SignedXml.ComputeSignature Method

Definition

Namespace:

System.Security.Cryptography.Xml

Assembly:

System.Security.Cryptography.Xml.dll

Computes an XML digital signature.

Overloads

ComputeSignature()	Computes an XML digital signature.
ComputeSignature(KeyedHashAlgorithm)	Computes an XML digital signature using the specified message authentication code (MAC) algorithm.

ComputeSignature()

Source:

SignedXml.cs

Computes an XML digital signature.

C#

public void ComputeSignature();

Exceptions

CryptographicException

The SigningKey property is null.

-or-

The SigningKey property is not a DSA object or RSA object.

-or-

The key could not be loaded.

Examples

The following code example shows how to sign and verify a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) addressable object using a detached signature.

C#

//
// This example signs a file specified by a URI 
// using a detached signature. It then verifies  
// the signed XML.
//

using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Cryptography.Xml;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;

class XMLDSIGDetached
{
    
    [STAThread]
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
    // The URI to sign.
        string resourceToSign = "http://www.microsoft.com";
        
        // The name of the file to which to save the XML signature.
        string XmlFileName = "xmldsig.xml";

        try
        {

            // Generate a signing key.
            RSA Key = RSA.Create();

            Console.WriteLine("Signing: {0}", resourceToSign);

            // Sign the detached resourceand save the signature in an XML file.
            SignDetachedResource(resourceToSign, XmlFileName, Key);

            Console.WriteLine("XML signature was successfully computed and saved to {0}.", XmlFileName);

            // Verify the signature of the signed XML.
            Console.WriteLine("Verifying signature...");

            //Verify the XML signature in the XML file.
            bool result = VerifyDetachedSignature(XmlFileName);

            // Display the results of the signature verification to 
            // the console.
            if(result)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is valid.");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is not valid.");
            }
        }
        catch(CryptographicException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
        }
    }

    // Sign an XML file and save the signature in a new file.
    public static void SignDetachedResource(string URIString, string XmlSigFileName, RSA Key)
    {
        // Create a SignedXml object.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml();

        // Assign the key to the SignedXml object.
        signedXml.SigningKey = Key;

        // Create a reference to be signed.
        Reference reference = new Reference();

        // Add the passed URI to the reference object.
        reference.Uri = URIString;
        
        // Add the reference to the SignedXml object.
        signedXml.AddReference(reference);

        // Add an RSAKeyValue KeyInfo (optional; helps recipient find key to validate).
        KeyInfo keyInfo = new KeyInfo();
        keyInfo.AddClause(new RSAKeyValue((RSA)Key));	
        signedXml.KeyInfo = keyInfo;

        // Compute the signature.
        signedXml.ComputeSignature();

        // Get the XML representation of the signature and save
        // it to an XmlElement object.
        XmlElement xmlDigitalSignature = signedXml.GetXml();

        // Save the signed XML document to a file specified
        // using the passed string.
        XmlTextWriter xmltw = new XmlTextWriter(XmlSigFileName, new UTF8Encoding(false));
        xmlDigitalSignature.WriteTo(xmltw);
        xmltw.Close();
    }
    // Verify the signature of an XML file and return the result.
    public static Boolean VerifyDetachedSignature(string XmlSigFileName)
    {	
        // Create a new XML document.
        XmlDocument xmlDocument = new XmlDocument();

        // Load the passed XML file into the document.
        xmlDocument.Load(XmlSigFileName);
    
        // Create a new SignedXMl object.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml();

        // Find the "Signature" node and create a new
        // XmlNodeList object.
        XmlNodeList nodeList = xmlDocument.GetElementsByTagName("Signature");

        // Load the signature node.
        signedXml.LoadXml((XmlElement)nodeList[0]);

        // Check the signature and return the result.
        return signedXml.CheckSignature();
    }
}

The following code example shows how to sign and verify an entire XML document using an enveloping signature.

