Personal Security Manager (PSM) consists of a set of libraries plus a daemon that performs cryptographic operations on behalf of a client application. These operations include setting up an SSL connection, object signing and signature verification, certificate management (including issuance and revocation), and other common PKI functions.

Project Information

The first release of PSM source code is intended for informational purposes only. Build instructions are not yet available. Netscape Personal Security Manager 1.01 for Communicator 4.7 is also available for download.

For more information about the PSM project, see the following:

• Download Netscape Personal Security Manager 1.01 for Netscape Communicator. Netscape Personal Security Manager 1.01 configured for use with Netscape Communicator 4.7 and later versions.
• Download PKI Source. Latest PSM source code.
• Personal Security Manager Architecture. Overview of PSM architecture.

Personal Security Manager is built on top of NSS, which is built on top of Netscape Portable Runtime (NSPR). Applications built with PSM do not need to call NSPR, whereas applications built with NSS must make such calls.

The PSM daemon is designed to perform all security operations on behalf of one or more applications. Developers can access the cryptographic features of PSM by calling PSM libraries.

Cryptographic functions performed by Personal Security Manager on behalf of Mozilla, Netscape Communicator 4.7, and other client applications include:

• SSL v2 and v3. SSL authentication, encryption, and tamper detection.
• S/MIME (not yet integrated into Mozilla). Signed and encrypted email (using separate signing and encryption keys if desired).
• PKCS #5. Encryption for private key storage.
• PKCS #7. Signing operations.
• PKCS #11. Communication with PKCS #11 modules and associated cryptographic tokens (such as smart cards).
• PKCS #12. Export and import of certificates and associated private keys.
• CRMF/CMMF. Communication with a certificate authority (CA).
• OCSP. Real-time confirmation of certificate validity.

Status Summary