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1=pod
2
3=head1 NAME
4
3f2181e6 5openssl-pkcs8,
174a4a8c 6pkcs8 - PKCS#8 format private key conversion tool
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7
8=head1 SYNOPSIS
9
10B<openssl> B<pkcs8>
169394d4 11[B<-help>]
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12[B<-topk8>]
13[B<-inform PEM|DER>]
14[B<-outform PEM|DER>]
15[B<-in filename>]
a3fe382e 16[B<-passin arg>]
aba3e65f 17[B<-out filename>]
a3fe382e 18[B<-passout arg>]
96fc4b72 19[B<-iter count>]
aba3e65f 20[B<-noiter>]
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21[B<-rand file...>]
22[B<-writerand file>]
aba3e65f 23[B<-nocrypt>]
05dba815 24[B<-traditional>]
aba3e65f 25[B<-v2 alg>]
5693a308 26[B<-v2prf alg>]
525f51f6 27[B<-v1 alg>]
bfa35550 28[B<-engine id>]
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29[B<-scrypt>]
30[B<-scrypt_N N>]
31[B<-scrypt_r r>]
32[B<-scrypt_p p>]
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33
34=head1 DESCRIPTION
35
36The B<pkcs8> command processes private keys in PKCS#8 format. It can handle
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.
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53
54=item B<-inform DER|PEM>
55
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56This specifies the input format: see L<KEY FORMATS> for more details. The default
57format is PEM.
aba3e65f 58
174a4a8c 59=item B<-outform DER|PEM>
aba3e65f 60
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61This specifies the output format: see L<KEY FORMATS> for more details. The default
62format is PEM.
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63
64=item B<-traditional>
65
66When this option is present and B<-topk8> is not a traditional format private
67key is written.
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68
69=item B<-in filename>
70
71This specifies the input filename to read a key from or standard input if this
72option is not specified. If the key is encrypted a pass phrase will be
73prompted for.
74
a3fe382e 75=item B<-passin arg>
20432eae 76
c4de074e 77The input file password source. For more information about the format of B<arg>
9b86974e 78see the B<PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS> section in L<openssl(1)>.
20432eae 79
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80=item B<-out filename>
81
82This specifies the output filename to write a key to or standard output by
174a4a8c 83default. If any encryption options are set then a pass phrase will be
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84prompted for. The output filename should B<not> be the same as the input
85filename.
86
a3fe382e 87=item B<-passout arg>
20432eae 88
c4de074e 89The output file password source. For more information about the format of B<arg>
9b86974e 90see the B<PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS> section in L<openssl(1)>.
20432eae 91
96fc4b72 92=item B<-iter count>
93
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94When creating new PKCS#8 containers, use a given number of iterations on
95the password in deriving the encryption key for the PKCS#8 output.
96High values increase the time required to brute-force a PKCS#8 container.
96fc4b72 97
174a4a8c 98=item B<-nocrypt>
aba3e65f 99
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100PKCS#8 keys generated or input are normally PKCS#8 EncryptedPrivateKeyInfo
101structures using an appropriate password based encryption algorithm. With
102this option an unencrypted PrivateKeyInfo structure is expected or output.
103This option does not encrypt private keys at all and should only be used
104when absolutely necessary. Certain software such as some versions of Java
105code signing software used unencrypted private keys.
aba3e65f 106
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107=item B<-rand file...>
108
109A file or files containing random data used to seed the random number
110generator.
111Multiple files can be specified separated by an OS-dependent character.
112The separator is B<;> for MS-Windows, B<,> for OpenVMS, and B<:> for
113all others.
114
115=item [B<-writerand file>]
116
117Writes random data to the specified I<file> upon exit.
118This can be used with a subsequent B<-rand> flag.
