data, or SecKey references, providing flexibility for various key management scenarios.

Built-in Key Generation

Allows generating RSA key pairs programmatically within the app, simplifying setup for new cryptographic keys.

X.509 Certificate Support

Includes utilities to add or strip X.509 headers from public keys, ensuring compatibility with certificate-based systems as detailed in the advanced usage section.

Cons

RSA-Only Algorithm

Limited to RSA cryptography, lacking support for more modern algorithms like Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), which might be preferred for efficiency and security.

Platform-Specific

Exclusive to iOS and macOS due to reliance on Apple's Security framework, making it unsuitable for cross-platform or server-side Swift projects on Linux.

Keychain Management Overhead

Automatically handles keychain storage and deletion, which can introduce complexity and potential performance issues in apps with frequent cryptographic operations, as noted in the 'Under the hood' section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

CryptoSwift

CryptoSwift is a growing collection of standard and secure cryptographic algorithms implemented in Swift

Stars10,545

Forks1,797

Last commit10 days ago

RNCryptor

CCCryptor (AES encryption) wrappers for iOS and Mac in Swift. -- For ObjC, see RNCryptor/RNCryptor-objc

Stars3,363

Forks516

Last commit1 year ago

Themis

Easy to use cryptographic framework for data protection: secure messaging with forward secrecy and secure data storage. Has unified APIs across 14 platforms.

Stars1,963

Forks157

Last commit8 days ago

AESCrypt-ObjC

A simple and opinionated AES encrypt / decrypt Objective-C class that just works.

Stars771

Forks212

Last commit9 years ago

Community-curated · Updated weekly · 100% open source

Found a gem we're missing?

Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.

Submit a project Star on GitHub