openssl/doc/crypto/RSA_generate_key.pod

=pod

=head1 NAME

RSA_generate_key_ex, RSA_generate_key - generate RSA key pair

=head1 SYNOPSIS

 #include <openssl/rsa.h>

 int RSA_generate_key_ex(RSA *rsa, int bits, BIGNUM *e, BN_GENCB *cb);

Deprecated:

 RSA *RSA_generate_key(int num, unsigned long e,
    void (*callback)(int,int,void *), void *cb_arg);

=head1 DESCRIPTION

RSA_generate_key_ex() generates a key pair and stores it in the B<RSA>
structure provided in B<rsa>. The pseudo-random number generator must
be seeded prior to calling RSA_generate_key_ex().

The modulus size will be of length B<bits>, and the public exponent will be
B<e>. Key sizes with B<num> E<lt> 1024 should be considered insecure.
The exponent is an odd number, typically 3, 17 or 65537.

A callback function may be used to provide feedback about the
progress of the key generation. If B<cb> is not B<NULL>, it
will be called as follows using the BN_GENCB_call() function
described on the L<BN_generate_prime(3)|BN_generate_prime(3)> page.

=over 4

=item *

While a random prime number is generated, it is called as
described in L<BN_generate_prime(3)|BN_generate_prime(3)>.

=item *

When the n-th randomly generated prime is rejected as not
suitable for the key, B<BN_GENCB_call(cb, 2, n)> is called.

=item *

When a random p has been found with p-1 relatively prime to B<e>,
it is called as B<BN_GENCB_call(cb, 3, 0)>.

=back

The process is then repeated for prime q with B<BN_GENCB_call(cb, 3, 1)>.

RSA_generate_key is deprecated (new applications should use
RSA_generate_key_ex instead). RSA_generate_key works in the same way as
RSA_generate_key_ex except it uses "old style" call backs. See
L<BN_generate_prime(3)|BN_generate_prime(3)> for further details.

=head1 RETURN VALUE

If key generation fails, RSA_generate_key() returns B<NULL>.

The error codes can be obtained by L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>.

=head1 BUGS

B<BN_GENCB_call(cb, 2, x)> is used with two different meanings.

RSA_generate_key() goes into an infinite loop for illegal input values.

=head1 SEE ALSO

L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>, L<rand(3)|rand(3)>, L<rsa(3)|rsa(3)>,
L<RSA_free(3)|RSA_free(3)>, L<BN_generate_prime(3)|BN_generate_prime(3)>

=head1 HISTORY

The B<cb_arg> argument was added in SSLeay 0.9.0.

=cut