mail_crypt_global_private_key: Couldn't parse private key: Unknown/invalid PEM key type

[Antti Antinoja]

Got it! My private test key was in wrong format.

Cheers,
Antti

On Sat, 20 Feb 2021 14:15:07 +0800
Antti Antinoja <reader at fennosys.fi> wrote:

> Version: Dovecot 2.3.13 (89f716dc2)
> 
> Issue: Dovecot states it can't parse the private key
> 
> = Background =
> 
> == Creating private EC key ==
> 
> * Curve: secp521r1
> * Encryption: aes-256-ctr
> * Format: pkey
> * Enacapsulation: Base64
> 
>   # openssl ecparam -name secp521r1 -genkey | openssl pkey |\
>     openssl ec -aes-256-ctr | base64 -w0 > test_keys_remove/private_key_encrypted.pem
> 
> == Extract public key ==
> 
>   # cat test_keys_remove/private_key_encrypted.pem | base64 -d |\
>     openssl ec -pubout | base64 -w0 > test_keys_remove/public_key.pem
> 
> == Checking keys ==
> 
> * 592 Feb 20 07:27 private_key_encrypted.pem:
> 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
> 
> * 360 Feb 20 07:28 public_key.pem:
> LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBQVUJMSUMgS0VZLS0tLS0KTUlHYk1CQUdCeXFHU000OUFnRUdCU3VCQkFBakE0R0dBQVFBK2w2M0ZIckpuT0dPZ1lDTG5PRVpOaHpSdW5YWgpoMHd5dTNPS1VzSEozUDJPVWxNWmxKOFFjZTF0SExUTWFxMWxkOTIwbkdJQmo1TGNYUklVdWRweElTd0I2Tld0Ck1TWncrZFBEUVRjc0hQMFRqWUh5Njl4d25BZHV4ZHZYdnh0Uk5TRzZGNlJPUnR0L2t2ekk3bWRPM0NpQ1FyMTQKTjZWalZyYWVpaXZkR2dPQ250bz0KLS0tLS1FTkQgUFVCTElDIEtFWS0tLS0tCg==
> 
> == Notes ==
> 
> * The keys are then saved in database and fetched to userdb by Dovecot via passdb lookup (Details in the logs)
> * mail-crypt settings:
> 
>     mail_plugins = $mail_plugins mail_crypt
>     plugin {
>         mail_crypt_curve = secp521r1
>         mail_crypt_save_version = 0
>     }
> 
> * Note: User record on database has mail_crypt_save_version = 2 as can be seen from the log extract below.
> 
> = Dovecot log on client IMAP message retrieval =
> 
> Feb 20 07:45:01 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: sql(test1 at g1.fi,x.x.x.x,<wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>): Performing passdb lookup
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: sql(test1 at g1.fi,x.x.x.x,<wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>): Finished passdb lookup
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: auth(test1 at g1.fi,x.x.x.x,<wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>): Auth request finished
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: client passdb out: OK  1       user=test1 at g1.fi        
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: sql(test1 at g1.fi,x.x.x.x,<wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>): Performing userdb lookup
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: sql(test1 at g1.fi,x.x.x.x,<wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>): Finished userdb lookup
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: auth: Debug: master userdb out: USER        1609957377      test1 at g1.fi     mail_crypt_global_private_password=key_pass_we_know_this_is_correct mail_crypt_global_private_key=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  mail_crypt_global_public_key=LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBQVUJMSUMgS0VZLS0tLS0KTUlHYk1CQUdCeXFHU000OUFnRUdCU3VCQkFBakE0R0dBQVFBK2w2M0ZIckpuT0dPZ1lDTG5PRVpOaHpSdW5YWgpoMHd5dTNPS1VzSEozUDJPVWxNWmxKOFFjZTF0SExUT
