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Updated: Wednesday, July 27, 2022
 
 

scdaemon (1)

Name

scdaemon - Smartcard daemon for the GnuPG system

Synopsis

scdaemon [--homedir dir] [--options file] [options] --server
scdaemon  [--homedir  dir]  [--options  file]  [options] --daemon [com-
mand_line]

Description

SCDAEMON(1)                  GNU Privacy Guard 2.2                 SCDAEMON(1)



NAME
       scdaemon - Smartcard daemon for the GnuPG system

SYNOPSIS
       scdaemon [--homedir dir] [--options file] [options] --server
       scdaemon  [--homedir  dir]  [--options  file]  [options] --daemon [com-
       mand_line]



DESCRIPTION
       The scdaemon is a daemon to manage smartcards.  It is  usually  invoked
       by gpg-agent and in general not used directly.




COMMANDS
       Commands  are  not  distinguished from options except for the fact that
       only one command is allowed.


       --version
              Print the program version and licensing information.  Note  that
              you cannot abbreviate this command.


       --help, -h
              Print  a  usage message summarizing the most useful command-line
              options.  Note that you cannot abbreviate this command.


       --dump-options
              Print a list of all available options and commands.   Note  that
              you cannot abbreviate this command.


       --server
              Run  in  server  mode  and  wait for commands on the stdin.  The
              default mode is to create  a  socket  and  listen  for  commands
              there.


       --multi-server
              Run in server mode and wait for commands on the stdin as well as
              on an additional Unix Domain socket.  The server command GETINFO
              may be used to get the name of that extra socket.


       --daemon
              Run  the  program in the background.  This option is required to
              prevent it from being accidentally running in the background.


OPTIONS
       --options file
              Reads configuration from file instead of from the  default  per-
              user  configuration  file.   The  default  configuration file is
              named `scdaemon.conf' and expected  in  the  `.gnupg'  directory
              directly below the home directory of the user.


       --homedir dir
              Set the name of the home directory to dir. If this option is not
              used, the home directory defaults to  `~/.gnupg'.   It  is  only
              recognized  when  given  on the command line.  It also overrides
              any home  directory  stated  through  the  environment  variable
              `GNUPGHOME'  or  (on  Windows  systems) by means of the Registry
              entry HKCU\Software\GNU\GnuPG:HomeDir.

              On Windows systems it is possible to install GnuPG as a portable
              application.  In this case only this command line option is con-
              sidered, all other ways to set a home directory are ignored.

              To install GnuPG as a portable application under Windows, create
              an  empty  file named `gpgconf.ctl' in the same directory as the
              tool `gpgconf.exe'.  The root of the installation is  then  that
              directory;  or,  if  `gpgconf.exe'  has  been installed directly
              below a directory named `bin', its parent directory.   You  also
              need  to  make sure that the following directories exist and are
              writable:    `ROOT/home'    for    the    GnuPG     home     and
              `ROOT/var/cache/gnupg' for internal cache files.



       -v

       --verbose
              Outputs  additional information while running.  You can increase
              the verbosity by giving several verbose commands to gpgsm,  such
              as '-vv'.


       --debug-level level
              Select the debug level for investigating problems.  level may be
              a numeric value or a keyword:


              none   No debugging at all.  A value of less than 1 may be  used
                     instead of the keyword.

              basic  Some  basic  debug messages.  A value between 1 and 2 may
                     be used instead of the keyword.

              advanced
                     More verbose debug messages.  A value between 3 and 5 may
                     be used instead of the keyword.

              expert Even more detailed messages.  A value between 6 and 8 may
                     be used instead of the keyword.

              guru   All of the debug messages you can get.  A  value  greater
                     than  8 may be used instead of the keyword.  The creation
                     of hash tracing files is only enabled if the  keyword  is
                     used.

       How  these  messages  are  mapped  to the actual debugging flags is not
       specified and may change with newer releases of this program. They  are
       however carefully selected to best aid in debugging.

              All  debugging options are subject to change and thus should not
              be used by any application program.  As the name says, they  are
              only used as helpers to debug problems.



       --debug flags
              This  option  is  only useful for debugging and the behavior may
              change at any time without notice.  FLAGS are  bit  encoded  and
              may be given in usual C-Syntax. The currently defined bits are:


              0 (1)  command I/O

              1 (2)  values of big number integers

              2 (4)  low level crypto operations

              5 (32) memory allocation

              6 (64) caching

              7 (128)
                     show memory statistics

              9 (512)
                     write hashed data to files named dbgmd-000*

              10 (1024)
                     trace  Assuan  protocol.  See also option --debug-assuan-
                     log-cats.

