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Is there a easy to use (from .net) and commonly accepted file format for saving encryption keys (mainly for asymmetric keys, public and public/private). Does exists an API to create such files in .net (any version)?
I have looked at certificates, but this seems to be a overkill for only saving keys and as far as I have seen, not very easy to create.
One of the most common formats used to store the combination of a chain of certificate (or just one certificate) and its associated private key is PKCS#12: it tends to use the extension
.p12or.pfx. Most browsers use this.Alternatively, some tools use the PKCS#1 format (
openssl rsadoes, for example), if you just want the private key. (OpenSSL also supports PKCS#8.)Both can be encrypted and protected by a password.
You should be able to use BouncyCastle to export them. (You might be interested in this question.)
EDIT :
To be more specific, you could use
Org.BouncyCastle.OpenSsl.PemWriter(WriteObjectwith a password can be used to protect the private key). It will also let you export a plain public key (without having to rely on certificates).