## Name

dnssec-signzone — DNSSEC zone signing tool

## Synopsis

`dnssec-signzone` [`-a`] [`-c `class``] [`-d `directory``] [`-e `end-time``] [`-f `output-file``] [`-g`] [`-h`] [`-k `key``] [`-l `domain``] [`-i `interval``] [`-I `input-format``] [`-j `jitter``] [`-N `soa-serial-format``] [`-o `origin``] [`-O `output-format``] [`-p`] [`-P`] [`-r `randomdev``] [`-s `start-time``] [`-t`] [`-v `level``] [`-z`] [`-3 `salt``] [`-H `iterations``] [`-A`] {zonefile} [key...]

## DESCRIPTION

dnssec-signzone signs a zone. It generates NSEC and RRSIG records and produces a signed version of the zone. It also generates a `keyset-` file containing the key-signing keys for the zone, and if signing a zone which contains delegations, it can optionally generate DS records for the child zones from their `keyset-` files.

## OPTIONS

-a

  Verify all generated signatures.

-c `class`

  Specifies the DNS class of the zone.

-k `key`

  Treat specified key as a key signing key ignoring any key flags. This option may be specified multiple times.

-l `domain`

  Generate a DLV set in addition to the key (DNSKEY) and DS sets. The domain is appended to the name of the records.

-d `directory`

  Look for `keyset` files in `directory` as the directory

-g

  If the zone contains any delegations, and there are `keyset-` files for any of the child zones, then DS records for the child zones will be generated from the keys in those files. Existing DS records will be removed.

-s `start-time`

  Specify the date and time when the generated RRSIG records become valid. This can be either an absolute or relative time. An absolute start time is indicated by a number in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS notation; 20000530144500 denotes 14:45:00 UTC on May 30th, 2000. A relative start time is indicated by +N, which is N seconds from the current time. If no `start-time` is specified, the current time minus 1 hour (to allow for clock skew) is used.

-e `end-time`

  Specify the date and time when the generated RRSIG records expire. As with `start-time`, an absolute time is indicated in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS notation. A time relative to the start time is indicated with +N, which is N seconds from the start time. A time relative to the current time is indicated with now+N. If no `end-time` is specified, 30 days from the start time is used as a default.

-f `output-file`

  The name of the output file containing the signed zone. The default is to append `.signed` to the input filename.

-h

  Prints a short summary of the options and arguments to dnssec-signzone.

-i `interval`

  When a previously-signed zone is passed as input, records may be resigned. The `interval` option specifies the cycle interval as an offset from the current time (in seconds). If a RRSIG record expires after the cycle interval, it is retained. Otherwise, it is considered to be expiring soon, and it will be replaced.

  The default cycle interval is one quarter of the difference between the signature end and start times. So if neither `end-time` or `start-time` are specified, dnssec-signzone generates signatures that are valid for 30 days, with a cycle interval of 7.5 days. Therefore, if any existing RRSIG records are due to expire in less than 7.5 days, they would be replaced.

-I `input-format`

  The format of the input zone file. Possible formats are "text" (default) and "raw". This option is primarily intended to be used for dynamic signed zones so that the dumped zone file in a non-text format containing updates can be signed directly. The use of this option does not make much sense for non-dynamic zones.

-j `jitter`

  When signing a zone with a fixed signature lifetime, all RRSIG records issued at the time of signing expires simultaneously. If the zone is incrementally signed, i.e. a previously-signed zone is passed as input to the signer, all expired signatures have to be regenerated at about the same time. The `jitter` option specifies a jitter window that will be used to randomize the signature expire time, thus spreading incremental signature regeneration over time.

  Signature lifetime jitter also to some extent benefits validators and servers by spreading out cache expiration, i.e. if large numbers of RRSIGs don't expire at the same time from all caches there will be less congestion than if all validators need to refetch at mostly the same time.

-n `ncpus`

  Specifies the number of threads to use. By default, one thread is started for each detected CPU.

-N `soa-serial-format`

  The SOA serial number format of the signed zone. Possible formats are "keep" (default), "increment" and "unixtime".

  "keep"

    Do not modify the SOA serial number.

  "increment"

    Increment the SOA serial number using RFC 1982 arithmetics.

  "unixtime"

    Set the SOA serial number to the number of seconds since epoch.

-o `origin`

  The zone origin. If not specified, the name of the zone file is assumed to be the origin.

-O `output-format`

  The format of the output file containing the signed zone. Possible formats are "text" (default) and "raw".

-p

  Use pseudo-random data when signing the zone. This is faster, but less secure, than using real random data. This option may be useful when signing large zones or when the entropy source is limited.

-P

  Disable post sign verification tests.

  The post sign verification test ensures that for each algorithm in use there is at least one non revoked self signed KSK key, that all revoked KSK keys are self signed, and that all records in the zone are signed by the algorithm. This option skips these tests.

-r `randomdev`

  Specifies the source of randomness. If the operating system does not provide a `/dev/random` or equivalent device, the default source of randomness is keyboard input. `randomdev` specifies the name of a character device or file containing random data to be used instead of the default. The special value `keyboard` indicates that keyboard input should be used.

-t

  Print statistics at completion.

-v `level`

  Sets the debugging level.

-z

  Ignore KSK flag on key when determining what to sign.

-3 `salt`

  Generate a NSEC3 chain with the given hex encoded salt. A dash (`salt`) can be used to indicate that no salt is to be used when generating the NSEC3 chain.

-H `iterations`

  When generating a NSEC3 chain use this many interations. The default is 100.

-A

  When generating a NSEC3 chain set the OPTOUT flag on all NSEC3 records and do not generate NSEC3 records for insecure delegations.

zonefile

  The file containing the zone to be signed.

key

  Specify which keys should be used to sign the zone. If no keys are specified, then the zone will be examined for DNSKEY records at the zone apex. If these are found and there are matching private keys, in the current directory, then these will be used for signing.

## EXAMPLE

The following command signs the `example.com` zone with the DSA key generated by dnssec-keygen (Kexample.com.+003+17247). The zone's keys must be in the master file (`db.example.com`). This invocation looks for `keyset` files, in the current directory, so that DS records can be generated from them (-g).

    % dnssec-signzone -g -o example.com db.example.com \
    Kexample.com.+003+17247
    db.example.com.signed
    %

In the above example, dnssec-signzone creates the file `db.example.com.signed`. This file should be referenced in a zone statement in a `named.conf` file.

This example re-signs a previously signed zone with default parameters. The private keys are assumed to be in the current directory.

    % cp db.example.com.signed db.example.com
    % dnssec-signzone -o example.com db.example.com
    db.example.com.signed
    %

## KNOWN BUGS

dnssec-signzone was designed so that it could sign a zone partially, using only a subset of the DNSSEC keys needed to produce a fully-signed zone. This permits a zone administrator, for example, to sign a zone with one key on one machine, move the resulting partially-signed zone to a second machine, and sign it again with a second key.

An unfortunate side-effect of this flexibility is that dnssec-signzone does not check to make sure it's signing a zone with any valid keys at all. An attempt to sign a zone without any keys will appear to succeed, producing a "signed" zone with no signatures. There is no warning issued when a zone is not fully signed.

This will be corrected in a future release. In the meantime, ISC recommends examining the output of dnssec-signzone to confirm that the zone is properly signed by all keys before using it.

## SEE ALSO

dnssec-keygen(8), BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual, RFC 4033.

## AUTHOR

Internet Systems Consortium