              11 (2048)
                     trace APDU I/O to the card.  This  may  reveal  sensitive
                     data.

              12 (4096)
                     trace some card reader related function calls.


       --debug-all
              Same as --debug=0xffffffff


       --debug-wait n
              When  running in server mode, wait n seconds before entering the
              actual processing loop and print the pid.  This  gives  time  to
              attach a debugger.


       --debug-ccid-driver
              Enable  debug  output  from  the included CCID driver for smart-
              cards.  Using this option twice will also enable some tracing of
              the  T=1  protocol.   Note that this option may reveal sensitive
              data.


       --debug-disable-ticker
              This option disables all ticker functions like checking for card
              insertions.


       --debug-allow-core-dump
              For  security  reasons  we  won't  create  a  core dump when the
              process aborts.  For debugging purposes it is  sometimes  better
              to allow core dump.  This option enables it and also changes the
              working directory to `/tmp' when running in --server mode.


       --debug-log-tid
              This option appends a thread ID to the PID in the log output.


       --debug-assuan-log-cats cats
              Changes the active Libassuan logging categories  to  cats.   The
              value  for  cats is an unsigned integer given in usual C-Syntax.
              A value of 0 switches to a default category.  If this option  is
              not  used the categories are taken from the environment variable
              ASSUAN_DEBUG.  Note that this option has only an effect  if  the
              Assuan  debug flag has also been with the option --debug.  For a
              list of categories see the Libassuan manual.


       --no-detach
              Don't detach the process from the console.  This is mainly  use-
              ful for debugging.


       --listen-backlog n
              Set  the size of the queue for pending connections.  The default
              is 64.  This option has an effect only if --multi-server is also
              used.


       --log-file file
              Append all logging output to file.  This is very helpful in see-
              ing what the agent actually does.  Use  `socket://'  to  log  to
              socket.



       --pcsc-driver library
              Use library to access the smartcard reader.  The current default
              is `libpcsclite.so'.  Instead of using  this  option  you  might
              also  want  to  install a symbolic link to the default file name
              (e.g. from `libpcsclite.so.1').


       --ctapi-driver library
              Use library to access the smartcard reader.  The current default
              is  `libtowitoko.so'.   Note  that  the use of this interface is
              deprecated; it may be removed in future releases.


       --disable-ccid
              Disable the integrated support for CCID compliant readers.  This
              allows  falling  back  to  one  of the other drivers even if the
              internal CCID driver can handle the  reader.   Note,  that  CCID
              support is only available if libusb was available at build time.


       --reader-port number_or_string
              This  option  may be used to specify the port of the card termi-
              nal.  A value of 0 refers to the first serial device; add  32768
              to access USB devices.  The default is 32768 (first USB device).
              PC/SC or CCID readers might need a string here; run the  program
              in verbose mode to get a list of available readers.  The default
              is then the first reader found.

              To get a list of available CCID readers you may  use  this  com-
              mand:
           echo scd getinfo reader_list \
             | gpg-connect-agent --decode | awk '/^D/ {print $2}'


       --card-timeout n
              If n is not 0 and no client is actively using the card, the card
              will be powered down after n seconds.  Powering  down  the  card
              avoids  a  potential risk of damaging a card when used with cer-
              tain cheap readers.  This also allows applications that are  not
              aware of Scdaemon to access the card.  The disadvantage of using
              a card timeout is that accessing the card takes longer and  that
              the user needs to enter the PIN again after the next power up.

              Note  that with the current version of Scdaemon the card is pow-
              ered down immediately at the next timer tick for any value of  n
              other than 0.


       --enable-pinpad-varlen
              Please  specify  this option when the card reader supports vari-
              able length input for pinpad (default is no).  For known readers
              (listed in ccid-driver.c and apdu.c), this option is not needed.
              Note that if your card reader doesn't supports  variable  length
              input  but  you  want to use it, you need to specify your pinpad
              request on your card.



       --disable-pinpad
              Even if a card reader features a pinpad, do not try to use it.



