5 spkac - SPKAC printing and generating utility
13 [B<-challenge string>]
23 The B<spkac> command processes Netscape signed public key and challenge
24 (SPKAC) files. It can print out their contents, verify the signature and
25 produce its own SPKACs from a supplied private key.
27 =head1 COMMAND OPTIONS
33 This specifies the input filename to read from or standard input if this
34 option is not specified. Ignored if the B<-key> option is used.
36 =item B<-out filename>
38 specifies the output filename to write to or standard output by
43 create an SPKAC file using the private key in B<keyfile>. The
44 B<-in>, B<-noout>, B<-spksect> and B<-verify> options are ignored if
47 =item B<-challenge string>
49 specifies the challenge string if an SPKAC is being created.
51 =item B<-spkac spkacname>
53 allows an alternative name form the variable containing the
54 SPKAC. The default is "SPKAC". This option affects both
55 generated and input SPKAC files.
57 =item B<-spksect section>
59 allows an alternative name form the section containing the
60 SPKAC. The default is the default section.
64 don't output the text version of the SPKAC (not used if an
65 SPKAC is being created).
69 output the public key of an SPKAC (not used if an SPKAC is
74 verifies the digital signature on the supplied SPKAC.
81 Print out the contents of an SPKAC:
83 openssl spkac -in spkac.cnf
85 Verify the signature of an SPKAC:
87 openssl spkac -in spkac.cnf -noout -verify
89 Create an SPKAC using the challenge string "hello":
91 openssl spkac -key key.pem -challenge hello -out spkac.cnf
93 Example of an SPKAC, (long lines split up for clarity):
95 SPKAC=MIG5MGUwXDANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAANLADBIAkEA1cCoq2Wa3Ixs47uI7F\
96 PVwHVIPDx5yso105Y6zpozam135a8R0CpoRvkkigIyXfcCjiVi5oWk+6FfPaD03u\
97 PFoQIDAQABFgVoZWxsbzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQQFAANBAFpQtY/FojdwkJh1bEIYuc\
98 2EeM2KHTWPEepWYeawvHD0gQ3DngSC75YCWnnDdq+NQ3F+X4deMx9AaEglZtULwV\
103 A created SPKAC with suitable DN components appended can be fed into
106 SPKACs are typically generated by Netscape when a form is submitted
107 containing the B<KEYGEN> tag as part of the certificate enrollment
110 The challenge string permits a primitive form of proof of possession
111 of private key. By checking the SPKAC signature and a random challenge
112 string some guarantee is given that the user knows the private key
113 corresponding to the public key being certified. This is important in
114 some applications. Without this it is possible for a previous SPKAC
115 to be used in a "replay attack".