---
name: "openvpn-vulnkey"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "openvpn-blacklist"
version: "0.5"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/openvpn-vulnkey"
---

# openvpn-vulnkey(1)

check blacklist of compromised keys

## NAME

**openvpn-vulnkey** – check blacklist of compromised keys

## SYNOPSIS

**openvpn-vulnkey** \[**-q**\] *file* *...*

## DESCRIPTION

**openvpn-vulnkey** checks a key against a blacklist of compromised keys.

A substantial number of keys are known to have been generated using a broken version of OpenSSL distributed by Debian which failed to seed its random number generator correctly. Keys generated using these OpenSSL versions should be assumed to be compromised. This tool may be useful in checking for such OpenVPN shared static keys. See [openssl-vulnkey(1)](/openssl-vulnkey/1.md) for details on checking SSL/TLS certificates.

Keys that are compromised cannot be repaired; replacements must be generated using  [openvpn(8)](/openvpn/8.md). Shared keys can be regenerated with:

```
$ openvpn --genkey --secret file
```

The options are as follows:

- **-q**

  Quiet mode. [openvpn-vulnkey(1)](/openvpn-vulnkey/1.md). Normally, **openvpn-vulnkey** outputs the fingerprint of each key scanned, with a description of its status. This option suppresses that output.

## BLACKLIST MD5SUM FORMAT

The blacklist file may start with comments, on lines starting with “#”. After these initial comments, it must follow a strict format:

- Each line must consist of the lower-case hexadecimal MD5 key fingerprint, and with the first 12 characters removed (that is, the least significant 80 bits of the fingerprint).

The key fingerprint may be generated using

```
$ cat file.pem | sed '/^[^0-9a-f]/d' | md5sum | cut -d ' ' -f 1
```

This strict format is necessary to allow the blacklist file to be checked quickly.

## SEE ALSO

[openvpn(8)](/openvpn/8.md) [openssl-vulnkey(1)](/openssl-vulnkey/1.md)

## AUTHORS

Jamie Strandboge ⟨jamie@ubuntu.com⟩

Much of this manpage is based on Colin Watson's [ssh-vulnkey(1)](/ssh-vulnkey/1.md)