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25 <a name="man.dnssec-keygen"></a><div class="titlepage"></div>
26 <div class="refnamediv">
28 <p><span class="application">dnssec-keygen</span> — DNSSEC key generation tool</p>
30 <div class="refsynopsisdiv">
32 <div class="cmdsynopsis"><p><code class="command">dnssec-keygen</code> {-a <em class="replaceable"><code>algorithm</code></em>} {-b <em class="replaceable"><code>keysize</code></em>} {-n <em class="replaceable"><code>nametype</code></em>} [<code class="option">-c <em class="replaceable"><code>class</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-e</code>] [<code class="option">-f <em class="replaceable"><code>flag</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-g <em class="replaceable"><code>generator</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-h</code>] [<code class="option">-k</code>] [<code class="option">-p <em class="replaceable"><code>protocol</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-r <em class="replaceable"><code>randomdev</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-s <em class="replaceable"><code>strength</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-t <em class="replaceable"><code>type</code></em></code>] [<code class="option">-v <em class="replaceable"><code>level</code></em></code>] {name}</p></div>
34 <div class="refsect1" lang="en">
35 <a name="id2543483"></a><h2>DESCRIPTION</h2>
36 <p><span><strong class="command">dnssec-keygen</strong></span>
37 generates keys for DNSSEC (Secure DNS), as defined in RFC 2535
38 and RFC 4034. It can also generate keys for use with
39 TSIG (Transaction Signatures), as defined in RFC 2845.
42 The <code class="option">name</code> of the key is specified on the command
43 line. For DNSSEC keys, this must match the name of the zone for
44 which the key is being generated.
47 <div class="refsect1" lang="en">
48 <a name="id2543501"></a><h2>OPTIONS</h2>
49 <div class="variablelist"><dl>
50 <dt><span class="term">-a <em class="replaceable"><code>algorithm</code></em></span></dt>
53 Selects the cryptographic algorithm. For DNSSEC keys, the value
54 of <code class="option">algorithm</code> must be one of RSAMD5, RSASHA1,
55 DSA, NSEC3RSASHA1, NSEC3DSA, RSASHA256 or RSASHA512.
56 For TSIG/TKEY, the value must
57 be DH (Diffie Hellman), HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA1, HMAC-SHA224,
58 HMAC-SHA256, HMAC-SHA384, or HMAC-SHA512. These values are
62 Note 1: that for DNSSEC, RSASHA1 is a mandatory to implement
63 algorithm, and DSA is recommended. For TSIG, HMAC-MD5 is
67 Note 2: HMAC-MD5 and DH automatically set the -k flag.
70 <dt><span class="term">-b <em class="replaceable"><code>keysize</code></em></span></dt>
72 Specifies the number of bits in the key. The choice of key
73 size depends on the algorithm used. RSA keys must be
74 between 512 and 2048 bits. Diffie Hellman keys must be between
75 128 and 4096 bits. DSA keys must be between 512 and 1024
76 bits and an exact multiple of 64. HMAC keys must be
77 between 1 and 512 bits.
79 <dt><span class="term">-n <em class="replaceable"><code>nametype</code></em></span></dt>
81 Specifies the owner type of the key. The value of
82 <code class="option">nametype</code> must either be ZONE (for a DNSSEC
83 zone key (KEY/DNSKEY)), HOST or ENTITY (for a key associated with
85 USER (for a key associated with a user(KEY)) or OTHER (DNSKEY).
86 These values are case insensitive. Defaults to ZONE for DNSKEY
89 <dt><span class="term">-c <em class="replaceable"><code>class</code></em></span></dt>
91 Indicates that the DNS record containing the key should have
92 the specified class. If not specified, class IN is used.
94 <dt><span class="term">-e</span></dt>
96 If generating an RSAMD5/RSASHA1 key, use a large exponent.
98 <dt><span class="term">-f <em class="replaceable"><code>flag</code></em></span></dt>
100 Set the specified flag in the flag field of the KEY/DNSKEY record.
101 The only recognized flag is KSK (Key Signing Key) DNSKEY.
103 <dt><span class="term">-g <em class="replaceable"><code>generator</code></em></span></dt>
105 If generating a Diffie Hellman key, use this generator.
106 Allowed values are 2 and 5. If no generator
107 is specified, a known prime from RFC 2539 will be used
108 if possible; otherwise the default is 2.
