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aba3e65f 1=pod
625c781d 2{- OpenSSL::safe::output_do_not_edit_headers(); -}
9fcb9702 3
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4=head1 NAME
5
4b537191 6openssl-pkcs8 - PKCS#8 format private key conversion command
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7
8=head1 SYNOPSIS
9
10B<openssl> B<pkcs8>
169394d4 11[B<-help>]
aba3e65f 12[B<-topk8>]
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13[B<-inform> B<DER>|B<PEM>]
14[B<-outform> B<DER>|B<PEM>]
15[B<-in> I<filename>]
16[B<-passin> I<arg>]
17[B<-out> I<filename>]
18[B<-passout> I<arg>]
19[B<-iter> I<count>]
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20[B<-noiter>]
21[B<-nocrypt>]
05dba815 22[B<-traditional>]
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23[B<-v2> I<alg>]
24[B<-v2prf> I<alg>]
25[B<-v1> I<alg>]
0ceb8b74 26[B<-scrypt>]
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27[B<-scrypt_N> I<N>]
28[B<-scrypt_r> I<r>]
29[B<-scrypt_p> I<p>]
9f679bdc 30[B<-saltlen> I<size>]
9fcb9702 31{- $OpenSSL::safe::opt_r_synopsis -}
d55e4487 32{- $OpenSSL::safe::opt_engine_synopsis -}{- $OpenSSL::safe::opt_provider_synopsis -}
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33
34=head1 DESCRIPTION
35
35a810bb 36This command processes private keys in PKCS#8 format. It can handle
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37both unencrypted PKCS#8 PrivateKeyInfo format and EncryptedPrivateKeyInfo
38format with a variety of PKCS#5 (v1.5 and v2.0) and PKCS#12 algorithms.
39
3dfda1a6 40=head1 OPTIONS
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41
42=over 4
43
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44=item B<-help>
45
46Print out a usage message.
47
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48=item B<-topk8>
49
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50Normally a PKCS#8 private key is expected on input and a private key will be
51written to the output file. With the B<-topk8> option the situation is
52reversed: it reads a private key and writes a PKCS#8 format key.
aba3e65f 53
777182a0 54=item B<-inform> B<DER>|B<PEM>, B<-outform> B<DER>|B<PEM>
aba3e65f 55
777182a0 56The input and formats; the default is B<PEM>.
46949153 57See L<openssl-format-options(1)> for details.
aba3e65f 58
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59If a key is being converted from PKCS#8 form (i.e. the B<-topk8> option is
60not used) then the input file must be in PKCS#8 format. An encrypted
61key is expected unless B<-nocrypt> is included.
62
63If B<-topk8> is not used and B<PEM> mode is set the output file will be an
64unencrypted private key in PKCS#8 format. If the B<-traditional> option is
65used then a traditional format private key is written instead.
66
67If B<-topk8> is not used and B<DER> mode is set the output file will be an
68unencrypted private key in traditional DER format.
69
70If B<-topk8> is used then any supported private key can be used for the input
71file in a format specified by B<-inform>. The output file will be encrypted
72PKCS#8 format using the specified encryption parameters unless B<-nocrypt>
73is included.
aba3e65f 74
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75=item B<-traditional>
76
77When this option is present and B<-topk8> is not a traditional format private
78key is written.
aba3e65f 79
e8769719 80=item B<-in> I<filename>
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81
82This specifies the input filename to read a key from or standard input if this
83option is not specified. If the key is encrypted a pass phrase will be
84prompted for.
85
3a4e43de 86=item B<-passin> I<arg>, B<-passout> I<arg>
20432eae 87
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88The password source for the input and output file.
89For more information about the format of B<arg>
46949153 90see L<openssl-passphrase-options(1)>.
20432eae 91
e8769719 92=item B<-out> I<filename>
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93
94This specifies the output filename to write a key to or standard output by
174a4a8c 95default. If any encryption options are set then a pass phrase will be
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96prompted for. The output filename should B<not> be the same as the input
97filename.
98
e8769719 99=item B<-iter> I<count>
96fc4b72 100
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101When creating new PKCS#8 containers, use a given number of iterations on
102the password in deriving the encryption key for the PKCS#8 output.
103High values increase the time required to brute-force a PKCS#8 container.
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104
105=item B<-noiter>
106
107When creating new PKCS#8 containers, use 1 as iteration count.
96fc4b72 108
174a4a8c 109=item B<-nocrypt>
aba3e65f 110
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111PKCS#8 keys generated or input are normally PKCS#8 EncryptedPrivateKeyInfo
112structures using an appropriate password based encryption algorithm. With
113this option an unencrypted PrivateKeyInfo structure is expected or output.
114This option does not encrypt private keys at all and should only be used
115when absolutely necessary. Certain software such as some versions of Java
116code signing software used unencrypted private keys.
aba3e65f 117
8dc57d76 118=item B<-v2> I<alg>
aba3e65f 119
8fc06e88 120This option sets the PKCS#5 v2.0 algorithm.
aba3e65f 121
2f0ea936 122The I<alg> argument is the encryption algorithm to use, valid values include
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123B<aes128>, B<aes256> and B<des3>. If this option isn't specified then B<aes256>
124is used.
aba3e65f 125
8dc57d76 126=item B<-v2prf> I<alg>
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127
128This option sets the PRF algorithm to use with PKCS#5 v2.0. A typical value
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129value would be B<hmacWithSHA256>. If this option isn't set then the default
130for the cipher is used or B<hmacWithSHA256> if there is no default.
131
132Some implementations may not support custom PRF algorithms and may require
133the B<hmacWithSHA1> option to work.
5693a308 134
8dc57d76 135=item B<-v1> I<alg>
525f51f6 136
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137This option indicates a PKCS#5 v1.5 or PKCS#12 algorithm should be used. Some
138older implementations may not support PKCS#5 v2.0 and may require this option.
05dba815 139If not specified PKCS#5 v2.0 form is used.
525f51f6 140
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141=item B<-scrypt>
142
c4de074e 143Uses the B<scrypt> algorithm for private key encryption using default
5fc3ee4b 144parameters: currently N=16384, r=8 and p=1 and AES in CBC mode with a 256 bit
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145key. These parameters can be modified using the B<-scrypt_N>, B<-scrypt_r>,
146B<-scrypt_p> and B<-v2> options.
147
e8769719 148=item B<-scrypt_N> I<N>, B<-scrypt_r> I<r>, B<-scrypt_p> I<p>
0ceb8b74 149
2f0ea936 150Sets the scrypt I<N>, I<r> or I<p> parameters.
0ceb8b74 151
9f679bdc 152=item B<-saltlen>
153
154Sets the length (in bytes) of the salt to use for the PBE algorithm.
155If this value is not specified, the default for PBES2 is 16 (128 bits)
156and 8 (64 bits) for PBES1.
157
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158{- $OpenSSL::safe::opt_r_item -}
159
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160{- $OpenSSL::safe::opt_engine_item -}
161
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162{- $OpenSSL::safe::opt_provider_item -}
163
174a4a8c 164=back
aba3e65f 165
174a4a8c 166=head1 NOTES
aba3e65f 167
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168By default, when converting a key to PKCS#8 format, PKCS#5 v2.0 using 256 bit
169AES with HMAC and SHA256 is used.
170
171Some older implementations do not support PKCS#5 v2.0 format and require
172the older PKCS#5 v1.5 form instead, possibly also requiring insecure weak
173encryption algorithms such as 56 bit DES.
174
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175Private keys encrypted using PKCS#5 v2.0 algorithms and high iteration
176counts are more secure that those encrypted using the traditional
177SSLeay compatible formats. So if additional security is considered
178important the keys should be converted.
aba3e65f 179
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180It is possible to write out DER encoded encrypted private keys in
181PKCS#8 format because the encryption details are included at an ASN1
182level whereas the traditional format includes them at a PEM level.
aba3e65f 183
485d3361 184=head1 PKCS#5 V1.5 AND PKCS#12 ALGORITHMS
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185
186Various algorithms can be used with the B<-v1> command line option,
187including PKCS#5 v1.5 and PKCS#12. These are described in more detail
188below.
189
190=over 4
191
192=item B<PBE-MD2-DES PBE-MD5-DES>
193
194These algorithms were included in the original PKCS#5 v1.5 specification.
195They only offer 56 bits of protection since they both use DES.