119
174a4a8c 120=item B<-v2 alg>
aba3e65f 121
8fc06e88 122This option sets the PKCS#5 v2.0 algorithm.
aba3e65f 123
174a4a8c 124The B<alg> argument is the encryption algorithm to use, valid values include
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125B<aes128>, B<aes256> and B<des3>. If this option isn't specified then B<aes256>
126is used.
aba3e65f 127
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128=item B<-v2prf alg>
129
130This option sets the PRF algorithm to use with PKCS#5 v2.0. A typical value
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131value would be B<hmacWithSHA256>. If this option isn't set then the default
132for the cipher is used or B<hmacWithSHA256> if there is no default.
133
134Some implementations may not support custom PRF algorithms and may require
135the B<hmacWithSHA1> option to work.
5693a308 136
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137=item B<-v1 alg>
138
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139This option indicates a PKCS#5 v1.5 or PKCS#12 algorithm should be used. Some
140older implementations may not support PKCS#5 v2.0 and may require this option.
05dba815 141If not specified PKCS#5 v2.0 form is used.
525f51f6 142
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143=item B<-engine id>
144
c4de074e 145Specifying an engine (by its unique B<id> string) will cause B<pkcs8>
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146to attempt to obtain a functional reference to the specified engine,
147thus initialising it if needed. The engine will then be set as the default
148for all available algorithms.
149
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150=item B<-scrypt>
151
c4de074e 152Uses the B<scrypt> algorithm for private key encryption using default
5fc3ee4b 153parameters: currently N=16384, r=8 and p=1 and AES in CBC mode with a 256 bit
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154key. These parameters can be modified using the B<-scrypt_N>, B<-scrypt_r>,
155B<-scrypt_p> and B<-v2> options.
156
c4de074e 157=item B<-scrypt_N N> B<-scrypt_r r> B<-scrypt_p p>
0ceb8b74 158
c4de074e 159Sets the scrypt B<N>, B<r> or B<p> parameters.
0ceb8b74 160
174a4a8c 161=back
aba3e65f 162
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163=head1 KEY FORMATS
164
165Various different formats are used by the pkcs8 utility. These are detailed
166below.
167
168If a key is being converted from PKCS#8 form (i.e. the B<-topk8> option is
169not used) then the input file must be in PKCS#8 format. An encrypted
170key is expected unless B<-nocrypt> is included.
171
172If B<-topk8> is not used and B<PEM> mode is set the output file will be an
173unencrypted private key in PKCS#8 format. If the B<-traditional> option is
174used then a traditional format private key is written instead.
175
176If B<-topk8> is not used and B<DER> mode is set the output file will be an
177unencrypted private key in traditional DER format.
178
179If B<-topk8> is used then any supported private key can be used for the input
180file in a format specified by B<-inform>. The output file will be encrypted
181PKCS#8 format using the specified encryption parameters unless B<-nocrypt>
182is included.
183
174a4a8c 184=head1 NOTES
aba3e65f 185
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186By default, when converting a key to PKCS#8 format, PKCS#5 v2.0 using 256 bit
187AES with HMAC and SHA256 is used.
188
189Some older implementations do not support PKCS#5 v2.0 format and require
190the older PKCS#5 v1.5 form instead, possibly also requiring insecure weak
191encryption algorithms such as 56 bit DES.
192
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193The encrypted form of a PEM encode PKCS#8 files uses the following
194headers and footers:
195
196 -----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
197 -----END ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
198
199The unencrypted form uses:
200
201 -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
202 -----END PRIVATE KEY-----
203
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204Private keys encrypted using PKCS#5 v2.0 algorithms and high iteration
205counts are more secure that those encrypted using the traditional
206SSLeay compatible formats. So if additional security is considered
207important the keys should be converted.
aba3e65f 208
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209It is possible to write out DER encoded encrypted private keys in
210PKCS#8 format because the encryption details are included at an ASN1
211level whereas the traditional format includes them at a PEM level.
aba3e65f 212
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213=head1 PKCS#5 v1.5 and PKCS#12 algorithms.
214
215Various algorithms can be used with the B<-v1> command line option,
216including PKCS#5 v1.5 and PKCS#12. These are described in more detail
217below.
218
219=over 4
220
221=item B<PBE-MD2-DES PBE-MD5-DES>
222
223These algorithms were included in the original PKCS#5 v1.5 specification.
