# Install opensc with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, winget, zypper Tools and libraries for smart cards. Version 0.27.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:opensc ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install opensc ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install opensc ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: security/opensc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add opensc ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: opensc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install opensc ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: opensc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install opensc ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: opensc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#opensc ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/op/opensc/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S opensc ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: opensc from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install opensc ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: opensc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Chocolatey (92%): ```sh choco install opensc ``` Evidence: Chocolatey community package catalog: opensc from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','office365homepremium' - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id OpenSC.OpenSC -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: OpenSC.OpenSC from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:opensc - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.27.1 - **Source summary:** Tools and libraries for smart cards - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** LGPL-2.1-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:05:44-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - cardos-tool (cli) - cryptoflex-tool (cli) - dnie-tool (cli) - dtrust-tool (cli) - egk-tool (cli) - eidenv (cli) - gids-tool (cli) - goid-tool (cli) - iasecc-tool (cli) - netkey-tool (cli) - openpgp-tool (cli) - opensc-asn1 (cli) - opensc-explorer (cli) - opensc-notify (cli) - opensc-tool (cli) - piv-tool (cli) - pkcs11-register (cli) - pkcs11-tool (cli) - pkcs15-crypt (cli) - pkcs15-init (cli) - pkcs15-tool (cli) - sc-hsm-tool (cli) - westcos-tool (cli) - cardos-tool (alias) - cryptoflex-tool (alias) - dnie-tool (alias) - dtrust-tool (alias) - egk-tool (alias) - eidenv (alias) - gids-tool (alias) - goid-tool (alias) - iasecc-tool (alias) - netkey-tool (alias) - openpgp-tool (alias) - opensc-asn1 (alias) - opensc-explorer (alias) - opensc-notify (alias) - opensc-tool (alias) - piv-tool (alias) - pkcs11-register (alias) - pkcs11-tool (alias) - pkcs15-crypt (alias) - pkcs15-init (alias) - pkcs15-tool (alias) - sc-hsm-tool (alias) - westcos-tool (alias) ## Dependencies - openssl@3 ## Build dependencies - docbook-xsl - pkgconf ## Uses from macOS - pcsc-lite ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: The OpenSSH PKCS11 smartcard integration will not work. If you need this functionality, unlink this formula, then install the OpenSC cask. - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.27.1 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage OpenSC provides smart-card tools and middleware, centered on cryptographic cards and tokens. It implements a PKCS#11 module, PKCS#15 support, many card-specific utilities, and platform integration pieces that let applications use private keys without extracting them from cards. ### Project history The OpenSC project dates to the early 2000s. Its project-history page records libopensc and opensc-apps 0.3.x releases in November and December 2001, and OpenSC 0.4.0 on 2001-12-29 by Juha Yrjola, Antti Tapaninen, and Timo Teras, merging libopensc and opensc-apps into one package and adding abstract card handling. The project evolved from Unix smart-card tooling into cross-platform middleware. SourceForge metadata records the project as registered on 2001-05-03, and the modern GitHub project describes downloads for Windows installers, macOS installers, source tarballs, and nightly builds. ### Adoption history OpenSC became a common free PKCS#11 provider for cards that do not rely solely on vendor middleware. Debian describes it as a way for applications such as Firefox/Iceweasel and Thunderbird/Icedove to use smart cards via PKCS#11, while Red Hat documentation says RHEL provides the OpenSC PKCS#11 driver for smart cards by default. Its adoption is broad in distribution terms: packages exist across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, Nix, Chocolatey, winget, MacPorts, and openSUSE. That breadth reflects a support role for authentication, mail encryption, digital signatures, VPN/client certificates, SSH, browser certificate stores, and token debugging. ### How it is used Operators use pkcs11-tool, opensc-tool, pkcs15-tool, pkcs15-init, piv-tool, openpgp-tool, and card-specific helpers to inspect readers, list slots, initialize cards, import certificates, test PIN behavior, and exercise cryptographic operations. The package usually reads configuration from opensc.conf and integrates with PC/SC readers. Applications use the OpenSC PKCS#11 module through NSS, p11-kit, OpenSSL integration layers, browser certificate stores, VPN clients, SSH tooling, and other software that knows PKCS#11. The OpenSC FAQ emphasizes that PKCS#11 is a software API for cryptographic hardware, while PKCS#15 is an on-card filesystem layout; OpenSC bridges both when a supported card allows it. ### Why package nerds care OpenSC is package-nerd gold because it turns hardware variance into a distro-maintained middleware stack. The package surface includes shared libraries, a PKCS#11 module, many tiny card tools, PC/SC integration, Windows MiniDriver support, macOS CryptoTokenKit/Tokend pieces, udev/system integration in some distributions, and card-driver policy encoded in opensc.conf. ### Timeline - 2001-05-03: SourceForge metadata records OpenSC registration. - 2001-11-23: OpenSC 0.3 was created. - 2001-12-29: OpenSC 0.4.0 merged libopensc and opensc-apps into one package and added abstract card handling. - 2002-03-13: OpenSC 0.6.0 added card-reader abstraction and support for additional