---
name: "lsh-writekey"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "lsh-utils"
version: "2.1-13+b1"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lsh-writekey"
---

# lsh-writekey(1)

Keypair split/store handler.

## NAME

lsh-writekey - Keypair split/store handler.

## SYNOPSIS

**lsh-writekey** \[*OPTION*...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**CAUTION! The information in this manpage may be invalid or outdated. For authorative** **information on lsh, please see it's Texinfo manual (see the** *SEE ALSO* **section).**

Splits a keypair in one private and one public file, optionally encrypting the private file using a passphrase.

Common usage is to pipe the output from lsh-keygen into this program.

## OPTIONS

- **-c**, **--crypto**=*Algorithm*

  Encryption algorithm for the private key file.

- **-i**, **--iteration-count**=*PKCS*#5 iteration count

  Default is 1500

- **-l**, **--label**=*Text*

  Unencrypted label for the key.

**-o**, **--output-file**=*Filename* Default is ~/.lsh/identity

**-p**, **--passphrase**=*Password*

- **--server**

  Use the server's seed-file, and change the default output file to /etc/lsh\_host\_key'.

- **--debug**

  Print huge amounts of debug information

- **--log-file**=*File* name

  Append messages to this file.

- **-q**, **--quiet**

  Suppress all warnings and diagnostic messages

- **--trace**

  Detailed trace

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Verbose diagnostic messages

- \-?, **--help**

  Give this help list

- **--usage**

  Give a short usage message

- **-V**, **--version**

  Print program version

Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional for any corresponding short options.

## DIAGNOSTICS

See the  **--verbose** , **--trace** and  **--debug** options.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to \<bug-lsh@gnu.org\>.

## COPYING

The lsh suite of programs is distributed under the GNU General Public License; see the COPYING and AUTHORS files in the source distribution for details.

## AUTHOR

The lsh program suite is written mainly by Niels Möller \<nisse@lysator.liu.se\>.

This man-page was written for lsh 2.0 by Pontus Freyhult \<pont\_lsh@soua.net\>, it is based on a template written by J.H.M. Dassen (Ray) \<jdassen@wi.LeidenUniv.nl\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**DSA**(5)](/DSA/5.md), [**lsh**(1)](/lsh/1.md), [**lsh-authorize**(1)](/lsh-authorize/1.md), [**lsh-decode-key**(1)](/lsh-decode-key/1.md), [**lsh-export-key**(1)](/lsh-export-key/1.md), [**lsh-keygen**(1)](/lsh-keygen/1.md), [**lsh-make-seed**(1)](/lsh-make-seed/1.md), [**lsh-upgrade**(1)](/lsh-upgrade/1.md), [**lsh-upgrade-key**(1)](/lsh-upgrade-key/1.md), [**lshd**(8)](/lshd/8.md), [**secsh**(5)](/secsh/5.md), [**SHA**(5)](/SHA/5.md), [**SPKI**(5)](/SPKI/5.md), [**ssh-conv**(1)](/ssh-conv/1.md)

The full documentation for **lsh** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **lsh** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

-

  **info lsh**

should give you access to the complete manual.