Possible Conversion of PEM to OpenSSH Private Key Format without Salt?

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss how to convert a Private Key in the PEM OpenSSH format without using a salt. The process involves making a copy of the key and using the ssh-keygen command.

Background

The Private Key in the PEM (Privacy-Enhanced Mail) format is a popular format used in OpenSSH. It is encrypted using a passphrase and stored as a single file. Sometimes, it becomes necessary to convert a PEM private key to another format, such as the PKCS8 format, which is commonly used by some applications. In such cases, the ssh-keygen command can be used to convert the key.

Converting a PEM Private Key without Salt

To convert a PEM private key without using a salt, follow these steps:

1. Make a copy of the private key file:

$ cp private_key.pem new_private_key.pem

2. Use the ssh-keygen command to convert the key:

$ ssh-keygen -p -f new_private_key.pem -o outfile.pem

Here, new_private_key.pem is the name of the original private key file, and outfile.pem is the name of the output file where you want to save the converted key.

3. Enter a new passphrase when prompted:

You will be prompted to enter a new passphrase for the converted key. Make sure to remember this passphrase as you will need it to use the key.

In this article, we learned how to convert a PEM OpenSSH private key to another format without using a salt. We used the ssh-keygen command to make a copy of the key and convert it to the desired format while entering a new passphrase.