This document is about PowerDNS 4.0. For other versions, please see the documentation index.

NAME

pdnsutil - PowerDNS dnssec command and control

SYNOPSIS

pdnsutil [OPTION]... COMMAND

DESCRIPTION

pdnsutil (formerly pdnssec) is a powerful command that is the operator-friendly gateway into DNSSEC and zone management for PowerDNS. Behind the scenes, pdnsutil manipulates a PowerDNS backend database, which also means that for many databases, pdnsutil can be run remotely, and can configure key material on different servers.

OPTIONS

-h | -help : Show summary of options

-v | --verbose : Be more verbose.

--force : force an action

--config-name NAME : Virtual configuration name

--config-dir DIR : Location of pdns.conf. Default is /etc/powerdns.

COMMANDS

There are many available commands, this section splits them up into their respective uses

Several commands manipulate the DNSSEC keys and options for zones. Some of these commands require an ALGORITHM to be set. The following algorithms are supported:

activate-zone-key ZONE KEY-ID : Activate a key with id KEY-ID within a zone called ZONE.

add-zone-key ZONE {KSK,ZSK} [active,inactive] KEYBITS ALGORITHM : Create a new key for zone ZONE, and make it a KSK or a ZSK, with the specified algorithm. The key is inactive by default, set it to active to immediately use it to sign ZONE. Prints the id of the added key.

create-bind-db FILE : Create DNSSEC database (sqlite3) at FILE for the BIND backend. Remember to set bind-dnssec-db=*FILE* in your pdns.conf.

deactivate-zone-key ZONE KEY-ID : Deactivate a key with id KEY-ID within a zone called ZONE.

disable-dnssec ZONE : Deactivate all keys and unset PRESIGNED in ZONE.

export-zone-dnskey ZONE KEY-ID : Export to standard output DNSKEY and DS of key with key id KEY-ID within zone called ZONE.

export-zone-key ZONE KEY-ID : Export to standard output full (private) key with key id KEY-ID within zone called ZONE. The format used is compatible with BIND and NSD/LDNS.

generate-zone-key {KSK,ZSK} [ALGORITHM] [KEYBITS] : Generate a ZSK or KSK to stdout with specified algorithm and bits and print it on STDOUT. If ALGORITHM is not set, RSASHA512 is used. If KEYBITS is not set, an appropriate keysize is selected for ALGORITHM.

import-zone-key ZONE FILE {KSK,ZSK} : Import from FILE a full (private) key for zone called ZONE. The format used is compatible with BIND and NSD/LDNS. KSK or ZSK specifies the flags this key should have on import. Prints the id of the added key.

remove-zone-key ZONE KEY-ID : Remove a key with id KEY-ID from a zone called ZONE.

set-nsec3 ZONE 'HASH-ALGORITHM FLAGS ITERATIONS SALT' [narrow] : Sets NSEC3 parameters for this zone. The quoted parameters are 4 values that are used for the the NSEC3PARAM record and decide how NSEC3 records are created. The NSEC3 parameters must be quoted on the command line.

HASH-ALGORITHM must be 1 (SHA-1).

Setting FLAGS to 1 enables NSEC3 opt-out operation. Only do this if you know you need it.

For ITERATIONS, please consult RFC 5155, section 10.3. And be aware that a high number might overload validating resolvers.

The SALT is a hexadecimal string encoding the bits for the salt.

Setting narrow will make PowerDNS send out "white lies" about the next secure record. Instead of looking it up in the database, it will send out the hash + 1 as the next secure record.

A sample commandline is: "pdnsutil set-nsec3 powerdnssec.org '1 1 1 ab' narrow".

WARNING: If running in RSASHA1 mode (algorithm 5 or 7), switching from NSEC to NSEC3 will require a DS update in the parent zone.

unset-nsec3 ZONE : Converts ZONE to NSEC operations. WARNING: If running in RSASHA1 mode (algorithm 5 or 7), switching from NSEC to NSEC3 will require a DS update at the parent zone!

set-publish-cds ZONE [DIGESTALGOS] : Set ZONE to respond to queries for its CDS records. the optional argument DIGESTALGOS should be a comma-separated list of DS algorithms to use. By default, this is 1,2 (SHA1 and SHA2-256).

set-publish-cdnskey ZONE : Set ZONE to publish CDNSKEY records.

unset-publish-cds ZONE : Set ZONE to stop responding to queries for its CDS records.

unset-publish-cdnskey ZONE : Set ZONE to stop publishing CDNSKEY records.

