Manual: openssl-spkac

OPENSSL-SPKAC(1SSL)					   OpenSSL					 OPENSSL-SPKAC(1SSL)

NAME
       openssl-spkac - SPKAC printing and generating command

SYNOPSIS
       openssl spkac [-help] [-in filename] [-out filename] [-digest digest] [-key filename|uri] [-keyform
       DER|PEM|P12|ENGINE] [-passin arg] [-challenge string] [-pubkey] [-spkac spkacname] [-spksect section] [-noout]
       [-verify] [-engine id] [-provider name] [-provider-path path] [-provparam [name:]key=value] [-propquery propq]

DESCRIPTION
       This command processes Netscape signed public key and challenge (SPKAC) files. It can print out their contents,
       verify the signature and produce its own SPKACs from a supplied private key.

OPTIONS
       -help
	   Print out a usage message.

       -in filename
	   This	 specifies the input filename to read from or standard input if this option is not specified. Ignored if the
	   -key option is used.

       -out filename
	   Specifies the output filename to write to or standard output by default.

       -digest digest
	   Use the specified digest to sign a created SPKAC file.  The default digest algorithm is MD5.

       -key filename|uri
	   Create an SPKAC file using the private key specified by filename or uri.  The -in, -noout, -spksect	and  -verify
	   options are ignored if present.

       -keyform DER|PEM|P12|ENGINE
	   The key format; unspecified by default.  See openssl-format-options(1) for details.

       -passin arg
	   The input file password source. For more information about the format of arg see openssl-passphrase-options(1).

       -challenge string
	   Specifies the challenge string if an SPKAC is being created.

       -spkac spkacname
	   Allows  an  alternative  name form the variable containing the SPKAC. The default is "SPKAC". This option affects
	   both generated and input SPKAC files.

       -spksect section
	   Allows an alternative name form the section containing the SPKAC. The default is the default section.

       -noout
	   Don't output the text version of the SPKAC (not used if an SPKAC is being created).

       -pubkey
	   Output the public key of an SPKAC (not used if an SPKAC is being created).

       -verify
	   Verifies the digital signature on the supplied SPKAC.

       -engine id
	   See "Engine Options" in openssl(1).	This option is deprecated.

       -provider name
       -provider-path path
       -provparam [name:]key=value
       -propquery propq
	   See "Provider Options" in openssl(1), provider(7), and property(7).

EXAMPLES
       Print out the contents of an SPKAC:

	openssl spkac -in spkac.cnf

       Verify the signature of an SPKAC:

	openssl spkac -in spkac.cnf -noout -verify

       Create an SPKAC using the challenge string "hello":

	openssl spkac -key key.pem -challenge hello -out spkac.cnf

       Example of an SPKAC, (long lines split up for clarity):

	SPKAC=MIG5MGUwXDANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAANLADBIAkEA\
	1cCoq2Wa3Ixs47uI7FPVwHVIPDx5yso105Y6zpozam135a\
	8R0CpoRvkkigIyXfcCjiVi5oWk+6FfPaD03uPFoQIDAQAB\
	FgVoZWxsbzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQQFAANBAFpQtY/FojdwkJ\
	h1bEIYuc2EeM2KHTWPEepWYeawvHD0gQ3DngSC75YCWnnD\
	dq+NQ3F+X4deMx9AaEglZtULwV4=

NOTES
       A created SPKAC with suitable DN components appended can be fed to openssl-ca(1).

       SPKACs are typically generated by Netscape when a form is  submitted  containing	 the  KEYGEN  tag  as  part  of	 the
       certificate enrollment process.

       The  challenge string permits a primitive form of proof of possession of private key. By checking the SPKAC signature
       and a random challenge string some guarantee is given that the user knows the private key corresponding to the public
       key being certified. This is important in some applications. Without this it is possible for a previous SPKAC  to  be
       used in a "replay attack".

SEE ALSO
       openssl(1), openssl-ca(1)

HISTORY
       The -engine option was deprecated in OpenSSL 3.0.

       The -digest option was added in OpenSSL 3.0.

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright 2000-2021 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.

       Licensed	 under	the  Apache  License  2.0  (the "License").  You may not use this file except in compliance with the
       License.	   You	 can   obtain	a   copy   in	the   file   LICENSE   in   the	  source    distribution    or	  at
       .

3.5.5							 2026-01-27					 OPENSSL-SPKAC(1SSL)