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1=pod
2
3=head1 NAME
4
3f2181e6 5openssl-genpkey,
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6genpkey - generate a private key
7
8=head1 SYNOPSIS
9
10B<openssl> B<genpkey>
169394d4 11[B<-help>]
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12[B<-out filename>]
13[B<-outform PEM|DER>]
14[B<-pass arg>]
e75138ab 15[B<-I<cipher>>]
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16[B<-engine id>]
17[B<-paramfile file>]
18[B<-algorithm alg>]
19[B<-pkeyopt opt:value>]
20[B<-genparam>]
21[B<-text>]
22
23=head1 DESCRIPTION
24
25The B<genpkey> command generates a private key.
26
27=head1 OPTIONS
28
29=over 4
30
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31=item B<-help>
32
33Print out a usage message.
34
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35=item B<-out filename>
36
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37Output the key to the specified file. If this argument is not specified then
38standard output is used.
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39
40=item B<-outform DER|PEM>
41
7477c83e 42This specifies the output format DER or PEM. The default format is PEM.
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43
44=item B<-pass arg>
45
c4de074e 46The output file password source. For more information about the format of B<arg>
9b86974e 47see the B<PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS> section in L<openssl(1)>.
49131a7d 48
e75138ab 49=item B<-I<cipher>>
49131a7d 50
5ce60a20 51This option encrypts the private key with the supplied cipher. Any algorithm
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52name accepted by EVP_get_cipherbyname() is acceptable such as B<des3>.
53
54=item B<-engine id>
55
c4de074e 56Specifying an engine (by its unique B<id> string) will cause B<genpkey>
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57to attempt to obtain a functional reference to the specified engine,
58thus initialising it if needed. The engine will then be set as the default
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59for all available algorithms. If used this option should precede all other
60options.
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61
62=item B<-algorithm alg>
63
c4de074e 64Public key algorithm to use such as RSA, DSA or DH. If used this option must
f489ab31 65precede any B<-pkeyopt> options. The options B<-paramfile> and B<-algorithm>
e4549295 66are mutually exclusive.
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67
68=item B<-pkeyopt opt:value>
69
c4de074e 70Set the public key algorithm option B<opt> to B<value>. The precise set of
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71options supported depends on the public key algorithm used and its
72implementation. See B<KEY GENERATION OPTIONS> below for more details.
73
74=item B<-genparam>
75
c4de074e 76Generate a set of parameters instead of a private key. If used this option must
77a795e4 77precede any B<-algorithm>, B<-paramfile> or B<-pkeyopt> options.
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78
79=item B<-paramfile filename>
80
81Some public key algorithms generate a private key based on a set of parameters.
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82They can be supplied using this option. If this option is used the public key
83algorithm used is determined by the parameters. If used this option must
77a795e4 84precede any B<-pkeyopt> options. The options B<-paramfile> and B<-algorithm>
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85are mutually exclusive.
86
87=item B<-text>
88
89Print an (unencrypted) text representation of private and public keys and
90parameters along with the PEM or DER structure.
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91
92=back
93
94=head1 KEY GENERATION OPTIONS
95
4c583c36 96The options supported by each algorithm and indeed each implementation of an
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97algorithm can vary. The options for the OpenSSL implementations are detailed
98below.
99
100=head1 RSA KEY GENERATION OPTIONS
101
102=over 4
103
104=item B<rsa_keygen_bits:numbits>
105
106The number of bits in the generated key. If not specified 1024 is used.
107
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108=item B<rsa_keygen_primes:numprimes>
109
110The number of primes in the generated key. If not specified 2 is used.
111
112=item B<rsa_keygen_pubexp:value>
113
114The RSA public exponent value. This can be a large decimal or
115hexadecimal value if preceded by B<0x>. Default value is 65537.
116
117=back
118
119=head1 RSA-PSS KEY GENERATION OPTIONS
120
121Note: by default an B<RSA-PSS> key has no parameter restrictions.
122
123=over 4
124
125=item B<rsa_keygen_bits:numbits>, B<rsa_keygen_pubexp:value>
126
127These options have the same meaning as the B<RSA> algorithm.
128
129=item B<rsa_pss_keygen_md:digest>
130
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131=item B<rsa_keygen_pubexp:value>
132
133The RSA public exponent value. This can be a large decimal or
134hexadecimal value if preceded by B<0x>. Default value is 65537.
135
136=back
137
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138=head1 RSA-PSS KEY GENERATION OPTIONS
139
140Note: by default an B<RSA-PSS> key has no parameter restrictions.
141
142=over 4
143
144=item B<rsa_keygen_bits:numbits>, B<rsa_keygen_pubexp:value>
145
146These options have the same meaning as the B<RSA> algorithm.
147
148=item B<rsa_pss_keygen_md:digest>
149
150If set the key is restricted and can only use B<digest> for signing.
151
152=item B<rsa_pss_keygen_mgf1_md:digest>
153
154If set the key is restricted and can only use B<digest> as it's MGF1
155parameter.
156
157=item B<rsa_pss_keygen_saltlen:len>
158
159If set the key is restricted and B<len> specifies the minimum salt length.
160
161=back
162
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163=head1 DSA PARAMETER GENERATION OPTIONS
164
165=over 4
166
167=item B<dsa_paramgen_bits:numbits>
168
169The number of bits in the generated parameters. If not specified 1024 is used.
170
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171=back
172
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173=head1 DH PARAMETER GENERATION OPTIONS
174
175=over 4
176
177=item B<dh_paramgen_prime_len:numbits>
178
179The number of bits in the prime parameter B<p>.
180
181=item B<dh_paramgen_generator:value>
182
183The value to use for the generator B<g>.
184
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185=item B<dh_rfc5114:num>
186
187If this option is set then the appropriate RFC5114 parameters are used
188instead of generating new parameters. The value B<num> can take the
189values 1, 2 or 3 corresponding to RFC5114 DH parameters consisting of
1901024 bit group with 160 bit subgroup, 2048 bit group with 224 bit subgroup
191and 2048 bit group with 256 bit subgroup as mentioned in RFC5114 sections
1922.1, 2.2 and 2.3 respectively.
193
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194=back
195
196=head1 EC PARAMETER GENERATION OPTIONS
197
a528d4f0 198The EC parameter generation options below can also
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199be supplied as EC key generation options. This can (for example) generate a
200key from a named curve without the need to use an explicit parameter file.
201
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202=over 4
203
204=item B<ec_paramgen_curve:curve>
205
c4de074e 206The EC curve to use. OpenSSL supports NIST curve names such as "P-256".
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207
208=item B<ec_param_enc:encoding>
209
c4de074e 210The encoding to use for parameters. The "encoding" parameter must be either
146ca72c 211"named_curve" or "explicit".
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212
213=back
214
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215=head1 GOST2001 KEY GENERATION AND PARAMETER OPTIONS
216
217Gost 2001 support is not enabled by default. To enable this algorithm,
218one should load the ccgost engine in the OpenSSL configuration file.
4c583c36 219See README.gost file in the engines/ccgost directory of the source
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220distribution for more details.
221
222Use of a parameter file for the GOST R 34.10 algorithm is optional.
223Parameters can be specified during key generation directly as well as
224during generation of parameter file.
225
226=over 4
227
228=item B<paramset:name>
229
230Specifies GOST R 34.10-2001 parameter set according to RFC 4357.
231Parameter set can be specified using abbreviated name, object short name or
232numeric OID. Following parameter sets are supported:
233
234 paramset OID Usage
235 A 1.2.643.2.2.35.1 Signature
236 B 1.2.643.2.2.35.2 Signature
237 C 1.2.643.2.2.35.3 Signature
238 XA 1.2.643.2.2.36.0 Key exchange
239 XB 1.2.643.2.2.36.1 Key exchange
240 test 1.2.643.2.2.35.0 Test purposes
241
242=back
243
a2eecb5d 244=head1 X25519 and X448 KEY GENERATION OPTIONS
e5fa864f 245
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246The X25519 and X448 algorithms do not currently support any key generation
247options.
e5fa864f 248
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249=head1 NOTES
250
251The use of the genpkey program is encouraged over the algorithm specific
252utilities because additional algorithm options and ENGINE provided algorithms
253can be used.
254
255=head1 EXAMPLES
256
257Generate an RSA private key using default parameters:
258
146ca72c 259 openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -out key.pem
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260
261Encrypt output private key using 128 bit AES and the passphrase "hello":
262
e5fa864f 263 openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -out key.pem -aes-128-cbc -pass pass:hello
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264
265Generate a 2048 bit RSA key using 3 as the public exponent:
266
e5fa864f 267 openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -out key.pem -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:2048 \
1bc74519 268 -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_pubexp:3
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269
270Generate 1024 bit DSA parameters:
271
272 openssl genpkey -genparam -algorithm DSA -out dsap.pem \
1bc74519 273 -pkeyopt dsa_paramgen_bits:1024
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274
275Generate DSA key from parameters:
276
146ca72c 277 openssl genpkey -paramfile dsap.pem -out dsakey.pem
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278
279Generate 1024 bit DH parameters:
280
281 openssl genpkey -genparam -algorithm DH -out dhp.pem \
1bc74519 282 -pkeyopt dh_paramgen_prime_len:1024
49131a7d 283
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284Output RFC5114 2048 bit DH parameters with 224 bit subgroup:
285
286 openssl genpkey -genparam -algorithm DH -out dhp.pem -pkeyopt dh_rfc5114:2
287
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288Generate DH key from parameters:
289
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290 openssl genpkey -paramfile dhp.pem -out dhkey.pem
291
292Generate EC parameters:
293
294 openssl genpkey -genparam -algorithm EC -out ecp.pem \
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295 -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:secp384r1 \
296 -pkeyopt ec_param_enc:named_curve
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297
298Generate EC key from parameters:
299
300 openssl genpkey -paramfile ecp.pem -out eckey.pem
301
a528d4f0 302Generate EC key directly:
49131a7d 303
146ca72c 304 openssl genpkey -algorithm EC -out eckey.pem \
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305 -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:P-384 \
306 -pkeyopt ec_param_enc:named_curve
49131a7d 307
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308Generate an X25519 private key:
309
310 openssl genpkey -algorithm X25519 -out xkey.pem
311
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312=head1 HISTORY
313
314The ability to use NIST curve names, and to generate an EC key directly,
315were added in OpenSSL 1.0.2.
316
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317=head1 COPYRIGHT
318
b0edda11 319Copyright 2006-2018 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.
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320
321Licensed under the OpenSSL license (the "License"). You may not use
322this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy
323in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at
324L<https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.
325
326=cut