OPENSSL-GENDSA(1SSL)

📦
version 4.0.3 · 13 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

💖 OPENSSL-GENDSA 💖

okay bestie, welcome to openssl-gendsa — the OpenSSL command that generates a DSA private key from a set of parameters. that's it, that's the whole gig. she's a one-job girlie and she does that job flawlessly. 🎀

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

openssl gendsa [-help] [-out filename] [-passout arg] [-aes128]
[-aes192] [-aes256] [-aria128] [-aria192] [-aria256] [-camellia128]
[-camellia192] [-camellia256] [-des] [-des3] [-idea] [-verbose] [-quiet]
[-rand files] [-writerand file] [-provider name] [-provider-path path]
[-provparam [name:]key=value] [-propquery propq] [paramfile]

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so like, this command takes a DSA parameter file and turns it into a full-on DSA private key. where do the parameters come from? typically from the openssl-dsaparam(1) command, bestie. she hands you the params, gendsa hands you the key. it's giving teamwork. 🫶

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • -help — prints a usage message so you know what's up. classic.
  • -out filename — drops the key into the file you name. no filename? then she just writes it straight to standard output. main character energy either way. ✨
  • -passout arg — the passphrase for the output file. head over to openssl-passphrase-options(1) for the full tea on how to pass it.
  • -aes128, -aes192, -aes256, -aria128, -aria192, -aria256, -camellia128, -camellia192, -camellia256, -des, -des3, -idea — these encrypt your private key with the cipher you picked before it gets written out. you'll get prompted for a pass phrase. and if you don't pick any of these? no encryption at all, key goes out raw. 🙈
⚠️ heads up bestie: all options must be given before the paramfile argument. put them after and it's not gonna vibe. periodt.
  • -verbose — spills extra details about what's happening under the hood. nosy, but make it useful. 🔥
  • -quiet — the opposite vibe: fewer details about the operations, which is lowkey handy during batch scripts and pipelines. 🤫
  • -rand files, -writerand file — see "Random State Options" in openssl(1) for the details, iykyk.
  • paramfile — the DSA parameter file you're using. the parameters inside decide the size of your private key. you can generate and examine DSA parameters with the openssl-dsaparam(1) command. no cap.
  • -provider name, -provider-path path, -provparam [name:]key=value, -propquery propq — see "Provider Options" in openssl(1), plus provider(7) and property(7). the provider lore runs deep. 🧚

📝 NOTES 📝

ngl, DSA key generation is little more than random number generation, so it is much quicker than RSA key generation, for example. fastest glow-up in the game. ⚡

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

openssl(1), openssl-genpkey(1), openssl-dsaparam(1), openssl-dsa(1), openssl-genrsa(1), openssl-rsa(1)

🦋 HISTORY 🦋

the -engine option was removed in OpenSSL 4.0. rip to a real one. 💀

Copyright 2000-2023 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 <https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.

okay that's the whole page bestie, you ate that 🍓 this was OpenSSL version 4.0.3, dated 2026-09-29, from the man page OPENSSL-GENDSA(1SSL) — go generate some keys and slay 💜✨

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