C#

//
// This example signs an XML file using an
// envelope signature. It then verifies the 
// signed XML.
//
using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;
using System.Security.Cryptography.Xml;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;

public class SignVerifyEnvelope
{

    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
        try
        {
            // Generate a signing key.
            RSA Key = RSA.Create();

            // Create an XML file to sign.
            CreateSomeXml("Example.xml");
            Console.WriteLine("New XML file created."); 

            // Sign the XML that was just created and save it in a 
            // new file.
            SignXmlFile("Example.xml", "SignedExample.xml", Key);
            Console.WriteLine("XML file signed."); 

            // Verify the signature of the signed XML.
            Console.WriteLine("Verifying signature...");
            bool result = VerifyXmlFile("SignedExample.xml");

            // Display the results of the signature verification to \
            // the console.
            if(result)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is valid.");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is not valid.");
            }
        }
        catch(CryptographicException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
        }
    }

    // Sign an XML file and save the signature in a new file.
    public static void SignXmlFile(string FileName, string SignedFileName, RSA Key)
    {
        // Create a new XML document.
        XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();

        // Format the document to ignore white spaces.
        doc.PreserveWhitespace = false;

        // Load the passed XML file using it's name.
        doc.Load(new XmlTextReader(FileName));

        // Create a SignedXml object.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml(doc);

        // Add the key to the SignedXml document. 
        signedXml.SigningKey = Key;

        // Create a reference to be signed.
        Reference reference = new Reference();
        reference.Uri = "";

        // Add an enveloped transformation to the reference.
        XmlDsigEnvelopedSignatureTransform env = new XmlDsigEnvelopedSignatureTransform();
        reference.AddTransform(env);

        // Add the reference to the SignedXml object.
        signedXml.AddReference(reference);

        // Add an RSAKeyValue KeyInfo (optional; helps recipient find key to validate).
        KeyInfo keyInfo = new KeyInfo();
        keyInfo.AddClause(new RSAKeyValue((RSA)Key));
        signedXml.KeyInfo = keyInfo;

        // Compute the signature.
        signedXml.ComputeSignature();

        // Get the XML representation of the signature and save
        // it to an XmlElement object.
        XmlElement xmlDigitalSignature = signedXml.GetXml();

        // Append the element to the XML document.
        doc.DocumentElement.AppendChild(doc.ImportNode(xmlDigitalSignature, true));

        if (doc.FirstChild is XmlDeclaration)  
        {
            doc.RemoveChild(doc.FirstChild);
        }

        // Save the signed XML document to a file specified
        // using the passed string.
        XmlTextWriter xmltw = new XmlTextWriter(SignedFileName, new UTF8Encoding(false));
        doc.WriteTo(xmltw);
        xmltw.Close();
    }
    // Verify the signature of an XML file and return the result.
    public static Boolean VerifyXmlFile(String Name)
    {
        // Create a new XML document.
        XmlDocument xmlDocument = new XmlDocument();

        // Format using white spaces.
        xmlDocument.PreserveWhitespace = true;

        // Load the passed XML file into the document. 
        xmlDocument.Load(Name);

        // Create a new SignedXml object and pass it
        // the XML document class.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml(xmlDocument);

        // Find the "Signature" node and create a new
        // XmlNodeList object.
        XmlNodeList nodeList = xmlDocument.GetElementsByTagName("Signature");

        // Load the signature node.
        signedXml.LoadXml((XmlElement)nodeList[0]);

        // Check the signature and return the result.
        return signedXml.CheckSignature();
    }

    // Create example data to sign.
    public static void CreateSomeXml(string FileName)
    {
        // Create a new XmlDocument object.
        XmlDocument document = new XmlDocument();

        // Create a new XmlNode object.
        XmlNode  node = document.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Element, "", "MyElement", "samples");
        
        // Add some text to the node.
        node.InnerText = "Example text to be signed.";

        // Append the node to the document.
        document.AppendChild(node);

        // Save the XML document to the file name specified.
        XmlTextWriter xmltw = new XmlTextWriter(FileName, new UTF8Encoding(false));
        document.WriteTo(xmltw);
        xmltw.Close();
    }
}

Remarks

The ComputeSignature method creates an XML digital signature and constructs many of the XML elements needed.

