key
What is a .key file?
application/x-pem-file
A .key file holds a private key, usually PEM-encoded in PKCS#8 (BEGIN PRIVATE KEY) or a key-type-specific format. It is the secret half of a TLS or SSH identity and must normally be protected. The examples here are published, sample-only keys that must never be used in production.
How to use a .key file
Use an example .key to test PEM key parsers, PKCS#8 decoders, and key-format converters (for example PEM to DER or OpenSSH). These are deliberately published sample keys, for parser testing only, never for real use.
Download example .key files
- RSA 2048 Private Key (PEM)A 2048-bit RSA private key in unencrypted PKCS#8 PEM: a deliberately PUBLISHED, sample-only key for testing PEM key parsers and PKCS#8 decoders. Never use it for anything real.
- Ed25519 Private Key (PEM)An Ed25519 private key in PKCS#8 PEM, derived from a fixed seed: a published, sample-only modern elliptic-curve key for testing PEM parsers and Ed25519 tooling. Never use it for real.
- RSA-2048 Private Key (PEM): SAMPLEPublished SAMPLE RSA-2048 private key (PKCS#8 PEM). Never use for a real identity.
- Ed25519 Private Key (PEM): SAMPLEDeterministic SAMPLE Ed25519 private key for SSH/TLS tooling tests.
- Encrypted PKCS#8 RSA Key: SAMPLEPassword-encrypted SAMPLE PKCS#8 private key (password printed in specs) for decrypt-import tests.
- SAMPLE RSA Private Key: PKCS#8, UnencryptedThe SAMPLE leaf's RSA-2048 key in unencrypted PKCS#8 (BEGIN PRIVATE KEY): the modern default and the pair to the PKCS#1 twin beside it. It is deliberately published; treat it as public.
- SAMPLE RSA Private Key: PKCS#1, UnencryptedThe identical key material wrapped in the legacy PKCS#1 container (BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY), which omits the algorithm OID that PKCS#8 carries. Diff it against its PKCS#8 twin to see exactly what a container migration changes.
- SAMPLE RSA Private Key: PKCS#8, EncryptedThe SAMPLE leaf key under PKCS#8 password encryption (BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY, PBES2), password `novus-p7-sample-pkcs8`. Encryption metadata lives inside the ASN.1 here, not in PEM headers: the opposite of the PKCS#1 twin.
and 4 more in the library.