System.Formats.Asn1 9.0.1

About

Provides functionality for parsing, encoding, and decoding data using Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1). ASN.1 is a standard interface description language for defining data structures that can be serialized and deserialized in a cross-platform way.

Key Features

• Parse ASN.1 data into .NET types.
• Encode .NET types into ASN.1 format.
• Support for BER, CER, DER: Handles Basic Encoding Rules (BER), Canonical Encoding Rules (CER), and Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER).

How to Use

Parsing ASN.1 data:

using System.Formats.Asn1;
using System.Numerics;

// Sample ASN.1 encoded data (DER format)
byte[] asn1Data = [0x30, 0x09, 0x02, 0x01, 0x01, 0x02, 0x01, 0x02, 0x02, 0x01, 0x03];

// Create an AsnReader to parse the data
AsnReader reader = new(asn1Data, AsnEncodingRules.DER);

// Parse the sequence
AsnReader sequenceReader = reader.ReadSequence();

// Read integers from the sequence
BigInteger firstInt = sequenceReader.ReadInteger();
BigInteger secondInt = sequenceReader.ReadInteger();
BigInteger thirdInt = sequenceReader.ReadInteger();

Console.WriteLine($"First integer: {firstInt}");
Console.WriteLine($"Second integer: {secondInt}");
Console.WriteLine($"Third integer: {thirdInt}");

// First integer: 1
// Second integer: 2
// Third integer: 3

Decoding ASN.1 data using AsnDecoder:

using System.Formats.Asn1;
using System.Numerics;
using System.Text;

// Sample ASN.1 encoded data
byte[] booleanData = [0x01, 0x01, 0xFF]; // BOOLEAN TRUE
byte[] integerData = [0x02, 0x01, 0x05]; // INTEGER 5
byte[] octetStringData = [0x04, 0x03, 0x41, 0x42, 0x43]; // OCTET STRING "ABC"
byte[] objectIdentifierData = [0x06, 0x03, 0x2A, 0x03, 0x04]; // OBJECT IDENTIFIER 1.2.3.4
byte[] utf8StringData = [0x0C, 0x05, 0x48, 0x65, 0x6C, 0x6C, 0x6F]; // UTF8String "Hello"

int bytesConsumed;

bool booleanValue = AsnDecoder.ReadBoolean(booleanData, AsnEncodingRules.DER, out bytesConsumed);
Console.WriteLine($"Decoded BOOLEAN value: {booleanValue}, Bytes consumed: {bytesConsumed}");
// Decoded BOOLEAN value: True, Bytes consumed: 3

BigInteger integerValue = AsnDecoder.ReadInteger(integerData, AsnEncodingRules.DER, out bytesConsumed);
Console.WriteLine($"Decoded INTEGER value: {integerValue}, Bytes consumed: {bytesConsumed}");
// Decoded INTEGER value: 5, Bytes consumed: 3

byte[] octetStringValue = AsnDecoder.ReadOctetString(octetStringData, AsnEncodingRules.DER, out bytesConsumed);
Console.WriteLine($"Decoded OCTET STRING value: {Encoding.ASCII.GetString(octetStringValue)}, Bytes consumed: {bytesConsumed}");
// Decoded OCTET STRING value: ABC, Bytes consumed: 5

string objectIdentifierValue = AsnDecoder.ReadObjectIdentifier(objectIdentifierData, AsnEncodingRules.DER, out bytesConsumed);
Console.WriteLine($"Decoded OBJECT IDENTIFIER value: {objectIdentifierValue}, Bytes consumed: {bytesConsumed}");
// Decoded OBJECT IDENTIFIER value: 1.2.3.4, Bytes consumed: 5

string utf8StringValue = AsnDecoder.ReadCharacterString(utf8StringData, AsnEncodingRules.DER, UniversalTagNumber.UTF8String, out bytesConsumed);
Console.WriteLine($"Decoded UTF8String value: {utf8StringValue}, Bytes consumed: {bytesConsumed}");
// Decoded UTF8String value: Hello, Bytes consumed: 7

Encoding ASN.1 data:

// Create an AsnWriter to encode data
AsnWriter writer = new(AsnEncodingRules.DER);

// Create a scope for the sequence
using (AsnWriter.Scope scope = writer.PushSequence())
{
    // Write integers to the sequence
    writer.WriteInteger(1);
    writer.WriteInteger(2);
    writer.WriteInteger(3);
}

// Get the encoded data
byte[] encodedData = writer.Encode();

Console.WriteLine($"Encoded ASN.1 Data: {BitConverter.ToString(encodedData)}");

// Encoded ASN.1 Data: 30-09-02-01-01-02-01-02-02-01-03

Main Types

The main types provided by this library are:

• System.Formats.Asn1.AsnReader
• System.Formats.Asn1.AsnWriter
• System.Formats.Asn1.AsnDecoder
• System.Formats.Asn1.AsnEncodingRules

Additional Documentation

• API documentation
• X.680 - Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1): Specification of basic notation
• X.690 - ASN.1 encoding rules: Specification of Basic Encoding Rules (BER), Canonical Encoding Rules (CER) and Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER)

Feedback & Contributing

System.Formats.Asn1 is released as open source under the MIT license. Bug reports and contributions are welcome at the GitHub repository.