How to build the Qt-SQL-driver-plugin 'QSQLCIPHER' for SQLite-DB with SQLCipher-extension using the Windows/MinGW-platform?

Question

This is not typically a question where to find a step-by-step guide, but rather the guide itself.
My intention with this post is to give others a hint, who have the same problems in compiling the driver-plugin as I just had recently.

How to build the Qt-SQL-driver-plugin 'QSQLCIPHER' for SQLite-DB with SQLCipher-extension using the Windows/MinGW-platform?

Answer 1

How to build the Qt-SQL-driver-plugin 'QSQLCIPHER' for SQLite-DB with SQLCipher-extension using the Windows/MinGW-platform:

1. Qt 5.4.0 for Windows/MinGW

   • Download Qt
   • Install including the sources e.g to C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0

2. OpenSSL for Windows

   • Download Win32 OpenSSL v1.0.2a
   • Download Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable
   • Install Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable by executing 'vcredist_x86.exe'
   • Install OpenSSL v1.0.2a by executing 'Win32OpenSSL-1_0_2.exe'
     • Target directory e.g. C:\OpenSSL-Win32
     • During installation choose the option to install the libraries to the Windows system directory (C:\Windows\SysWOW64)

3. MinGW - Minimalist GNU for Windows

   • Download and install 'mingw-get-setup.exe'
   • Start of MinGW Installer
     • Installation of MSYS Base System
       • Selection: All Packages -> MSYS -> MSYS Base System
       • Select msys-base (Class 'bin') for installation
       • Menu: installation -> apply changes
       • Installation of files by default to directory C:\MinGW
     • Installation of Tcl/Tk
       • Selection: All Packages -> MinGW -> MinGW Contributed
       • Select 'mingw32-tcl' and 'mingw32-tk' (Class 'bin') for installation
       • Menu: installation -> apply changes
       • Installation of files by default to directory C:\MinGW
   • Copy content of C:\MinGW to the Qt-MinGW-directory C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\Tools\mingw491_32

   • Create file 'fstab' in C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\Tools\mingw491_32\msys\1.0\etc

     • Insert content as follows:

       #Win32_Path                        Mount_Point
       C:/Qt/Qt5.4.0/Tools/mingw491_32    /mingw
       C:/Qt/Qt5.4.0/5.4                  /qt
       C:/                                /c
       

4. zlib-Library

   • Download zlib-dll-Binaries
   • Extract and copy file 'zlib1.dll' to the Qt-MinGW-directory C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\Tools\mingw491_32\msys\1.0\bin

5. SQLCipher

   • Download the SQLCipher-zip-file
   • Extract the zip-file e.g. to C:\temp\sqlcipher-master
   • Copy OpenSSL-Win32-libraries
     • Copy C:\OpenSSL-Win32\bin\libeay32.dll to C:\temp\sqlcipher-master
     • Copy C:\OpenSSL-Win32\lib\libeay32.lib to C:\temp\sqlcipher-master

   • Build SQLCipher.exe

     • Execute MSYS: C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\Tools\mingw491_32\msys\1.0\msys.bat

       $ cd /c/temp/sqlcipher-master
       $ ./configure --prefix=$(pwd)/dist --with-crypto-lib=none --disable-tcl CFLAGS="-DSQLITE_HAS_CODEC -DSQLCIPHER_CRYPTO_OPENSSL -I/c/openssl-win32/include /c/temp/sqlcipher-master/libeay32.dll -L/c/temp/sqlcipher-master/ -static-libgcc" LDFLAGS="-leay32"
       $ make clean
       $ make sqlite3.c
       $ make
       $ make dll
       $ make install
       

   • Save the executable SQLite/SQLCipher-database e.g. to C:\sqlcipher

     • Copy C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\dist\bin\sqlcipher.exe to C:\sqlcipher.
       The file 'sqlcipher.exe' is the crypting equivalent to the non-crypting original command line interface 'sqlite3.exe'.
     • Copy C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\sqlite3.dll to C:\sqlcipher.
       This file is the SQLite-library extended by the encryption.
   • The SQLite-database with SQLCipher-extension is now ready for work.

6. Build Qt-QSQLCIPHER-driver-plugin

   • Create directory:
     C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\plugins\sqldrivers\sqlcipher

   • Create the following three files within the new directory:

     • File 1: smain.cpp:

       #include <qsqldriverplugin.h>
       #include <qstringlist.h>
       #include "../../../../src/sql/drivers/sqlite/qsql_sqlite_p.h" // There was a missing " at the end of this line
       QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
       class QSQLcipherDriverPlugin : public QSqlDriverPlugin
       {
           Q_OBJECT
           Q_PLUGIN_METADATA(IID "org.qt-project.Qt.QSqlDriverFactoryInterface" FILE "sqlcipher.json")
       public:
           QSQLcipherDriverPlugin();
       