196
dfee8626 197=item B<PBE-SHA1-RC2-64>, B<PBE-MD2-RC2-64>, B<PBE-MD5-RC2-64>, B<PBE-SHA1-DES>
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198
199These algorithms are not mentioned in the original PKCS#5 v1.5 specification
200but they use the same key derivation algorithm and are supported by some
c3ed3b6e 201software. They are mentioned in PKCS#5 v2.0. They use either 64 bit RC2 or
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20256 bit DES.
203
dfee8626 204=item B<PBE-SHA1-RC4-128>, B<PBE-SHA1-RC4-40>, B<PBE-SHA1-3DES>, B<PBE-SHA1-2DES>, B<PBE-SHA1-RC2-128>, B<PBE-SHA1-RC2-40>
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205
206These algorithms use the PKCS#12 password based encryption algorithm and
207allow strong encryption algorithms like triple DES or 128 bit RC2 to be used.
208
209=back
210
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211=head1 EXAMPLES
212
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213Convert a private key to PKCS#8 format using default parameters (AES with
214256 bit key and B<hmacWithSHA256>):
215
216 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -out enckey.pem
217
218Convert a private key to PKCS#8 unencrypted format:
219
220 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -nocrypt -out enckey.pem
221
222Convert a private key to PKCS#5 v2.0 format using triple DES:
aba3e65f 223
174a4a8c 224 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v2 des3 -out enckey.pem
aba3e65f 225
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226Convert a private key to PKCS#5 v2.0 format using AES with 256 bits in CBC
227mode and B<hmacWithSHA512> PRF:
5693a308 228
05dba815 229 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v2 aes-256-cbc -v2prf hmacWithSHA512 -out enckey.pem
5693a308 230
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231Convert a private key to PKCS#8 using a PKCS#5 1.5 compatible algorithm
232(DES):
aba3e65f 233
05dba815 234 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v1 PBE-MD5-DES -out enckey.pem
aba3e65f 235
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236Convert a private key to PKCS#8 using a PKCS#12 compatible algorithm
237(3DES):
238
239 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -out enckey.pem -v1 PBE-SHA1-3DES
240
174a4a8c 241Read a DER unencrypted PKCS#8 format private key:
aba3e65f 242
174a4a8c 243 openssl pkcs8 -inform DER -nocrypt -in key.der -out key.pem
aba3e65f 244
05dba815 245Convert a private key from any PKCS#8 encrypted format to traditional format:
aba3e65f 246
05dba815 247 openssl pkcs8 -in pk8.pem -traditional -out key.pem
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248
249Convert a private key to PKCS#8 format, encrypting with AES-256 and with
96fc4b72 250one million iterations of the password:
251
05dba815 252 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v2 aes-256-cbc -iter 1000000 -out pk8.pem
aba3e65f 253
174a4a8c 254=head1 STANDARDS
aba3e65f 255
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256Test vectors from this PKCS#5 v2.0 implementation were posted to the
257pkcs-tng mailing list using triple DES, DES and RC2 with high iteration
258counts, several people confirmed that they could decrypt the private
8c1cbc72 259keys produced and therefore, it can be assumed that the PKCS#5 v2.0
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260implementation is reasonably accurate at least as far as these
261algorithms are concerned.
262
263The format of PKCS#8 DSA (and other) private keys is not well documented:
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264it is hidden away in PKCS#11 v2.01, section 11.9. OpenSSL's default DSA
265PKCS#8 private key format complies with this standard.
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266
267=head1 BUGS
268
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269There should be an option that prints out the encryption algorithm
270in use and other details such as the iteration count.
271
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272=head1 SEE ALSO
273
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274L<openssl(1)>,
275L<openssl-dsa(1)>,
276L<openssl-rsa(1)>,
277L<openssl-genrsa(1)>,
278L<openssl-gendsa(1)>
aba3e65f 279
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280=head1 HISTORY
281
fc5ecadd 282The B<-iter> option was added in OpenSSL 1.1.0.
f20bb4eb 283
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284The B<-engine> option was deprecated in OpenSSL 3.0.
285
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286=head1 COPYRIGHT
287
da1c088f 288Copyright 2000-2023 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.
e2f92610 289
449040b4 290Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use
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291this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy
292in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at
293L<https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.
294
295=cut