       --deny-admin
              This option disables the use of admin class  commands  for  card
              applications  where  this is supported.  Currently we support it
              for the OpenPGP card. This option is useful to inhibit  acciden-
              tal  access  to  admin class command which could ultimately lock
              the card through wrong PIN numbers.  Note  that  GnuPG  versions
              older  than  2.0.11  featured  an --allow-admin option which was
              required to use such admin commands.  This option  has  no  more
              effect today because the default is now to allow admin commands.


       --disable-application name
              This option disables the use of the card application named name.
              This is mainly useful for debugging or  if  a  application  with
              lower priority should be used by default.


       All  the long options may also be given in the configuration file after
       stripping off the two leading dashes.



CARD APPLICATIONS
       scdaemon supports the card applications as described below.




   The OpenPGP card application ``openpgp''


       This application is currently only used by gpg but may in  future  also
       be  useful  with  gpgsm.   Version  1 and version 2 of the card is sup-
       ported.


       The specifications for these cards are available at
       (http://g10code.com/docs/openpgp-card-1.0.pdf) and
       (http://g10code.com/docs/openpgp-card-2.0.pdf).



   The Telesec NetKey card ``nks''


       This is the main application of the Telesec cards as available in  Ger-
       many.  It is a superset of the German DINSIG card.  The card is used by
       gpgsm.



   The DINSIG card application ``dinsig''


       This is an application as described in the German draft standard DIN  V
       66291-1.  It is intended to be used by cards supporting the German sig-
       nature law and its bylaws (SigG and SigV).



   The PKCS#15 card application ``p15''


       This is common framework for smart card applications.  It  is  used  by
       gpgsm.



   The Geldkarte card application ``geldkarte''


       This  is  a simple application to display information of a German Geld-
       karte.  The Geldkarte is a small amount debit  card  application  which
       comes with almost all German banking cards.



   The SmartCard-HSM card application ``sc-hsm''


       This  application  adds  read-only  support  for  keys and certificates
       stored on a (http://www.smartcard-hsm.com, SmartCard-HSM).

       To   generate   keys   and   store    certificates    you    may    use
       (https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki/SmartCardHSM,   OpenSC)  or  the
       tools from (http://www.openscdp.org, OpenSCDP).

       The SmartCard-HSM cards requires a card reader that  supports  Extended
       Length APDUs.



   The Undefined card application ``undefined''


       This is a stub application to allow the use of the APDU command even if
       no supported application is found on the card.  This application is not
       used  automatically but must be explicitly requested using the SERIALNO
       command.




EXAMPLES
         $ scdaemon --server -v




FILES
       There are a few configuration  files  to  control  certain  aspects  of
       scdaemons's  operation.  Unless noted, they are expected in the current
       home directory (see: [option --homedir]).



       scdaemon.conf
              This is the standard configuration  file  read  by  scdaemon  on
              startup.   It may contain any valid long option; the leading two
              dashes may not be entered and the option may not be abbreviated.
              This  default  name  may  be  changed  on the command line (see:
              [option --options]).


       scd-event
              If this file is present and executable, it  will  be  called  on
              every card reader's status change.  An example of this script is
              provided with the distribution


       reader_n.status
              This file is created by scdaemon to let other  applications  now
              about reader status changes.  Its use is now deprecated in favor
              of `scd-event'.


ATTRIBUTES
       See attributes(7) for descriptions of the following attributes:


       +---------------+-----------------------+
       |ATTRIBUTE TYPE |   ATTRIBUTE VALUE     |
       +---------------+-----------------------+
       |Availability   | crypto/gnupg          |
       +---------------+-----------------------+
       |Stability      | Pass-through volatile |
       +---------------+-----------------------+

SEE ALSO
       gpg-agent(1), gpgsm(1), gpg2(1)

       The full documentation for this tool is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
       If  GnuPG and the info program are properly installed at your site, the
       command

         info gnupg

       should give you access to the complete manual including a  menu  struc-
       ture and an index.




NOTES
       Source  code  for open source software components in Oracle Solaris can
       be found at https://www.oracle.com/downloads/opensource/solaris-source-
       code-downloads.html.

       This     software     was    built    from    source    available    at
       https://github.com/oracle/solaris-userland.   The  original   community
       source                was                downloaded                from
       https://www.gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/gnupg/gnupg-2.2.20.tar.bz2.

       Further information about this software can be found on the open source
       community website at http://www.gnupg.org/.



GnuPG 2.2.20                      2020-03-18                       SCDAEMON(1)