keytool

The keytool command is a key and certificate management utility. It enables users to administer their own public/private key pairs and associated certificates for use in self-authentication (where a user authenticates themselves to other users and services) or data integrity and authentication services, by using digital signatures. The keytool command also enables users to cache the public keys (in the form of certificates) of their communicating peers.

A certificate is a digitally signed statement from one entity (person, company, and so on), which says that the public key (and some other information) of some other entity has a particular value. When data is digitally signed, the signature can be verified to check the data integrity and authenticity. Integrity means that the data hasn’t been modified or tampered with, and authenticity means that the data comes from the individual who claims to have created and signed it.

The keytool command also enables users to administer secret keys and passphrases used in symmetric encryption and decryption (Data Encryption Standard). It can also display other security-related information.

The keytool command stores the keys and certificates in a keystone.

List contents of jks keystore file
Extracting SSL certificate from the Java Keystore (JKS)