macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libksbalocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libksbaMacPorts ports tree · devel/libksba/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install libksba with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
X.509 and CMS library. Version 1.8.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-14.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libksbaAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libksba · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libksba-devDebian stable package indexes · libksba-dev · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libksbaFedora Rawhide package metadata · libksba · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libksbanixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libksba/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libksbaArch Linux sync databases · libksba · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libksba-developenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libksba-devel · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
X.509 and CMS library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- ksba-config
history
Project history and usage
Libksba is GnuPG's X.509 and CMS library. It gives C applications a shared interface for parsing and handling X.509 certificates, CMS/PKCS#7 messages, certificate revocation lists, and PKCS#10 certificate requests.
Project history
GnuPG's Libksba page describes the library as a way to hide the many protocol details and dialects of X.509 certificates, CMS data, and related objects behind one C API. The README explains that KSBA is pronounced Kasbah, ships as a standard shared library, and deliberately does not rely on another cryptographic library.
The reference manual edition 1.0.6 was last updated on 2009-01-09 for KSBA 1.0.6, showing that Libksba had already stabilized as a documented component of the GnuPG library set by the late 2000s. GnuPG download metadata lists Libksba 1.8.0 on 2026-05-13.
Adoption history
Libksba's adoption is mostly through GnuPG and GnuPG-adjacent packaging. The README says GnuPG's dirmngr module makes extensive use of Libksba's OCSP feature, while GnuPG documentation and related manuals identify gpgsm as the X.509/CMS counterpart to gpg for S/MIME workflows.
It appears in Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, and openSUSE because GnuPG stacks are base security infrastructure on Unix-like systems. Users rarely install it for its own UI; they inherit it through certificate, S/MIME, and CMS support.
How it is used
Developers use Libksba when they need C-level access to X.509 certificate structures, CMS messages, CRLs, PKCS#10 requests, and related parsing/serialization inside GnuPG-style applications. Packagers see ksba-config as the small build-helper executable attached to the library.
Why package nerds care
Libksba is significant because it is a quiet security plumbing package: not the cryptographic primitive library, not the mail client, and not the gpg command, but the X.509/CMS parser layer that lets GnuPG's S/MIME side exist as a separately packaged dependency.
Timeline
- 2001: README copyright range begins with 2001 for g10 Code GmbH.
- 2009-01-09: KSBA Reference Manual edition 1.0.6 last updated for library version 1.0.6.
- 2020-11-19: GnuPG Libksba web page source date.
- 2026-05-13: GnuPG download page lists Libksba 1.8.0.
Related projects
- Related projects include GnuPG, gpgsm, dirmngr, GPGME, Gpg4win, S/MIME, X.509, CMS/PKCS#7, CRLs, OCSP, and PKCS#10 tooling.
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for libksba. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
ksba-config | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version1.8.0
manager updated2026-05-14
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libksba |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.8.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libksba |
| Homepage | https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/ |
| Repository | https://git.gnupg.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=libksba.git%3Ba%3Dsummary |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gnupg.org/documentation/manuals/ksba |
| License | LGPL-3.0-or-later OR GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/libksba/libksba-1.8.0.tar.bz2 |
| Last updated | 2026-05-14T01:41:21Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | libgpg-error |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | libksba |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
libksba-dev 1.6.7-2+b1
X.509 and CMS support library - development files
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo apt install libksba-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libksba
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
Debian apt95%
libksba-mingw-w64-dev 1.6.7-2
X.509 and CMS support library (Windows development)
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo apt install libksba-mingw-w64-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libksba
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
Debian apt95%
libksba8 1.6.7-2+b1
X.509 and CMS support library
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo apt install libksba8- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libksba
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
Nix95%
libksba
nix profile install nixpkgs#libksba- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
Ubuntu apt95%
libksba-dev 1.6.6-1build1
X.509 and CMS support library - development files
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo apt install libksba-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libksba
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
Ubuntu apt95%
libksba-mingw-w64-dev 1.6.6-1build1
X.509 and CMS support library (Windows development)
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo apt install libksba-mingw-w64-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libksba
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
Ubuntu apt95%
libksba8 1.6.6-1build1
X.509 and CMS support library
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo apt install libksba8- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libksba
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
apk95%
libksba 1.7.0-r0
Libksba is a CMS and X.509 access library
https://www.gnupg.org/software/libksba/index.html
sudo apk add libksba- License: LGPL-3.0-only AND GPL-2.0-only AND GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libksba
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
apk95%
libksba-dev 1.7.0-r0
Libksba is a CMS and X.509 access library (development files)
https://www.gnupg.org/software/libksba/index.html
sudo apk add libksba-dev- License: LGPL-3.0-only AND GPL-2.0-only AND GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libksba
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
apk95%
libksba-doc 1.7.0-r0
Libksba is a CMS and X.509 access library (documentation)
https://www.gnupg.org/software/libksba/index.html
sudo apk add libksba-doc- License: LGPL-3.0-only AND GPL-2.0-only AND GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libksba
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
dnf95%
libksba 1.8.0-1.fc45
CMS and X.509 library
sudo dnf install libksba- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND (LGPL-3.0-or-later OR GPL-2.0-or-later)
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: libksba
- 3 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
dnf95%
libksba-devel 1.8.0-1.fc45
Development headers and libraries for libksba
sudo dnf install libksba-devel- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND (LGPL-3.0-or-later OR GPL-2.0-or-later)
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: libksba
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
pacman95%
libksba 1.8.0-1
Library for working with X.509 certificates, CMS data and related objects
https://www.gnupg.org/related_software/libksba/
sudo pacman -S libksba- License: GPL-2.0-only AND GPL-3.0-only AND LGPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
zypper95%
libksba-devel 1.8.0-1.1
A X.509 Library
sudo zypper install libksba-devel- License: (GPL-2.0-or-later OR LGPL-3.0-or-later) AND GPL-3.0-or-later AND MIT
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libksba
- 4 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
zypper95%
libksba8 1.8.0-1.1
A X.509 Library
sudo zypper install libksba8- License: (GPL-2.0-or-later OR LGPL-3.0-or-later) AND GPL-3.0-or-later AND MIT
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libksba
- 3 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
MacPorts95%
libksba
sudo port install libksba- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libksba
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment