Provided by: openssl_1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.24_amd64 
NAME
openssl-ec, ec - EC key processing
SYNOPSIS
openssl ec [-help] [-inform PEM|DER] [-outform PEM|DER] [-in filename] [-passin arg] [-out filename]
[-passout arg] [-des] [-des3] [-idea] [-text] [-noout] [-param_out] [-pubin] [-pubout] [-conv_form arg]
[-param_enc arg] [-no_public] [-check] [-engine id]
DESCRIPTION
The ec command processes EC keys. They can be converted between various forms and their components
printed out. Note OpenSSL uses the private key format specified in 'SEC 1: Elliptic Curve Cryptography'
(http://www.secg.org/). To convert an OpenSSL EC private key into the PKCS#8 private key format use the
pkcs8 command.
OPTIONS
-help
Print out a usage message.
-inform DER|PEM
This specifies the input format. The DER option with a private key uses an ASN.1 DER encoded SEC1
private key. When used with a public key it uses the SubjectPublicKeyInfo structure as specified in
RFC 3280. The PEM form is the default format: it consists of the DER format base64 encoded with
additional header and footer lines. In the case of a private key PKCS#8 format is also accepted.
-outform DER|PEM
This specifies the output format, the options have the same meaning and default as the -inform
option.
-in filename
This specifies the input filename to read a key from or standard input if this option is not
specified. If the key is encrypted a pass phrase will be prompted for.
-passin arg
The input file password source. For more information about the format of arg see the PASS PHRASE
ARGUMENTS section in openssl(1).
-out filename
This specifies the output filename to write a key to or standard output by is not specified. If any
encryption options are set then a pass phrase will be prompted for. The output filename should not be
the same as the input filename.
-passout arg
The output file password source. For more information about the format of arg see the PASS PHRASE
ARGUMENTS section in openssl(1).
-des|-des3|-idea
These options encrypt the private key with the DES, triple DES, IDEA or any other cipher supported by
OpenSSL before outputting it. A pass phrase is prompted for. If none of these options is specified
the key is written in plain text. This means that using the ec utility to read in an encrypted key
with no encryption option can be used to remove the pass phrase from a key, or by setting the
encryption options it can be use to add or change the pass phrase. These options can only be used
with PEM format output files.
-text
Prints out the public, private key components and parameters.
-noout
This option prevents output of the encoded version of the key.
-pubin
By default, a private key is read from the input file. With this option a public key is read instead.
-pubout
By default a private key is output. With this option a public key will be output instead. This option
is automatically set if the input is a public key.
-conv_form
This specifies how the points on the elliptic curve are converted into octet strings. Possible values
are: compressed (the default value), uncompressed and hybrid. For more information regarding the
point conversion forms please read the X9.62 standard. Note Due to patent issues the compressed
option is disabled by default for binary curves and can be enabled by defining the preprocessor macro
OPENSSL_EC_BIN_PT_COMP at compile time.
-param_enc arg
This specifies how the elliptic curve parameters are encoded. Possible value are: named_curve, i.e.
the ec parameters are specified by an OID, or explicit where the ec parameters are explicitly given
(see RFC 3279 for the definition of the EC parameters structures). The default value is named_curve.
Note the implicitlyCA alternative, as specified in RFC 3279, is currently not implemented in OpenSSL.
-no_public
This option omits the public key components from the private key output.
-check
This option checks the consistency of an EC private or public key.
-engine id
Specifying an engine (by its unique id string) will cause ec to attempt to obtain a functional
reference to the specified engine, thus initialising it if needed. The engine will then be set as the
default for all available algorithms.
NOTES
The PEM private key format uses the header and footer lines:
-----BEGIN EC PRIVATE KEY-----
-----END EC PRIVATE KEY-----
The PEM public key format uses the header and footer lines:
-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
-----END PUBLIC KEY-----
EXAMPLES
To encrypt a private key using triple DES:
openssl ec -in key.pem -des3 -out keyout.pem
To convert a private key from PEM to DER format:
openssl ec -in key.pem -outform DER -out keyout.der
To print out the components of a private key to standard output:
openssl ec -in key.pem -text -noout
To just output the public part of a private key:
openssl ec -in key.pem -pubout -out pubkey.pem
To change the parameters encoding to explicit:
openssl ec -in key.pem -param_enc explicit -out keyout.pem
To change the point conversion form to compressed:
openssl ec -in key.pem -conv_form compressed -out keyout.pem
SEE ALSO
ecparam(1), dsa(1), rsa(1)
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2003-2019 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.
Licensed under the OpenSSL license (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>.
1.1.1f 2025-02-05 EC(1SSL)