>  WFxMWxkOTIwbkdJQmo1TGNYUklVdWRweElTd0I2Tld0Ck1TWncrZFBEUVRjc0hQMFRqWUh5Njl4d25BZHV4ZHZYdnh0Uk5TRzZGNlJPUnR0L2t2ekk3bWRPM0NpQ1FyMTQKTjZWalZyYWVpaXZkR2dPQ250bz0KLS0tLS1FTkQgUFVCTElDIEtFWS0tLS0tCg==   mail_crypt_save_version=2       quota_rule=*:bytes=0    home=/var/vmail/g1.fi/test1     uid=10000       gid=10000       auth_mech=PLAIN auth_token=66d2d0f66bcce2758235fb53dbfe821804c6e79c
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap-login: Login: user=<test1 at g1.fi>, method=PLAIN, rip=x.x.x.x, lip=y.y,y,y, mpid=19618, TLS, session=<wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap(test1 at g1.fi)<19618><wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>: Debug: Added userdb setting: plugin/mail_crypt_global_private_key=LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBFQyBQUklWQVRFIEtFWS0tLS0tClByb2MtVHlwZTogNCxFTkNSWVBURUQKREVLLUluZm86IEFFUy0yNTYtQ1RSLEY3QzRCMUU3MDQxRDBBNDU1QjFGOUUwODA0NkRBNDAxCgpQdGE4T0F0QTN1anYwdlNNY3RpSGlUZDJqMEdTU2R6VjU3UUdtVXdDTU1RcDdRb3FCSHQvZERNRVBiUEY1bEcxCmowUER1NS9GVnVUdFVsUlpTMTYrTlNXaW9yZ2t2VkhUaDMrNDd0eC91dmlRd1FQLzQzdEVhRnBmNzdTQVpsRHcKeEIyU2pNNFp2MWhkU3BqeFdER0dKRkJEdi8yL2RqOVVwVHh3a0F3dVgrUVFoUmxWelN5cjBCQVhHOXlPcS9HVAp3czhRNUdldnp2SEdoMVl5UGdwTDlqdGJpekdJYTRVUzBmN2hFZkdHSGZKLzNSSWR6MHhlaWh2OEdhMGh1ajQ4CmRTL1FTY0U3QnYrWW16emNnMmRsdlk5Nkc1eFJJT3dCOEFEd1IvbHdidz09Ci0tLS0tRU5EIEVDIFBSSVZBVEUgS0VZLS0tLS0K
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap(test1 at g1.fi)<19618><wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>: Debug: Added userdb setting: plugin/mail_crypt_global_private_password=<hidden>
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap(test1 at g1.fi)<19618><wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>: Debug: Added userdb setting: plugin/mail_crypt_global_public_key=LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBQVUJMSUMgS0VZLS0tLS0KTUlHYk1CQUdCeXFHU000OUFnRUdCU3VCQkFBakE0R0dBQVFBK2w2M0ZIckpuT0dPZ1lDTG5PRVpOaHpSdW5YWgpoMHd5dTNPS1VzSEozUDJPVWxNWmxKOFFjZTF0SExUTWFxMWxkOTIwbkdJQmo1TGNYUklVdWRweElTd0I2Tld0Ck1TWncrZFBEUVRjc0hQMFRqWUh5Njl4d25BZHV4ZHZYdnh0Uk5TRzZGNlJPUnR0L2t2ekk3bWRPM0NpQ1FyMTQKTjZWalZyYWVpaXZkR2dPQ250bz0KLS0tLS1FTkQgUFVCTElDIEtFWS0tLS0tCg==
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap(test1 at g1.fi)<19618><wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>: Debug: Added userdb setting: plugin/=2
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap(test1 at g1.fi)<19618><wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>: Debug: Added userdb setting: plugin/quota_rule=*:bytes=0
> Feb 20 07:45:02 pf1 dovecot[19612]: imap(test1 at g1.fi)<19618><wFzVEb67CMQKZgkb>: Error: mail_crypt_plugin: mail_crypt_global_private_key: Couldn't parse private key: Unknown/invalid PEM key type
> 
> == Question ==
> 
> Any idea why Dovecot can't parse the private key?
> 
> I tested this with several keys. Even with some without encryption -> Always same error.
> 
> According to the debug messages the private key is correctly loaded (and indeed matches the one created on command line).
> 
> Thank you for your time.
> 
> Cheers,
> Antti
> 
> -- 
> Antti Antinoja <reader at fennosys.fi>


-- 
Antti Antinoja <reader at fennosys.fi>