1SCDAEMON(1) GNU Privacy Guard 2.3 SCDAEMON(1)
2
6 scdaemon - Smartcard daemon for the GnuPG system
7
9 scdaemon [--homedir dir] [--options file] [options] --server
10 scdaemon [--homedir dir] [--options file] [options] --daemon [com‐
11 mand_line]
12
16 The scdaemon is a daemon to manage smartcards. It is usually invoked
17 by gpg-agent and in general not used directly.
18
23 Commands are not distinguished from options except for the fact that
24 only one command is allowed.
25 --version
28 Print the program version and licensing information. Note that
29 you cannot abbreviate this command.
30 --help, -h
33 Print a usage message summarizing the most useful command-line
34 options. Note that you cannot abbreviate this command.
35 --dump-options
38 Print a list of all available options and commands. Note that
39 you cannot abbreviate this command.
40 --server
43 Run in server mode and wait for commands on the stdin. The de‐
44 fault mode is to create a socket and listen for commands there.
45 --multi-server
48 Run in server mode and wait for commands on the stdin as well as
49 on an additional Unix Domain socket. The server command GETINFO
50 may be used to get the name of that extra socket.
51 --daemon
54 Run the program in the background. This option is required to
55 prevent it from being accidentally running in the background.
56
59 --options file
60 Reads configuration from file instead of from the default per-
61 user configuration file. The default configuration file is
62 named ‘scdaemon.conf’ and expected in the ‘.gnupg’ directory di‐
63 rectly below the home directory of the user.
64 --homedir dir
67 Set the name of the home directory to dir. If this option is not
68 used, the home directory defaults to ‘~/.gnupg’. It is only
69 recognized when given on the command line. It also overrides
70 any home directory stated through the environment variable
71 ‘GNUPGHOME’ or (on Windows systems) by means of the Registry en‐
72 try HKCU\Software\GNU\GnuPG:HomeDir.
73 On Windows systems it is possible to install GnuPG as a portable
75 application. In this case only this command line option is con‐
76 sidered, all other ways to set a home directory are ignored.
77 To install GnuPG as a portable application under Windows, create
79 an empty file named ‘gpgconf.ctl’ in the same directory as the
80 tool ‘gpgconf.exe’. The root of the installation is then that
81 directory; or, if ‘gpgconf.exe’ has been installed directly be‐
82 low a directory named ‘bin’, its parent directory. You also
83 need to make sure that the following directories exist and are
84 writable: ‘ROOT/home’ for the GnuPG home and
85 ‘ROOT/var/cache/gnupg’ for internal cache files.
86 -v
90 --verbose
92 Outputs additional information while running. You can increase
93 the verbosity by giving several verbose commands to gpgsm, such
94 as ‘-vv’.
95 --debug-level level
98 Select the debug level for investigating problems. level may be
99 a numeric value or a keyword:
100 none No debugging at all. A value of less than 1 may be used
103 instead of the keyword.
104 basic Some basic debug messages. A value between 1 and 2 may
106 be used instead of the keyword.
107 advanced
109 More verbose debug messages. A value between 3 and 5 may
110 be used instead of the keyword.
111 expert Even more detailed messages. A value between 6 and 8 may
113 be used instead of the keyword.
114 guru All of the debug messages you can get. A value greater
116 than 8 may be used instead of the keyword. The creation
117 of hash tracing files is only enabled if the keyword is
118 used.
119 How these messages are mapped to the actual debugging flags is not
121 specified and may change with newer releases of this program. They are
122 however carefully selected to best aid in debugging.
123 All debugging options are subject to change and thus should not
125 be used by any application program. As the name says, they are
126 only used as helpers to debug problems.
127 --debug flags
131 Set debug flags. All flags are or-ed and flags may be given in
132 C syntax (e.g. 0x0042) or as a comma separated list of flag
133 names. To get a list of all supported flags the single word
134 "help" can be used. This option is only useful for debugging and
135 the behavior may change at any time without notice.
