Man page - ipsec-showhostkey(8)

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Manual

IPSEC-SHOWHOSTKEY(8) Executable programs IPSEC-SHOWHOSTKEY(8)

ipsec-showhostkey - show host's authentication key

ipsec showhostkey [--verbose] {--version | --list | --dump | --left | --right | --ipseckey | --pem}
[--ckaid ckaid | --rsaid rsaid]
[--gateway gateway] [--precedence precedence]
[--nssdir nssdir] [--password password]

Showhostkey outputs (on standard output) a public key suitable for this host, in the format specified, using the host key information stored in the NSS database.

In general, since only the super-user can access the NSS database, only the super-user can display the public key information.

--version

Print the libreswan version, then exit.

--verbose

Increase the verbosity.

--nssdir nssdir

Specify the libreswan directory that contains the NSS database (default /var/lib/ipsec/nss).

--password password

Specify the password to use when accessing the NSS database (default contained in /etc/ipsec.d/nsspassword).

--list

List the private keys.

--dump

List, with more details, the private keys.

--ckaid ckaid

Select the public key to display using the NSS ckaid.

--rsaid rsaid

Select the public key to display using the RSA key ID.

--pem

Print the selected public key in PEM encoded ASN.1 format.

--left, --right

Print the selected public key in ipsec.conf(5) format, as a leftrsasigkey or rightrsasigkey parameter respectively. For example, --left might give (with the key data trimmed down for clarity):

leftrsasigkey=0sAQOF8tZ2...+buFuFn/

--ipseckey

Print the selected public key in a format suitable for use as opportunistic-encryption DNS IPSECKEY record format (RFC 4025). A gateway can be specified with the --gateway, which currently supports IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. For the host name, the value returned by gethostname is used, with a . appended.

For example, --ipseckey --gateway 10.11.12.13 might give (with the key data trimmed for clarity):

IN IPSECKEY 10 1 2 10.11.12.13 AQOF8tZ2...+buFuFn/"

--gateway gateway

For --ipseckey, specify the gateway to display with the DNS IPSECKEY record.

--precedence precedence

For --ipseckey, specify the precedence to display with the DNS IPSECKEY record.

A complaint about “no pubkey line found” indicates that the host has a key but it was generated with an old version of FreeS/WAN and does not contain the information that showhostkey needs.

/var/lib/ipsec/nss, /etc/ipsec.d/nsspassword

ipsec.conf(5), ipsec-rsasigkey(8), ipsec-newhostkey(8)

Written for the Linux FreeS/WAN project <https://www.freeswan.org> by Henry Spencer. Updated by Paul Wouters for the IPSECKEY format.

Arguably, rather than just reporting the no-IN-KEY-line-found problem, showhostkey should be smart enough to run the existing key through rsasigkey with the --oldkey option, to generate a suitable output line.

Paul Wouters

05/04/2025 Libreswan 5.2