pynitrokey 0.4.5

Python Library for Nitrokey FIDO2 & Nitrokey Start.

pynitrokey

A command line interface for the Nitrokey FIDO2, Nitrokey Start and NetHSM.

Current state

Update to the latest firmware versions on the Nitrokey Start and Nitrokey FIDO2 devices was tested. Windows support for Nitrokey Start is not added yet.

Additional features:

• handle status command for displaying touch button status (2.0.0 firmware and later);
• firmware signing adjusted for Nitrokey FIDO2 bootloader
• monitor command with timestamps

Installation

Linux, Unix

sudo apt install python3-pip
pip3 install --user pynitrokey

To access Nitrokey Start and FIDO2 devices without superuser rights, you need to install the Nitrokey udev rules that are shipped with libnitrokey. You can also install them manually:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Nitrokey/libnitrokey/master/data/41-nitrokey.rules
sudo mv 41-nitrokey.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

Windows

Generally Windows support and the installer are experimental - please use with caution.

Known issues:

• Support for Nitrokey Start under Windows 10 is not working without installing libusb libraries (to be described).
• The installer does not remove a previous installation (manually remove it using settings -> programs and apps)

How to install:

1. Download the latest .msi installer from releases
2. Double-click the installer and click through (Next and Finish)
3. Open the command console in the administrator mode (Windows 10: press the right mouse button on the Menu Start and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" from the menu).
4. Enter nitropy

Without administrator privileges nitropy might not be able to communicate to device.

Nitrokey FIDO2

Firmware Update

Automatic firmware update is recommended via https://update.nitrokey.com. Alternatively, it is also possible to update the Nitrokey FIDO2 using:

nitropy fido2 update

Your Nitrokey FIDO2 is now updated to the latest firmware.

Nitrokey Start

Firmware Update

Verify device connection

nitropy start list
FSIJ-1.2.15-87042524: Nitrokey Nitrokey Start (RTM.10)

Start update process, logs saved to upgrade.log, handy in case of failure

nitropy start update

Does not ask for confirmation nor the default Admin PIN, handy for batch calls

nitropy start update -p 12345678 -y

Following will flash files from the local disk, instead of downloading them

nitropy start update --regnual $(FIRMWARE_DIR)/regnual.bin --gnuk ${FIRMWARE_DIR}/gnuk.bin

Switching ID

nitropy start set-identity [0,1,2]

Where 0, 1 and 2 are the available IDs.

Alternative MI switching method

pynitrokey installation is not always possible, hence describing below alternative method to change the Identity on the Nitrokey Start. It suffices to have any CCID application installed, and send the following APDU 00 85 00 {ID} (hex), where ID is in range [0;2]. After receiving this command Nitrokey Start will reboot with the selected identity.

Here is how to do it using GnuPG:

# Setting ID to 2
$ gpg-connect-agent --hex "scd apdu  00 85 00 02" /bye
ERR 65539 Unknown version in packet <Unspecified source>

# Alternative error messsage
ERR 65572 Bad certificate <Unspecified source>

The error message here is expected due to immediate reboot of the device, and with losing the connection.

When the ID change is attempted to be done immediately, the following response could be received:

ERR 100663406 Card removed <SCD>

To restore the communication, either kill the gpg-agent or run gpg --card-status again.

Tip: alternative gpg-connect-agent reloadagent /bye is not sufficient.

NetHSM

A guide on how to use nitropy to access a NetHSM is available on docs.nitrokey.com.

Maintainers

Current maintainers can be found in MAINTAINERS.MD file.

License

Licensed similarly to upstream, under either of

• Apache License, Version 2.0 (LICENSE-APACHE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
• MIT license (LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

at your option.