224They only offer 56 bits of protection since they both use DES.
225
dfee8626 226=item B<PBE-SHA1-RC2-64>, B<PBE-MD2-RC2-64>, B<PBE-MD5-RC2-64>, B<PBE-SHA1-DES>
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227
228These algorithms are not mentioned in the original PKCS#5 v1.5 specification
229but they use the same key derivation algorithm and are supported by some
c3ed3b6e 230software. They are mentioned in PKCS#5 v2.0. They use either 64 bit RC2 or
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23156 bit DES.
232
dfee8626 233=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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234
235These algorithms use the PKCS#12 password based encryption algorithm and
236allow strong encryption algorithms like triple DES or 128 bit RC2 to be used.
237
238=back
239
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240=head1 EXAMPLES
241
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242Convert a private key to PKCS#8 format using default parameters (AES with
243256 bit key and B<hmacWithSHA256>):
244
245 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -out enckey.pem
246
247Convert a private key to PKCS#8 unencrypted format:
248
249 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -nocrypt -out enckey.pem
250
251Convert a private key to PKCS#5 v2.0 format using triple DES:
aba3e65f 252
174a4a8c 253 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v2 des3 -out enckey.pem
aba3e65f 254
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255Convert a private key to PKCS#5 v2.0 format using AES with 256 bits in CBC
256mode and B<hmacWithSHA512> PRF:
5693a308 257
05dba815 258 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v2 aes-256-cbc -v2prf hmacWithSHA512 -out enckey.pem
5693a308 259
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260Convert a private key to PKCS#8 using a PKCS#5 1.5 compatible algorithm
261(DES):
aba3e65f 262
05dba815 263 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v1 PBE-MD5-DES -out enckey.pem
aba3e65f 264
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265Convert a private key to PKCS#8 using a PKCS#12 compatible algorithm
266(3DES):
267
268 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -out enckey.pem -v1 PBE-SHA1-3DES
269
174a4a8c 270Read a DER unencrypted PKCS#8 format private key:
aba3e65f 271
174a4a8c 272 openssl pkcs8 -inform DER -nocrypt -in key.der -out key.pem
aba3e65f 273
05dba815 274Convert a private key from any PKCS#8 encrypted format to traditional format:
aba3e65f 275
05dba815 276 openssl pkcs8 -in pk8.pem -traditional -out key.pem
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277
278Convert a private key to PKCS#8 format, encrypting with AES-256 and with
96fc4b72 279one million iterations of the password:
280
05dba815 281 openssl pkcs8 -in key.pem -topk8 -v2 aes-256-cbc -iter 1000000 -out pk8.pem
aba3e65f 282
174a4a8c 283=head1 STANDARDS
aba3e65f 284
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285Test vectors from this PKCS#5 v2.0 implementation were posted to the
286pkcs-tng mailing list using triple DES, DES and RC2 with high iteration
287counts, several people confirmed that they could decrypt the private
288keys produced and Therefore it can be assumed that the PKCS#5 v2.0
289implementation is reasonably accurate at least as far as these
290algorithms are concerned.
291
292The format of PKCS#8 DSA (and other) private keys is not well documented:
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293it is hidden away in PKCS#11 v2.01, section 11.9. OpenSSL's default DSA
294PKCS#8 private key format complies with this standard.
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295
296=head1 BUGS
297
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298There should be an option that prints out the encryption algorithm
299in use and other details such as the iteration count.
300
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301=head1 SEE ALSO
302
9b86974e 303L<dsa(1)>, L<rsa(1)>, L<genrsa(1)>,
8fc06e88 304L<gendsa(1)>
aba3e65f 305
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306=head1 HISTORY
307
fc5ecadd 308The B<-iter> option was added in OpenSSL 1.1.0.
f20bb4eb 309
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310=head1 COPYRIGHT
311
1212818e 312Copyright 2000-2018 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.
e2f92610 313
449040b4 314Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use
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315this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy
316in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at
317L<https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.
318
319=cut