June 30, 2000
dnssec-keygen 8 BIND9
dnssec-keygen DNSSEC key generation tool
2004 2005 2007 2008 Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
2000 2001 2002 2003 Internet Software Consortium.
`dnssec-keygen` -a algorithm -b keysize -n nametype `-c class` `-e` `-f flag` `-g generator` `-h` `-k` `-p protocol` `-r randomdev` `-s strength` `-t type` `-v level` name

## DESCRIPTION

`dnssec-keygen` generates keys for DNSSEC (Secure DNS), as defined in RFC 2535 and RFC 4034. It can also generate keys for use with TSIG (Transaction Signatures), as defined in RFC 2845.

## OPTIONS

-a algorithm

  Selects the cryptographic algorithm. The value of `algorithm` must be one of RSAMD5 (RSA) or RSASHA1, DSA, DH (Diffie Hellman), or HMAC-MD5. These values are case insensitive.

  Note 1: that for DNSSEC, RSASHA1 is a mandatory to implement algorithm, and DSA is recommended. For TSIG, HMAC-MD5 is mandatory.

  Note 2: HMAC-MD5 and DH automatically set the -k flag.

-b keysize

  Specifies the number of bits in the key. The choice of key size depends on the algorithm used. RSAMD5 / RSASHA1 keys must be between 512 and 2048 bits. Diffie Hellman keys must be between 128 and 4096 bits. DSA keys must be between 512 and 1024 bits and an exact multiple of 64. HMAC-MD5 keys must be between 1 and 512 bits.

-n nametype

  Specifies the owner type of the key. The value of `nametype` must either be ZONE (for a DNSSEC zone key (KEY/DNSKEY)), HOST or ENTITY (for a key associated with a host (KEY)), USER (for a key associated with a user(KEY)) or OTHER (DNSKEY). These values are case insensitive.

-c class

  Indicates that the DNS record containing the key should have the specified class. If not specified, class IN is used.

-e

  If generating an RSAMD5/RSASHA1 key, use a large exponent.

-f flag

  Set the specified flag in the flag field of the KEY/DNSKEY record. The only recognized flag is KSK (Key Signing Key) DNSKEY.

-g generator

  If generating a Diffie Hellman key, use this generator. Allowed values are 2 and 5. If no generator is specified, a known prime from RFC 2539 will be used if possible; otherwise the default is 2.

-h

  Prints a short summary of the options and arguments to `dnssec-keygen`.

-k

  Generate KEY records rather than DNSKEY records.

-p protocol

  Sets the protocol value for the generated key. The protocol is a number between 0 and 255. The default is 3 (DNSSEC). Other possible values for this argument are listed in RFC 2535 and its successors.

-r randomdev

  Specifies the source of randomness. If the operating system does not provide a `/dev/random` or equivalent device, the default source of randomness is keyboard input. `randomdev` specifies the name of a character device or file containing random data to be used instead of the default. The special value `keyboard` indicates that keyboard input should be used.

-s strength

  Specifies the strength value of the key. The strength is a number between 0 and 15, and currently has no defined purpose in DNSSEC.

-t type

  Indicates the use of the key. `type` must be one of AUTHCONF, NOAUTHCONF, NOAUTH, or NOCONF. The default is AUTHCONF. AUTH refers to the ability to authenticate data, and CONF the ability to encrypt data.

-v level

  Sets the debugging level.

## GENERATED KEYS

When `dnssec-keygen` completes successfully, it prints a string of the form `Knnnn.+aaa+iiiii` to the standard output. This is an identification string for the key it has generated.

- `nnnn` is the key name.

- `aaa` is the numeric representation of the algorithm.

- `iiiii` is the key identifier (or footprint).

`dnssec-keygen` creates two files, with names based on the printed string. `Knnnn.+aaa+iiiii.key` contains the public key, and `Knnnn.+aaa+iiiii.private` contains the private key.

The `.key` file contains a DNS KEY record that can be inserted into a zone file (directly or with a $INCLUDE statement).

The `.private` file contains algorithm-specific fields. For obvious security reasons, this file does not have general read permission.

Both `.key` and `.private` files are generated for symmetric encryption algorithms such as HMAC-MD5, even though the public and private key are equivalent.

## EXAMPLE

To generate a 768-bit DSA key for the domain `example.com`, the following command would be issued:

`dnssec-keygen -a DSA -b 768 -n ZONE example.com`

The command would print a string of the form:

`Kexample.com.+003+26160`

In this example, `dnssec-keygen` creates the files `Kexample.com.+003+26160.key` and `Kexample.com.+003+26160.private`.

## SEE ALSO

dnssec-signzone 8 , BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual, RFC 2539, RFC 2845, RFC 4033.

## AUTHOR

Internet Systems Consortium