/usr/man/cat.1/pkey.1

PKEY(1)                      OpenSSL                      PKEY(1)

NAME

     openssl-pkey, pkey - public or private key processing tool

SYNOPSIS

     openssl pkey [-inform PEM|DER] [-outform PEM|DER] [-in
     filename] [-passin arg] [-out filename] [-passout arg]
     [-cipher] [-text] [-text_pub] [-noout] [-pubin] [-pubout]
     [-engine id]

DESCRIPTION

     The pkey command processes public or private keys. They can
     be converted between various forms and their components
     printed out.

COMMAND OPTIONS

     -inform DER|PEM
         This specifies the input format DER or PEM.

     -outform DER|PEM
         This specifies the output format, the options have the
         same meaning as the -inform option.

     -in filename
         This specifies the input filename to read a key from or
         standard input if this option is not specified. If the
         key is encrypted a pass phrase will be prompted for.

     -passin arg
         the input file password source. For more information
         about the format of arg see the PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS
         section in openssl(1).

     -out filename
         This specifies the output filename to write a key to or
         standard output if this option is not specified. If any
         encryption options are set then a pass phrase will be
         prompted for. The output filename should not be the same
         as the input filename.

     -passout password
         the output file password source. For more information
         about the format of arg see the PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS
         section in openssl(1).

     -cipher
         These options encrypt the private key with the supplied
         cipher. Any algorithm name accepted by
         EVP_get_cipherbyname() is acceptable such as des3.

     -text
         prints out the various public or private key components
         in plain text in addition to the encoded version.

1.0.2t               Last change: 2019-09-10                    1

PKEY(1)                      OpenSSL                      PKEY(1)

     -text_pub
         print out only public key components even if a private
         key is being processed.

     -noout
         do not output the encoded version of the key.

     -pubin
         by default a private key is read from the input file:
         with this option a public key is read instead.

     -pubout
         by default a private key is output: with this option a
         public key will be output instead. This option is
         automatically set if the input is a public key.

     -engine id
         specifying an engine (by its unique id string) will
         cause pkey to attempt to obtain a functional reference
         to the specified engine, thus initialising it if needed.
         The engine will then be set as the default for all
         available algorithms.

EXAMPLES

     To remove the pass phrase on an RSA private key:

      openssl pkey -in key.pem -out keyout.pem

     To encrypt a private key using triple DES:

      openssl pkey -in key.pem -des3 -out keyout.pem

     To convert a private key from PEM to DER format:

      openssl pkey -in key.pem -outform DER -out keyout.der

     To print out the components of a private key to standard
     output:

      openssl pkey -in key.pem -text -noout

     To print out the public components of a private key to
     standard output:

      openssl pkey -in key.pem -text_pub -noout

     To just output the public part of a private key:

      openssl pkey -in key.pem -pubout -out pubkey.pem

SEE ALSO

     genpkey(1), rsa(1), pkcs8(1), dsa(1), genrsa(1), gendsa(1)

1.0.2t               Last change: 2019-09-10                    2

See also openssl-pkey(1)