           QSqlDriver* create(const QString &);
       };
       QSQLcipherDriverPlugin::QSQLcipherDriverPlugin()
           : QSqlDriverPlugin()
       {
       }
       QSqlDriver* QSQLcipherDriverPlugin::create(const QString &name)
       {
           if (name == QLatin1String("QSQLCIPHER")) {
               QSQLiteDriver* driver = new QSQLiteDriver();
               return driver;
           }
           return 0;
       }
       QT_END_NAMESPACE
       #include "smain.moc"
       

     • File 2: sqlcipher.pro

       TARGET = qsqlcipher
       SOURCES = smain.cpp
       OTHER_FILES += sqlcipher.json
       include(../../../sql/drivers/sqlcipher/qsql_sqlite.pri)
       wince*: DEFINES += HAVE_LOCALTIME_S=0
       PLUGIN_CLASS_NAME = QSQLcipherDriverPlugin
       include(../qsqldriverbase.pri)
       

     • File 3: sqlcipher.json

       {
           "Keys": [ "QSQLCIPHER" ]
       }
       

   • Copy directory C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\sql\drivers\sqlite to C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\sql\drivers\sqlcipher

   • Customize file C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\sql\drivers\sqlcipher\qsql_sqlite.pri
     The content of the file shall be like:

     HEADERS += $$PWD/qsql_sqlite_p.h
     SOURCES += $$PWD/qsql_sqlite.cpp
     !system-sqlite:!contains(LIBS, .*sqlite3.*) {
         include($$PWD/../../../3rdparty/sqlcipher.pri)     #<-- change path of sqlite.pri to sqlcipher.pri here !
     } else {
         LIBS += $$QT_LFLAGS_SQLITE
         QMAKE_CXXFLAGS *= $$QT_CFLAGS_SQLITE
     }
     

   • The remaining two files in this directory need not to be changed.

   • Create file 'sqlcipher.pri' in directory C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\3rdparty with following content:

     CONFIG(release, debug|release):DEFINES *= NDEBUG
     DEFINES += SQLITE_OMIT_LOAD_EXTENSION SQLITE_OMIT_COMPLETE SQLITE_ENABLE_FTS3 SQLITE_ENABLE_FTS3_PARENTHESIS SQLITE_ENABLE_RTREE SQLITE_HAS_CODEC
     !contains(CONFIG, largefile):DEFINES += SQLITE_DISABLE_LFS
     contains(QT_CONFIG, posix_fallocate):DEFINES += HAVE_POSIX_FALLOCATE=1
     winrt: DEFINES += SQLITE_OS_WINRT
     winphone: DEFINES += SQLITE_WIN32_FILEMAPPING_API=1
     qnx: DEFINES += _QNX_SOURCE
     INCLUDEPATH +=  $$PWD/sqlcipher c:/openssl-win32/include
     SOURCES +=      $$PWD/sqlcipher/sqlite3.c
     LIBS += -L$$PWD/sqlcipher/lib -lsqlcipher -leay32 -lsqlite3
     TR_EXCLUDE += $$PWD/*
     

   • Create and fill C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\3rdparty\sqlcipher

     • Create the two directories:

       C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\3rdparty\sqlcipher
       C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\3rdparty\sqlcipher\lib
       

     • Copy the following files to C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\3rdparty\sqlcipher:

       C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\shell.c
       C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\sqlite3.c
       C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\sqlite3.h
       C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\sqlite3ext.h
       

     • Copy the following files/directories to C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\3rdparty\sqlcipher\lib:

       C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\dist\lib
       C:\temp\sqlcipher-master\sqlite3.dll
       C:\OpenSSL-Win32\bin\libeay32.dll
       

     • The directory now consists of the following files and directories:

       C:\QT\QT5.4.0\5.4\SRC\QTBASE\SRC\3RDPARTY\SQLCIPHER
       |   shell.c
       |   sqlite3.c
       |   sqlite3.h
       |   sqlite3ext.h
       |
       \---lib
           |   libeay32.dll
           |   libsqlcipher.a
           |   libsqlcipher.la
           |   sqlite3.dll
           |
           \---pkgconfig
                   sqlcipher.pc
       

   • Compile the QSQLCIPHER-driver-plugin for Qt:

     • Open Qt-command line C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /A /Q /K C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\mingw491_32\bin\qtenv2.bat

     • Execute the following commands:

       cd C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\Src\qtbase\src\pluins\sqldrivers\sqlcipher
       qmake
       mingw32-make
       

     • This builds the QSQLCIPHER-driver-plugin within the following directory:

       C:\QT\QT5.4.0\5.4\SRC\QTBASE\PLUGINS\SQLDRIVERS
           libqsqlcipher.a
           libqsqlcipherd.a
           qsqlcipher.dll
           qsqlcipherd.dll
       

     • Copy 'qsqlcipher.dll' and 'qsqlcipherd.dll' to the SQL-driver-plugin-directory C:\Qt\Qt5.4.0\5.4\mingw491_32\plugins\sqldrivers.