136 --debug-all
139 Same as --debug=0xffffffff
140 --debug-wait n
143 When running in server mode, wait n seconds before entering the
144 actual processing loop and print the pid. This gives time to
145 attach a debugger.
146 --debug-ccid-driver
149 Enable debug output from the included CCID driver for smart‐
150 cards. Using this option twice will also enable some tracing of
151 the T=1 protocol. Note that this option may reveal sensitive
152 data.
153 --debug-disable-ticker
156 This option disables all ticker functions like checking for card
157 insertions.
158 --debug-allow-core-dump
161 For security reasons we won't create a core dump when the
162 process aborts. For debugging purposes it is sometimes better
163 to allow core dump. This option enables it and also changes the
164 working directory to ‘/tmp’ when running in --server mode.
165 --debug-log-tid
168 This option appends a thread ID to the PID in the log output.
169 --debug-assuan-log-cats cats
172 Changes the active Libassuan logging categories to cats. The
173 value for cats is an unsigned integer given in usual C-Syntax.
174 A value of 0 switches to a default category. If this option is
175 not used the categories are taken from the environment variable
176 ASSUAN_DEBUG. Note that this option has only an effect if the
177 Assuan debug flag has also been with the option --debug. For a
178 list of categories see the Libassuan manual.
179 --no-detach
182 Don't detach the process from the console. This is mainly use‐
183 ful for debugging.
184 --listen-backlog n
187 Set the size of the queue for pending connections. The default
188 is 64. This option has an effect only if --multi-server is also
189 used.
190 --log-file file
193 Append all logging output to file. This is very helpful in see‐
194 ing what the agent actually does. Use ‘socket://’ to log to
195 socket.
196 --pcsc-shared
199 Use shared mode to access the card via PC/SC. This is a some‐
200 what dangerous option because Scdaemon assumes exclusive access
201 to the card and for example caches certain information from the
202 card. Use this option only if you know what you are doing.
203 --pcsc-driver library
206 Use library to access the smartcard reader. The current default
207 on Unix is ‘libpcsclite.so’ and on Windows ‘winscard.dll’. In‐
208 stead of using this option you might also want to install a sym‐
209 bolic link to the default file name (e.g. from ‘libpc‐
210 sclite.so.1’). A Unicode file name may not be used on Windows.
211 --ctapi-driver library
214 Use library to access the smartcard reader. The current default
215 is ‘libtowitoko.so’. Note that the use of this interface is
216 deprecated; it may be removed in future releases.
217 --disable-ccid
220 Disable the integrated support for CCID compliant readers. This
221 allows falling back to one of the other drivers even if the in‐
222 ternal CCID driver can handle the reader. Note, that CCID sup‐
223 port is only available if libusb was available at build time.
224 --reader-port number_or_string
227 This option may be used to specify the port of the card termi‐
228 nal. A value of 0 refers to the first serial device; add 32768
229 to access USB devices. The default is 32768 (first USB device).
230 PC/SC or CCID readers might need a string here; run the program
231 in verbose mode to get a list of available readers. The default
232 is then the first reader found.
233 To get a list of available CCID readers you may use this com‐
235 mand:
236 echo scd getinfo reader_list \
237 | gpg-connect-agent --decode | awk '/^D/ {print $2}'
238 --card-timeout n
241 This option is deprecated. In GnuPG 2.0, it used to be used for
242 DISCONNECT command to control timing issue. Since DISCONNECT
243 command works synchronously, it has no effect.
244 --enable-pinpad-varlen
247 Please specify this option when the card reader supports vari‐
248 able length input for pinpad (default is no). For known readers
249 (listed in ccid-driver.c and apdu.c), this option is not needed.
250 Note that if your card reader doesn't supports variable length
251 input but you want to use it, you need to specify your pinpad
252 request on your card.