You must set the data to be signed and the SigningKey property before calling this method.

ComputeSignature(KeyedHashAlgorithm)

Source:

SignedXml.cs

Computes an XML digital signature using the specified message authentication code (MAC) algorithm.

C#

public void ComputeSignature(System.Security.Cryptography.KeyedHashAlgorithm macAlg);

Parameters

macAlg

KeyedHashAlgorithm

A KeyedHashAlgorithm object that holds the MAC to be used to compute the value of the Signature property.

Exceptions

ArgumentNullException

The macAlg parameter is null.

CryptographicException

The KeyedHashAlgorithm object specified by the macAlg parameter is not an instance of HMACSHA1 or HMACSHA256 or HMACSHA384 or HMACSHA512.

-or-

The HashSize property of the specified KeyedHashAlgorithm object is not valid.

-or-

The cryptographic transform used to check the signature could not be created.

Examples

The following code example shows how to sign and verify a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) addressable object using a detached signature.

C#

//
// This example signs a file specified by a URI 
// using a detached signature. It then verifies  
// the signed XML.
//

using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Cryptography.Xml;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;

class XMLDSIGDetached
{
    
    [STAThread]
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        try
        {
            // The URI to sign.
            string resourceToSign = "http://www.microsoft.com";
        
            // The name of the file to which to save the XML signature.
            string XmlFileName = "xmlsig.xml";

            // Generate a signing key.
            HMACSHA256 Key = new HMACSHA256();

            Console.WriteLine("Signing: {0}", resourceToSign);

            // Sign the detached resourceand save the signature in an XML file.
            SignDetachedResource(resourceToSign, XmlFileName, Key);

            Console.WriteLine("XML signature was successfully computed and saved to {0}.", XmlFileName);

            // Verify the signature of the signed XML.
            Console.WriteLine("Verifying signature...");

            //Verify the XML signature in the XML file.
            bool result = VerifyDetachedSignature(XmlFileName, Key);

            // Display the results of the signature verification to 
            // the console.
            if(result)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is valid.");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is not valid.");
            }
        }
        catch(CryptographicException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
        }
    }

    // Sign an XML file and save the signature in a new file.
    public static void SignDetachedResource(string URIString, string XmlSigFileName, KeyedHashAlgorithm Key)
    {
        // Create a SignedXml object.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml();

        // Create a reference to be signed.
        Reference reference = new Reference();

        // Add the passed URI to the reference object.
        reference.Uri = URIString;
        
        // Add the reference to the SignedXml object.
        signedXml.AddReference(reference);

        // Compute the signature.
        signedXml.ComputeSignature(Key);

        // Get the XML representation of the signature and save
        // it to an XmlElement object.
        XmlElement xmlDigitalSignature = signedXml.GetXml();

        // Save the signed XML document to a file specified
        // using the passed string.
        XmlTextWriter xmltw = new XmlTextWriter(XmlSigFileName, new UTF8Encoding(false));
        xmlDigitalSignature.WriteTo(xmltw);
        xmltw.Close();
    }

    // Verify the signature of an XML file and return the result.
    public static Boolean VerifyDetachedSignature(string XmlSigFileName, KeyedHashAlgorithm Key)
    {	
        // Create a new XML document.
        XmlDocument xmlDocument = new XmlDocument();

        // Load the passedXML file into the document.
        xmlDocument.Load(XmlSigFileName);
    
        // Create a new SignedXml object and pass it
        // the XML document class.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml();

        // Find the "Signature" node and create a new
        // XmlNodeList object.
        XmlNodeList nodeList = xmlDocument.GetElementsByTagName("Signature");

        // Load the signature node.
        signedXml.LoadXml((XmlElement)nodeList[0]);

        // Check the signature and return the result.
        return signedXml.CheckSignature(Key);
    }
}

The following code example shows how to sign and verify an entire XML document using an enveloping signature.