7. Create a new encrypted SQLite/SQLCipher-database

   • Create new SQLite-Plaintext-database 'plaintext.db' with a test table and some test data

     • Change directory to C:\sqlcipher, which contains 'sqlcipher.exe' and 'sqlite3.dll' (see above).

       C:\sqlcipher>sqlcpher.exe plaintext.db
         SQLCipher version 3.8.6 2014-08-15 11:46:33
         Enter ".help" for instructions
         Enter SQL statements terminated with a ";"
         sqlite> create table testtable (id integer, name text);
         sqlite> insert into testtable (id,name) values(1,'Bob');
         sqlite> insert into testtable (id,name) values(2,'Charlie');
         sqlite> insert into testtable (id,name) values(3,'Daphne');
         sqlite> select * from testtable;
         1|Bob
         2|Charlie
         3|Daphne
         sqlite> .exit
       

   • Open C:\sqlcipher\plaintext.db using a standard text-editor:
     Database scheme and test data can be read in plaintext.

   • Encrypting the plaintext-database
     This will create the database C:\sqlcipher\encrypted.db using the key 'testkey'.

     C:\sqlcipher>sqlcipher.exe plaintext.db
         SQLCipher version 3.8.6 2014-08-15 11:46:33
         Enter ".help" for instructions
         Enter SQL statements terminated with a ";"
         sqlite> ATTACH DATABASE 'encrypted.db' AS encrypted KEY 'testkey';
         sqlite> SELECT sqlcipher_export('encrypted');
         sqlite> DETACH DATABASE encrypted;
         sqlite> .exit
     

   • Open C:\sqlcipher\encrypted.db using a standard text-editor:
     Data are now encrypted.
   • For more useful information visit:
     https://www.zetetic.net/sqlcipher/sqlcipher-api/

8. Usage of the SQLite-database with SQLCipher-extension and access via Qt

   • Create a new Qt-command-line-project e.g. 'qsqlcipher'

   • Project file

     QT       += core sql
     QT       -= gui
     TARGET = qsqlcipher
     CONFIG   += console
     CONFIG   -= app_bundle
     TEMPLATE = app
     SOURCES += main.cpp
     

   • Test-program 'main.cpp'

     #include <QCoreApplication>
     #include <QSqlDatabase>
     #include <QSqlQuery>
     #include <QDebug>
     #include <QString>
     int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
         qDebug() << QSqlDatabase::drivers();
         QSqlDatabase db = QSqlDatabase::addDatabase("QSQLCIPHER");
         db.setDatabaseName("C:/sqlcipher/encrypted.db");
         db.open();
         QSqlQuery q;
         q.exec("PRAGMA key = 'testkey';");
         q.exec("insert into testtable (id,name) values(4,'dummy')");
         q.exec("SELECT id,name anz FROM testtable");
         while (q.next()) {
             QString id = q.value(0).toString();
             QString name = q.value(1).toString();
             qDebug() << "id=" << id << ",  name=" << name;
         }
         db.close();
         return 0;
     }
     

   • Compile and execute

     ("QSQLCIPHER", "QSQLITE", "QMYSQL", "QMYSQL3", "QODBC", "QODBC3", "QPSQL", "QPSQL7")
     id= "1" ,  name= "Bob"
     id= "2" ,  name= "Charlie"
     id= "3" ,  name= "Daphne"
     id= "4" ,  name= "dummy"
     

   • When delivering a Qt-program do not forget the Qt-libraries, the platforms-libraries, SQL-driver-plugin 'qsqlcipher.dll' and the OpenSSL-library 'libeay32.dll'.
     Example for the test program above:

     C:\TEMP\QSQLCIPHER-TEST
     |   icudt53.dll
     |   icuin53.dll
     |   icuuc53.dll
     |   libeay32.dll
     |   libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
     |   libstdc++-6.dll
     |   libwinpthread-1.dll
     |   qsqlcipher.exe
     |   Qt5Core.dll
     |   Qt5Sql.dll
     |
     +---platforms
     |       qminimal.dll
     |       qoffscreen.dll
     |       qwindows.dll
     |
     \---sqldrivers
             qsqlcipher.dll
     

   • Caution: The test program contains the key:

     ...
     q.exec("PRAGMA key = 'testkey';");
     ...
     

     This key string in the binary file of the test program can easiliy be read using a hex-editor, which is, to my opinion, a lack in security:

     ...
     00002C90  70 68 65 72 2F 65 6E 63 72 79 70 74 65 64 2E 64  pher/encrypted.d
     00002CA0  62 00 50 52 41 47 4D 41 20 6B 65 79 20 3D 20 27  b.PRAGMA key = '
     00002CB0  74 65 73 74 6B 65 79 27 3B 00 00 00 69 6E 73 65  testkey';...inse
     00002CC0  72 74 20 69 6E 74 6F 20 74 65 73 74 74 61 62 6C  rt into testtabl
     ...
     

     For approaches how to solve this problem, ask the search engine of your own choice. ;-)
     E.g. search for: hide string in executable