110 <dt><span class="term">-h</span></dt>
112 Prints a short summary of the options and arguments to
113 <span><strong class="command">dnssec-keygen</strong></span>.
115 <dt><span class="term">-k</span></dt>
117 Generate KEY records rather than DNSKEY records.
119 <dt><span class="term">-p <em class="replaceable"><code>protocol</code></em></span></dt>
121 Sets the protocol value for the generated key. The protocol
122 is a number between 0 and 255. The default is 3 (DNSSEC).
123 Other possible values for this argument are listed in
124 RFC 2535 and its successors.
126 <dt><span class="term">-r <em class="replaceable"><code>randomdev</code></em></span></dt>
128 Specifies the source of randomness. If the operating
129 system does not provide a <code class="filename">/dev/random</code>
130 or equivalent device, the default source of randomness
131 is keyboard input. <code class="filename">randomdev</code>
133 the name of a character device or file containing random
134 data to be used instead of the default. The special value
135 <code class="filename">keyboard</code> indicates that keyboard
136 input should be used.
138 <dt><span class="term">-s <em class="replaceable"><code>strength</code></em></span></dt>
140 Specifies the strength value of the key. The strength is
141 a number between 0 and 15, and currently has no defined
144 <dt><span class="term">-t <em class="replaceable"><code>type</code></em></span></dt>
146 Indicates the use of the key. <code class="option">type</code> must be
147 one of AUTHCONF, NOAUTHCONF, NOAUTH, or NOCONF. The default
148 is AUTHCONF. AUTH refers to the ability to authenticate
149 data, and CONF the ability to encrypt data.
151 <dt><span class="term">-v <em class="replaceable"><code>level</code></em></span></dt>
153 Sets the debugging level.
157 <div class="refsect1" lang="en">
158 <a name="id2543836"></a><h2>GENERATED KEYS</h2>
160 When <span><strong class="command">dnssec-keygen</strong></span> completes
162 it prints a string of the form <code class="filename">Knnnn.+aaa+iiiii</code>
163 to the standard output. This is an identification string for
164 the key it has generated.
166 <div class="itemizedlist"><ul type="disc">
167 <li><p><code class="filename">nnnn</code> is the key name.
169 <li><p><code class="filename">aaa</code> is the numeric representation
173 <li><p><code class="filename">iiiii</code> is the key identifier (or
177 <p><span><strong class="command">dnssec-keygen</strong></span>
178 creates two files, with names based
179 on the printed string. <code class="filename">Knnnn.+aaa+iiiii.key</code>
180 contains the public key, and
181 <code class="filename">Knnnn.+aaa+iiiii.private</code> contains the
186 The <code class="filename">.key</code> file contains a DNS KEY record
188 can be inserted into a zone file (directly or with a $INCLUDE
192 The <code class="filename">.private</code> file contains
194 fields. For obvious security reasons, this file does not have
195 general read permission.
198 Both <code class="filename">.key</code> and <code class="filename">.private</code>
199 files are generated for symmetric encryption algorithms such as
200 HMAC-MD5, even though the public and private key are equivalent.
203 <div class="refsect1" lang="en">
204 <a name="id2543918"></a><h2>EXAMPLE</h2>
206 To generate a 768-bit DSA key for the domain
207 <strong class="userinput"><code>example.com</code></strong>, the following command would be
210 <p><strong class="userinput"><code>dnssec-keygen -a DSA -b 768 -n ZONE example.com</code></strong>
213 The command would print a string of the form:
215 <p><strong class="userinput"><code>Kexample.com.+003+26160</code></strong>
218 In this example, <span><strong class="command">dnssec-keygen</strong></span> creates
219 the files <code class="filename">Kexample.com.+003+26160.key</code>
221 <code class="filename">Kexample.com.+003+26160.private</code>.
224 <div class="refsect1" lang="en">
225 <a name="id2544030"></a><h2>SEE ALSO</h2>
226 <p><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">dnssec-signzone</span>(8)</span>,
227 <em class="citetitle">BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual</em>,
228 <em class="citetitle">RFC 2539</em>,
229 <em class="citetitle">RFC 2845</em>,
230 <em class="citetitle">RFC 4034</em>.
233 <div class="refsect1" lang="en">
234 <a name="id2544061"></a><h2>AUTHOR</h2>
235 <p><span class="corpauthor">Internet Systems Consortium</span>