spkac.pod revision 325337 
1=pod
2
3=head1 NAME
4
5openssl-spkac,
6spkac - SPKAC printing and generating utility
7
8=head1 SYNOPSIS
9
10B<openssl> B<spkac>
11[B<-in filename>]
12[B<-out filename>]
13[B<-key keyfile>]
14[B<-passin arg>]
15[B<-challenge string>]
16[B<-pubkey>]
17[B<-spkac spkacname>]
18[B<-spksect section>]
19[B<-noout>]
20[B<-verify>]
21[B<-engine id>]
22
23=head1 DESCRIPTION
24
25The B<spkac> command processes Netscape signed public key and challenge
26(SPKAC) files. It can print out their contents, verify the signature and
27produce its own SPKACs from a supplied private key.
28
29=head1 COMMAND OPTIONS
30
31=over 4
32
33=item B<-in filename>
34
35This specifies the input filename to read from or standard input if this
36option is not specified. Ignored if the B<-key> option is used.
37
38=item B<-out filename>
39
40specifies the output filename to write to or standard output by
41default.
42
43=item B<-key keyfile>
44
45create an SPKAC file using the private key in B<keyfile>. The
46B<-in>, B<-noout>, B<-spksect> and B<-verify> options are ignored if
47present.
48
49=item B<-passin password>
50
51the input file password source. For more information about the format of B<arg>
52see the B<PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS> section in L<openssl(1)|openssl(1)>.
53
54=item B<-challenge string>
55
56specifies the challenge string if an SPKAC is being created.
57
58=item B<-spkac spkacname>
59
60allows an alternative name form the variable containing the
61SPKAC. The default is "SPKAC". This option affects both
62generated and input SPKAC files.
63
64=item B<-spksect section>
65
66allows an alternative name form the section containing the
67SPKAC. The default is the default section.
68
69=item B<-noout>
70
71don't output the text version of the SPKAC (not used if an
72SPKAC is being created).
73
74=item B<-pubkey>
75
76output the public key of an SPKAC (not used if an SPKAC is
77being created).
78
79=item B<-verify>
80
81verifies the digital signature on the supplied SPKAC.
82
83=item B<-engine id>
84
85specifying an engine (by its unique B<id> string) will cause B<spkac>
86to attempt to obtain a functional reference to the specified engine,
87thus initialising it if needed. The engine will then be set as the default
88for all available algorithms.
89
90=back
91
92=head1 EXAMPLES
93
94Print out the contents of an SPKAC:
95
96 openssl spkac -in spkac.cnf
97
98Verify the signature of an SPKAC:
99
100 openssl spkac -in spkac.cnf -noout -verify
101
102Create an SPKAC using the challenge string "hello":
103
104 openssl spkac -key key.pem -challenge hello -out spkac.cnf
105
106Example of an SPKAC, (long lines split up for clarity):
107
108 SPKAC=MIG5MGUwXDANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAANLADBIAkEA1cCoq2Wa3Ixs47uI7F\
109 PVwHVIPDx5yso105Y6zpozam135a8R0CpoRvkkigIyXfcCjiVi5oWk+6FfPaD03u\
110 PFoQIDAQABFgVoZWxsbzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQQFAANBAFpQtY/FojdwkJh1bEIYuc\
111 2EeM2KHTWPEepWYeawvHD0gQ3DngSC75YCWnnDdq+NQ3F+X4deMx9AaEglZtULwV\
112 4=
113
114=head1 NOTES
115
116A created SPKAC with suitable DN components appended can be fed into
117the B<ca> utility.
118
119SPKACs are typically generated by Netscape when a form is submitted
120containing the B<KEYGEN> tag as part of the certificate enrollment
121process.
122
123The challenge string permits a primitive form of proof of possession
124of private key. By checking the SPKAC signature and a random challenge
125string some guarantee is given that the user knows the private key
126corresponding to the public key being certified. This is important in
127some applications. Without this it is possible for a previous SPKAC
128to be used in a "replay attack".
129
130=head1 SEE ALSO
131
132L<ca(1)|ca(1)>
133
134=cut
135