253 --disable-pinpad
257 Even if a card reader features a pinpad, do not try to use it.
258 --deny-admin
262 This option disables the use of admin class commands for card
263 applications where this is supported. Currently we support it
264 for the OpenPGP card. This option is useful to inhibit acciden‐
265 tal access to admin class command which could ultimately lock
266 the card through wrong PIN numbers. Note that GnuPG versions
267 older than 2.0.11 featured an --allow-admin option which was re‐
268 quired to use such admin commands. This option has no more ef‐
269 fect today because the default is now to allow admin commands.
270 --disable-application name
273 This option disables the use of the card application named name.
274 This is mainly useful for debugging or if a application with
275 lower priority should be used by default.
276 --application-priority namelist
279 This option allows to change the order in which applications of
280 a card a tried if no specific application was requested.
281 namelist is a space or comma delimited list of application
282 names. Unknown names are simply skipped. Applications not men‐
283 tioned in the list are put in the former order at the end of the
284 new priority list.
285 To get the list of current active applications, use
287 gpg-connect-agent 'scd getinfo app_list' /bye
288 All the long options may also be given in the configuration file after
291 stripping off the two leading dashes.
292
296 scdaemon supports the card applications as described below.
297 The OpenPGP card application ``openpgp''
302 This application is currently only used by gpg but may in future also
305 be useful with gpgsm. Version 1 and version 2 of the card is sup‐
306 ported.
307 The specifications for these cards are available at
310 (http://g10code.com/docs/openpgp-card-1.0.pdf) and
311 (http://g10code.com/docs/openpgp-card-2.0.pdf).
312 The Telesec NetKey card ``nks''
316 This is the main application of the Telesec cards as available in Ger‐
319 many. It is a superset of the German DINSIG card. The card is used by
320 gpgsm.
321 The DINSIG card application ``dinsig''
325 This is an application as described in the German draft standard DIN V
328 66291-1. It is intended to be used by cards supporting the German sig‐
329 nature law and its bylaws (SigG and SigV).
330 The PKCS#15 card application ``p15''
334 This is common framework for smart card applications. It is used by
337 gpgsm.
338 The Geldkarte card application ``geldkarte''
342 This is a simple application to display information of a German Geld‐
345 karte. The Geldkarte is a small amount debit card application which
346 comes with almost all German banking cards.
347 The SmartCard-HSM card application ``sc-hsm''
351 This application adds read-only support for keys and certificates
354 stored on a (http://www.smartcard-hsm.com, SmartCard-HSM).
355 To generate keys and store certificates you may use
357 (https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki/SmartCardHSM, OpenSC) or the
358 tools from (http://www.openscdp.org, OpenSCDP).
359 The SmartCard-HSM cards requires a card reader that supports Extended
361 Length APDUs.
362 The Undefined card application ``undefined''
366 This is a stub application to allow the use of the APDU command even if
369 no supported application is found on the card. This application is not
370 used automatically but must be explicitly requested using the SERIALNO
371 command.
372
377 $ scdaemon --server -v
378
383 There are a few configuration files to control certain aspects of sc‐
384 daemons's operation. Unless noted, they are expected in the current
385 home directory (see: [option --homedir]).
386 scdaemon.conf
390 This is the standard configuration file read by scdaemon on
391 startup. It may contain any valid long option; the leading two
392 dashes may not be entered and the option may not be abbreviated.
393 This default name may be changed on the command line (see: [op‐
394 tion --options]).
395 scd-event
398 If this file is present and executable, it will be called on ev‐
399 ery card reader's status change. An example of this script is
400 provided with the source code distribution. This option is dep‐
401 recated in favor of the DEVINFO --watch.
402 reader_n.status
405 This file is created by scdaemon to let other applications now
406 about reader status changes. Its use is now deprecated in favor
407 of ‘scd-event’.
408
411 gpg-agent(1), gpgsm(1), gpg2(1)
412 The full documentation for this tool is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
414 If GnuPG and the info program are properly installed at your site, the
415 command
416 info gnupg
418 should give you access to the complete manual including a menu struc‐
420 ture and an index.
421GnuPG 2.4.0 2022-12-16 SCDAEMON(1)