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.net-corex509certificate2

X509Certificate2 PrivateKey and GetRSAPrivateKey

Is it possible in .NET 8 and above that PrivateKey property returns null but GetRSAPrivateKey returns key? How can I write a unit test for such a scenario?

Solution

  • No, it's not possible, per https://github.com/dotnet/runtime/blob/05abb765e2740d7182c56e142fbe44d76fafedf4/src/libraries/System.Security.Cryptography/src/System/Security/Cryptography/X509Certificates/X509Certificate2.cs#L268-L295:

    if (!HasPrivateKey)
    return null;
 
_lazyPrivateKey ??= GetKeyAlgorithm() switch
{
    Oids.Rsa => Pal.GetRSAPrivateKey(),
    Oids.Dsa => Pal.GetDSAPrivateKey(),
 
    // This includes ECDSA, because an Oids.EcPublicKey key can be
    // many different algorithm kinds, not necessarily with mutual exclusion.
    // Plus, .NET Framework only supports RSA and DSA in this property.
    _ => throw new NotSupportedException(SR.NotSupported_KeyAlgorithm),
};
 
return _lazyPrivateKey;

    And a little digging will show the same Pal.GetRSAPrivateKey() is used for cert.GetRSAPrivateKey().

    If you're using .NET 8, you should never call the PrivateKey property, only ever use the Get*PrivateKey methods.