C#

//
// This example signs an XML file using an
// envelope signature. It then verifies the 
// signed XML.
//
using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;
using System.Security.Cryptography.Xml;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;

public class SignVerifyEnvelope
{

    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
        try
        {

            // Generate a signing key.
            HMACSHA256 Key = new HMACSHA256();

            // Create an XML file to sign.
            CreateSomeXml("Example.xml");
            Console.WriteLine("New XML file created."); 

            // Sign the XML that was just created and save it in a 
            // new file.
            SignXmlFile("Example.xml", "SignedExample.xml", Key);
            Console.WriteLine("XML file signed."); 

            // Verify the signature of the signed XML.
            Console.WriteLine("Verifying Signature...");
            bool result = VerifyXmlFile("SignedExample.xml", Key);

            // Display the results of the signature verification to \
            // the console.
            if(result)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is valid.");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The XML signature is not valid.");
            }
        }
        catch(CryptographicException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
        }
    }

    // Sign an XML file and save the signature in a new file.
    public static void SignXmlFile(string FileName, string SignedFileName, KeyedHashAlgorithm Key)
    {
        // Create a new XML document.
        XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();

        // Format the document to ignore white spaces.
        doc.PreserveWhitespace = false;

        // Load the passed XML file using it's name.
        doc.Load(new XmlTextReader(FileName));

        // Create a SignedXml object.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml(doc);

        // Create a reference to be signed.
        Reference reference = new Reference();
        reference.Uri = "";

        // Add an enveloped transformation to the reference.
        XmlDsigEnvelopedSignatureTransform env = new XmlDsigEnvelopedSignatureTransform();
        reference.AddTransform(env);

        // Add the reference to the SignedXML object.
        signedXml.AddReference(reference);

        // Compute the signature.
        signedXml.ComputeSignature(Key);

        // Get the XML representation of the signature and save
        // it to an XmlElement object.
        XmlElement xmlDigitalSignature = signedXml.GetXml();

        // Append the element to the XML document.
        doc.DocumentElement.AppendChild(doc.ImportNode(xmlDigitalSignature, true));

        if (doc.FirstChild is XmlDeclaration)  
        {
            doc.RemoveChild(doc.FirstChild);
        }

        // Save the signed XML document to a file specified
        // using the passed string.
        XmlTextWriter xmltw = new XmlTextWriter(SignedFileName, new UTF8Encoding(false));
        doc.WriteTo(xmltw);
        xmltw.Close();
    }

    // Verify the signature of an XML file and return the result.
    public static Boolean VerifyXmlFile(String Name, KeyedHashAlgorithm Key)
    {
        // Create a new XML document.
        XmlDocument xmlDocument = new XmlDocument();

        // Format using white spaces.
        xmlDocument.PreserveWhitespace = true;

        // Load the passed XML file into the document. 
        xmlDocument.Load(Name);

        // Create a new SignedXMl object and pass it
        // the XMl document class.
        SignedXml signedXml = new SignedXml(xmlDocument);

        // Find the "Signature" node and create a new
        // XmlNodeList object.
        XmlNodeList nodeList = xmlDocument.GetElementsByTagName("Signature");

        // Load the signature node.
        signedXml.LoadXml((XmlElement)nodeList[0]);

        // Check the signature and return the result.
        return signedXml.CheckSignature(Key);
    }

    // Create example data to sign.
    public static void CreateSomeXml(string FileName)
    {
        // Create a new XmlDocument object.
        XmlDocument document = new XmlDocument();

        // Create a new XmlNode object.
        XmlNode  node = document.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Element, "", "MyElement", "samples");
        
        // Add some text to the node.
        node.InnerText = "Example text to be signed.";

        // Append the node to the document.
        document.AppendChild(node);

        // Save the XML document to the filename specified.
        XmlTextWriter xmltw = new XmlTextWriter(FileName, new UTF8Encoding(false));
        document.WriteTo(xmltw);
        xmltw.Close();
    }
}

Remarks

The ComputeSignature method creates an XML digital signature using the specified MAC algorithm and constructs many of the XML elements needed.

You must set the data to be signed before calling this method.