---
name: "skeyprune"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/skeyprune"
---

# skeyprune(8)

prune zeroed and old entries from S/Key database

## NAME

**skeyprune** – prune zeroed and old entries from S/Key database

## SYNOPSIS

**skeyprune** \[*days*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**skeyprune** searches through the S/Key database, */etc/skey*, and prunes out entries that have been zeroed out via [skeyinit(1)](/skeyinit/1.md) as well as entries that have not been modified in *days* days. If *days* is not specified, only invalid entries are pruned.

If a malformed entry is encountered, or if the file mode/type is incorrect, an error is printed to the standard error.

## FILES

- */etc/skey*

  directory containing S/Key user entries

## DIAGNOSTICS

The following errors are cause for concern.

- Can't cd to /etc/skey

  The S/Key database directory, */etc/skey*, does not exist. The superuser may create it by running “skeyinit -E”.

- Can't open user

  The user's entry was found in */etc/skey* but it could not be opened.

- user is not a regular file

  The user's entry is not a regular file.

- Bad mode for user

  The user's entry had a bad file mode (should be 0600).

- Bad link count for user.

  The user's entry had a bad link count (should be 1).

- Invalid entry for user

  The user's entry was not of the correct format, as specified by [skey(5)](/skey/5.md).

## SEE ALSO

[skey(1)](/skey/1.md), [skeyinit(1)](/skeyinit/1.md), [skey(5)](/skey/5.md)