SSH-KEYGEN2(1)                 SSH2                SSH-KEYGEN2(1)

NAME

       ssh-keygen2 - authentication key pair generation

SYNOPSIS

       ssh-keygen2  [-b bits] [-t dsa|rsa] [ -c comment_string] [
       -e file] [ -p passphrase] [ -P ] [ -h ] [  -q  ]  [--over-
       write]  [ -1 file] [ -i file] [ -D file] [ -B number] [ -V
       ] [ -r file] [ -x file] [ -k file] [ -7 file] [ -F file] [
       --import-public-key   infile  outfile] [ --import-private-
       key infile outfile] [ --import-ssh1-authorized-keys infile
       outfile]  [  --import-ssh1-known-hosts-file infile]  [key1
       key2 ...]

DESCRIPTION

       ssh-keygen2 generates and manages authentication keys  for
       ssh2(1).  Normally each user wishing to use ssh2 with pub-
       lic-key authentication runs this to create  authentication
       keys.  Additionally, the system administrator may use this
       to generate host keys for sshd2(8).

OPTIONS

       -b bits
              Specifies the length of the key  in  bits  (default
              2048).

       -t dsa|rsa
              Selects  the algorithm used in key generation.  dsa
              (Digital Signature  Algorithm)  and  rsa  are  sup-
              ported. The default is dsa.

       -c comment_string
              Specifies the key's comment string.

       -e file
              Edits  the specified key.  Makes ssh-keygen2 inter-
              active.  You can change  the  key's  passphrase  or
              comment.

       -p passphrase
              Specifies the passphrase used to protect the key.

       -P     Specifies  that the key will be saved with an empty
              passphrase.

       -h     Prints a short summary of ssh-keygen2 commands.

       -q     Hides the progress indicator.

       --overwrite
              Specifies whether to  overwrite  existing  file(s).
              Default  is  yes. Takes an optional yes/no argument



SSH2                      20 March 2007                         1





SSH-KEYGEN2(1)                 SSH2                SSH-KEYGEN2(1)


              with  which  you  can  disable  overwriting,   i.e.
              --overwrite=no.

       -1 file
              Converts  a  key  from  the ssh1 format to the ssh2
              format.

       -i file
              Displays (all) information about a key.

       -D file
              Derives the public key from the private key file.

       -B number
              Specifies the number base for displaying key infor-
              mation (default 10).

       -V     Prints version string and exits.

       -r file
              Adds   entropy   from   file  to  the  random  pool
              $HOME/.ssh2/random_seed. If  file  contains  'rela-
              tively  random'  data (i.e. data unpredictable by a
              potential attacker), the randomness of the pool  is
              increased.   Good  randomness  is essential for the
              security of the generated keys.

       -x file
              Converts a private key from the X.509 format to the
              SSH2  format.   The  converted  key  is  written to
              file_ssh2.  This feature is only available in  com-
              mercial distributions with certificate support.

       -k file
              Converts  a PKCS #12 file to an SSH2-format private
              key and certificate pair.   This  feature  is  only
              available in commercial distributions with certifi-
              cate support.

       -7 file
              Exports certificate(s) from a PKCS #7  file.   This
              feature  is  only available in commercial distribu-
              tions with certificate support.

       -F file
              Dumps the fingerprint of the given public key.  The
              fingerprint  is  given in the Bubble Babble format,
              which makes the fingerprint look like a  string  of
              "real" words (making it easier to remember).

       --import-public-key  infile outfile
              Attempts  to  import  a public key from file infile
              and store it to file outfile in ssh2 native format.




SSH2                      20 March 2007                         2





SSH-KEYGEN2(1)                 SSH2                SSH-KEYGEN2(1)


       --import-private-key infile outfile
              Attempts  to import an unencrypted private key from
              file infile and store it to file  outfile  in  ssh2
              native private key format.

       --import-ssh1-authorized-keys infile outfile
              Attempts  to import ssh1-style authorized_keys file
              infile and generate ssh2-style  authorization  file
              outfile and store the keys from infile to generated
              files into the same directory with outfile.

       --import-ssh1-known-hosts-file infile
              Attempts  to  import  ssh1-style  known_hosts  file
              infile and generate ssh2-style hostkey files to the
              current  directory  from  each   key   within   the
              known_hosts file.

FILES

       $HOME/.ssh2/random_seed
              Used for seeding the random number generator.  This
              file must not be readable by anyone but  the  user.
              This  file is created the first time the program is
              run, and is updated every time the program is  run.

       $HOME/.ssh2/id_KEYTYPE_KEYLEN_X
              Private authentication keys.

       $HOME/.ssh2/id_KEYTYPE_KEYLEN_X.pub
              Public authentication keys.

       /etc/ssh2/hostkey

       /etc/ssh2/hostkey.pub
              Private and public sshd2(8) host keys.

AUTHORS

       SSH Communications Security Corp.

       For more information, see http://www.ssh.com.

SEE ALSO

       ssh2(1), sshd2(8), ssh-agent2(1), ssh-add2(1)











SSH2                      20 March 2007                         3