These commands manipulate TSIG key information in the database. Some commands require an ALGORITHM, the following are available:

activate-tsig-key ZONE NAME {master,slave} : Enable TSIG authenticated AXFR using the key NAME for zone ZONE. This sets the TSIG-ALLOW-AXFR (master) or AXFR-MASTER-TSIG (slave) zone metadata.

deactivate-tsig-key ZONE NAME {master,slave} : Disable TSIG authenticated AXFR using the key NAME for zone ZONE.

delete-tsig-key NAME : Delete the TSIG key NAME. Warning, this does not deactivate said key.

generate-tsig-key NAME ALGORITHM : Generate new TSIG key with name NAME and the specified algorithm.

import-tsig-key NAME ALGORITHM KEY : Import KEY of the specified algorithm as NAME.

ZONE MANIPULATION COMMANDS

create-zone ZONE : Create an empty zone named ZONE.

check-all-zones : Check all zones for correctness.

check-zone ZONE : Check zone ZONE for correctness.

clear-zone ZONE : Clear the records in zone ZONE, but leave actual domain and settings unchanged

delete-zone ZONE: : Delete the zone named ZONE.

edit-zone ZONE : Opens ZONE in zonefile format (regardless of backend it was loaded from) in the editor set in the environment variable EDITOR. if EDITOR is empty, pdnsutil falls back to using editor.

get-meta ZONE [ATTRIBUTE]... : Get zone metadata. If no ATTRIBUTE given, lists all known.

hash-zone-record ZONE RNAME : This convenience command hashes the name RNAME according to the NSEC3 settings of ZONE. Refuses to hash for zones with no NSEC3 settings.

list-keys [ZONE] : List DNSSEC information for all keys or for ZONE.

list-all-zones: : List all zone names.

list-zone ZONE : Show all records for ZONE.

load-zone ZONE FILE : Load records for ZONE from FILE. If ZONE already exists, all records are overwritten, this operation is atomic. If ZONE doesn't exist, it is created.

rectify-zone ZONE : Calculates the 'ordername' and 'auth' fields for a zone called ZONE so they comply with DNSSEC settings. Can be used to fix up migrated data. Can always safely be run, it does no harm.

rectify-all-zones : Calculates the 'ordername' and 'auth' fields for all zones so they comply with DNSSEC settings. Can be used to fix up migrated data. Can always safely be run, it does no harm.

secure-zone ZONE : Configures a zone called ZONE with reasonable DNSSEC settings. You should manually run 'pdnsutil rectify-zone' afterwards.

secure-all-zones [increase-serial] : Configures all zones that are not currently signed with reasonable DNSSEC settings. Setting increase-serial will increase the serial of those zones too. You should manually run 'pdnsutil rectify-all-zones' afterwards.

set-kind ZONE KIND : Change the kind of ZONE to KIND (master, slave, native).

set-account ZONE ACCOUNT : Change the account (owner) of ZONE to ACCOUNT.

set-meta ZONE ATTRIBUTE [VALUE] : Set domainmetadata ATTRIBUTE for ZONE to VALUE. An empty value clears it.

set-presigned ZONE : Switches ZONE to presigned operation, utilizing in-zone RRSIGs.

show-zone ZONE : Shows all DNSSEC related settings of a zone called ZONE.

test-schema ZONE : Test database schema, this creates the zone ZONE

unset-presigned ZONE : Disables presigned operation for ZONE.

DEBUGGING TOOLS

backend-cmd BACKEND CMD [CMD..] : Send a text command to a backend for execution. GSQL backends will take SQL commands, other backends may take different things. Be careful!

SEE ALSO

pdns_server (1), pdns_control (1)