card families, according to NEWS excerpts. - 2025-2026: OpenSC NEWS and wiki history show ongoing releases, card-driver fixes, PKCS#11 changes, and packaging work. ### Related projects - OpenSC commonly works with pcsc-lite, CCID reader drivers, p11-kit, NSS, libp11, engine_pkcs11, pkcs11-provider, OpenSSL, GnuTLS, Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenVPN, SSH, and hardware tokens or smart cards implementing PIV, OpenPGP, PKCS#15, or vendor-specific applets. ### Sources - - - - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: /etc/opensc.conf ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** opensc - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - opensc - 0.26.1-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: opensc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Smart card utilities with support for PKCS#15 compatible cards | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - Debian apt - opensc-pkcs11 - 0.26.1-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: opensc-pkcs11 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Smart card utilities (PKCS#11 module) | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - Nix - opensc: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/op/opensc/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - opensc - 0.25.0~rc1-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: opensc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Smart card utilities with support for PKCS#15 compatible cards | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - Ubuntu apt - opensc-pkcs11 - 0.25.0~rc1-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: opensc-pkcs11 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Smart card utilities (PKCS#11 module) | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - apk - opensc - 0.26.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: opensc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Open source smart card tools and middleware | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC - apk - opensc-bash-completion - 0.26.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: opensc-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bash completions for opensc | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC - apk - opensc-dev - 0.26.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: opensc-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Open source smart card tools and middleware (development files) | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC - apk - opensc-doc - 0.26.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: opensc-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Open source smart card tools and middleware (documentation) | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC - dnf - opensc - 0.27.1-3.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: opensc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Smart card library and applications | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - dnf - opensc-libs - 0.27.1-3.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: opensc-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | OpenSC libraries | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - pacman - opensc - 0.27.1-2: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: opensc from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Tools and libraries for smart cards | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - zypper - opensc - 0.27.1-1.2: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: opensc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Smart Card Utilities | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - zypper - opensc-bash-completion - 0.27.1-1.2: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: opensc-bash-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Bash Completion for opensc | https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki - MacPorts - opensc: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: security/opensc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Chocolatey - opensc: normalized package name match | Chocolatey community package catalog: opensc from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','office365homepremium' ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata. - [openssl@3](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openssl-3/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [docbook-xsl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docbook-xsl/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [botan](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/botan/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, library, security. - [gnupg-pkcs11-scd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnupg-pkcs11-scd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, pkcs11, security, smart-card. - [gnutls](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnutls/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, library, security. - [rnp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rnp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, library, security. - [softhsm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/softhsm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, pkcs11, security. - [gpgme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gpgme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, library, security. - [libxmlsec1](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libxmlsec1/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, library, security. - [nettle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nettle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, security. - [pkcs11-tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkcs11-tools/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: cli, cryptography, openssl, openssl-3, pkcs11. - [yubico-piv-tool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/yubico-piv-tool/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: card, cli, openssl, openssl-3, piv. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/opensc.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/opensc.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph