Writing Custom Policy Modules

Policy modules are programs that use Automation to communicate with the certificate server. They receive requests from the certificate server, evaluate those requests, and specify optional properties of the certificate that will be built to fulfill the request.

You can write policy modules in C/C++, VB or Java. The required Microsoft compiler releases are Microsoft® Visual C++® version 5.0, Microsoft Visual Basic® version 5.0, and Microsoft Visual J++T version 1.1.

The VerifyRequest method must be available from an Automation object that will be referenced as "CertificateAuthority.Policy."

Policy modules can also import the following methods exported by Certif.tlb and Certif.dll:

• GetRequestProperty
  
  
• GetCertificateProperty
  
  
• SetCertificateProperty
  
  
• GetCertificateExtension
  
  
• SetCertificateExtension

These imports should be available from an Automation server and can be referenced with the format <VBvarname>.GetRequestProperty.

For further information, please see the following topics:

• Setting Certificate Properties
  
  
• Referencing Properties or Extensions
  
  
• Data Types Supported by Policy Modules
  
  
• Writing Policy Modules in Visual Basic
  
  
• Visual Basic Policy Module Sample Code
  
  
• Policy Module Technical Notes