Skip to main content

Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.futurex.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

This section explains how to test and validate that BIND 9 is integrated with the Vectera Plus HSM for the storage and signing of zone files. Before starting this section, install and configure BIND 9 per your specific requirements.

​
Prerequisites

You must create a zone file before testing can continue.

​
Zone file

A zone file is a text file used by DNS servers like BIND to define the mappings between domain names and IP addresses for a specific DNS zone. It contains DNS records such as SOA, NS, A, and others that describe the structure and behavior of the domain. You copy and paste the following text into a file named db.example.com
None
$TTL 86400
@       IN  SOA ns1.example.com. admin.example.com. (
            2025073001 ; Serial
            3600       ; Refresh
            1800       ; Retry
            604800     ; Expire
            86400      ; Minimum
        )
        IN  NS  ns1.example.com.
ns1     IN  A   192.0.2.1

​
Generate keys

Perform the following steps by using the pkcs11-tool available from the OpenSC (github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC) suite to generate keys. On both DEB-based and RPM-based distributions, the package is called opensc.
1
Generate the following RSA keys on the Vectera Plus by using pkcs11-tool: The KSK and the ZSK. When prompted for the user PIN, enter the password of the identity configured in the Futurex PKCS #11 file, fxpkcs11.cfg.
Each key must have a unique label because later commands use that label to reference the private key.
Shell
pkcs11-tool --module /usr/local/bin/fxpkcs11/libfxpkcs11.so --login --keypairgen --key-type rsa:2048 --label "example.com-ksk"
Shell
pkcs11-tool --module /usr/local/bin/fxpkcs11/libfxpkcs11.so --login --keypairgen --key-type rsa:1024 --label "example.com-zsk"
The command output should look similar to the following:
Shell
Key pair generated:
Private Key Object; RSA 
  label:      example.com-ksk
  Usage:      decrypt, sign, unwrap
Public Key Object; RSA 2048 bits
  label:      example.com-ksk
  Usage:      encrypt, verify, wrap
2
To convert the RSA keys stored in the HSM into a format that BIND 9 understands, use the dnssec-keyfromlabel tool from BIND 9. This process links the raw keys stored in the HSM with **K<zone>+<alg>+<id> ** files that the command generates.The required information is the PKCS #11 label that specifies the token (such as Futurex), the name of the PKCS #11 object (such as label when generating the keys with pkcs11-tool), and the HSM PIN.The private key file is used for DNSSEC signing of the zone as if it were a conventional key on the file system (such as one created with dnssec-keygen). The HSM stores the key material (which we cannot extract), and the actual signing takes place on the HSM.Run the following command to convert a KSK:
Shell
dnssec-keyfromlabel -a RSASHA256 -l "token=Futurex;object=example.com-ksk;pin-value=safest" -f KSK example.com
Run the following command to convert a ZSK:
Shell
dnssec-keyfromlabel -a RSASHA256 -l "token=Futurex;object=example.com-zsk;pin-value=safest" example.com
3
Run the following command to confirm that you have one KSK and one ZSK present in the current directory:
Shell
ls -l K*
The output should look similar to the following output (with different numbers):
Shell
Kexample.com.+008+31729.key
Kexample.com.+008+31729.private
Kexample.com.+008+42231.key
Kexample.com.+008+42231.private

​
Sign the zone

The KSK, ZSK, and zone files must be present in the directory from which you run the command.
Use the following command syntax:
Shell
dnssec-signzone -S -o <zone name> <zone file>
For example, you might use the following command:
Shell
dnssec-signzone -S -o example.com db.example.com
If the command succeeds, the output looks similar to the following:
Shell
Fetching KSK 31729/RSASHA256 from key repository.
Fetching ZSK 42231/RSASHA256 from key repository.
Verifying the zone using the following algorithms: RSASHA256.
Zone fully signed:
Algorithm: RSASHA256: KSKs: 1 active, 0 stand-by, 0 revoked
                      ZSKs: 1 active, 0 stand-by, 0 revoked
db.example.com.signed

​
Successful Example Directory Layout

test\_bind/
  \|--- db.example.com
  \|--- db.example.com.signed
  \|--- dsset-example.com
  \|--- Kexample.com.+008+31729.key
  \|--- Kexample.com.+008+31729.private
  \|--- Kexample.com.+008+42231.key
  \|--- Kexample.com.+008+42231.private