ec(1ssl)


NAME

   ec - EC key processing

SYNOPSIS

   openssl ec [-inform PEM|DER] [-outform PEM|DER] [-in filename] [-passin
   arg] [-out filename] [-passout arg] [-des] [-des3] [-idea] [-text]
   [-noout] [-param_out] [-pubin] [-pubout] [-conv_form arg] [-param_enc
   arg] [-engine id]

DESCRIPTION

   The ec command processes EC keys. They can be converted between various
   forms and their components printed out. Note OpenSSL uses the private
   key format specified in 'SEC 1: Elliptic Curve Cryptography'
   (http://www.secg.org/). To convert a OpenSSL EC private key into the
   PKCS#8 private key format use the pkcs8 command.

COMMAND OPTIONS

   -inform DER|PEM
       This specifies the input format. The DER option with a private key
       uses an ASN.1 DER encoded SEC1 private key. When used with a public
       key it uses the SubjectPublicKeyInfo structure as specified in RFC
       3280.  The PEM form is the default format: it consists of the DER
       format base64 encoded with additional header and footer lines. In
       the case of a private key PKCS#8 format is also accepted.

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

   -des|-des3|-idea
       These options encrypt the private key with the DES, triple DES,
       IDEA or any other cipher supported by OpenSSL before outputting it.
       A pass phrase is prompted for.  If none of these options is
       specified the key is written in plain text. This means that using
       the ec utility to read in an encrypted key with no encryption
       option can be used to remove the pass phrase from a key, or by
       setting the encryption options it can be use to add or change the
       pass phrase.  These options can only be used with PEM format output
       files.

   -text
       prints out the public, private key components and parameters.

   -noout
       this option prevents output of the encoded version of the key.

   -modulus
       this option prints out the value of the public key component 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.

   -conv_form
       This specifies how the points on the elliptic curve are converted
       into octet strings. Possible values are: compressed (the default
       value), uncompressed and hybrid. For more information regarding the
       point conversion forms please read the X9.62 standard.  Note Due to
       patent issues the compressed option is disabled by default for
       binary curves and can be enabled by defining the preprocessor macro
       OPENSSL_EC_BIN_PT_COMP at compile time.

   -param_enc arg
       This specifies how the elliptic curve parameters are encoded.
       Possible value are: named_curve, i.e. the ec parameters are
       specified by a OID, or explicit where the ec parameters are
       explicitly given (see RFC 3279 for the definition of the EC
       parameters structures). The default value is named_curve.  Note the
       implicitlyCA alternative ,as specified in RFC 3279, is currently
       not implemented in OpenSSL.

   -engine id
       specifying an engine (by its unique id string) will cause ec 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.

NOTES

   The PEM private key format uses the header and footer lines:

    -----BEGIN EC PRIVATE KEY-----

    -----END EC PRIVATE KEY-----
   The PEM public key format uses the header and footer lines:

    -----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----

    -----END PUBLIC KEY-----

EXAMPLES

   To encrypt a private key using triple DES:

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

   To convert a private key from PEM to DER format:

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

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

    openssl ec -in key.pem -text -noout

   To just output the public part of a private key:

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

   To change the parameters encoding to explicit:

    openssl ec -in key.pem -param_enc explicit -out keyout.pem

   To change the point conversion form to compressed:

    openssl ec -in key.pem -conv_form compressed -out keyout.pem

SEE ALSO

   ecparam(1), dsa(1), rsa(1)

HISTORY

   The ec command was first introduced in OpenSSL 0.9.8.

AUTHOR

   Nils Larsch for the OpenSSL project (http://www.openssl.org).





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