VB.NET

Generate DSA SSH Key

See more SSH Key Examples

Generates a DSA SSH key and saves to various public and private key file formats (OpenSSH and PuTTY). VB.NET

Dim success As Boolean = False

Dim key As New Chilkat.SshKey

Dim numBits As Integer

' numBits should be a minimum of 1024 and
' a multiple of 64.  Typical values are
' 1024 or 2048. 
numBits = 2048
success = key.GenerateDsaKey(numBits)
If (success <> True) Then
    Debug.WriteLine("Invalid numBits passed to DSA key generation method.")
    Exit Sub
End If


' Note: Generating a public/private key pair is CPU intensive
' and may take a short amount of time (more than few seconds,
' but less than a minute).

Dim exportedKey As String
Dim exportEncrypted As Boolean

' Export the DSA private key to OpenSSH, PuTTY, and XML and save. 
exportEncrypted = False
exportedKey = key.ToOpenSshPrivateKey(exportEncrypted)
' Chilkat provides a SaveText method for convenience...
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"privkey_openssh_unencrypted.pem")

' Export with encryption to OpenSSH private key format:
key.Password = "secret"
exportEncrypted = True
exportedKey = key.ToOpenSshPrivateKey(exportEncrypted)
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"privkey_openssh_encrypted.pem")

' Export the DSA private key to unencrypted PuTTY format:
exportEncrypted = False
exportedKey = key.ToPuttyPrivateKey(exportEncrypted)
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"privkey_putty_unencrypted.ppk")

' Export the DSA private key to encrypted PuTTY format:
key.Password = "secret"
exportEncrypted = True
exportedKey = key.ToPuttyPrivateKey(exportEncrypted)
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"privkey_putty_encrypted.ppk")

' Export private key to XML:
exportedKey = key.ToXml()
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"privkey.xml")

' ----------------------------------------------------
' Now for the public key....
' ----------------------------------------------------

' The Secure Shell (SSH) Public Key File Format
' is documented in RFC 4716.
exportedKey = key.ToRfc4716PublicKey()
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"pubkey_rfc4716.pub")

' OpenSSH has a separate public-key file format, which 
' is also supported by Chilkat SshKey:
exportedKey = key.ToOpenSshPublicKey()
success = key.SaveText(exportedKey,"pubkey_openSsh.pub")

Debug.WriteLine("Finished.")