MLDSA genpkey not working on master branch build

[hsmguy]

hi chaps!

I pulled master with a git clone.

built it good.

im using an hsm.

I am testing out the PQ things :-)

i can do an MLDSA sign (with my HSM MLDSA key) through pkcs11 no problems

that works, and debug log looks good.

openssl genpkey is NOT working

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl genpkey -algorithm ML-DSA-87 -provider pkcs11prov -propquery "provider=pkcs11prov" -pkeyopt "pkcs11_uri:pkcs11:token=accelerator;object=mldsa_libp11;"
Error initializing ML-DSA-87 context
40D73B80BE7F0000:error:03000096:digital envelope routines:gen_init:operation not supported for this keytype:crypto/evp/pmeth_gn.c:87:
[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]#

Can anyone take a look at the master branch?

did you guys set it up so we can use genpkey to create MLDSA keys etc?

may be a bug in there

I can get latchset pkcs11 provider to genpkey and it works.... i think you guys are missing something in the code hmmm

thanks! :-)

[hsmguy]

testing with openssl 3.5.7

thanks

[hsmguy]

Hi @olszomal can u check this one out?

i need openssl genpkey to work because it sets the CKA_ID of the key when it gens it.

if CKA_ID is not set then the openssl asn.1 module wont let us use the key for cert stuff like CSR etc generation.

i have SLHDSA in my hsm pkcs11 provider. need me to test?

i can test with MLDSA, SLHDSA and MLKEM in my hsm pkcs11 provider.

thanks

[mtrojnar]

i need openssl genpkey to work because it sets the CKA_ID of the key when it gens it.

BTW: Would you like to sponsor @olszomal 's work on this feature and/or get a commercial support contract for libp11? Contact me at Michal.Trojnara@stunnel.org.

[hsmguy]

oh forgot to say, i have Entrust (ncipher) rack mounted big man HSM :-) thanks

[olszomal]

Thanks for testing and for the report.

The pkcs11 provider does not support EVP_PKEY_OP_KEYGEN yet, so openssl genpkey cannot generate keys through pkcs11prov at the moment. This functionality is planned for future implementation.

For now, please use the mldsa87keygen example from the examples directory to generate an ML-DSA-87 key on the token.

[hsmguy]

thanks for the update and clarification!

ok sounds good!

i will test ou the SLHDSA sign and verify :-) and mldsa again

thanks cheers!

[hsmguy]

Hi chaps!

Just an update doing testing with an hsm

Entrust N5C hsm (ncipher)

13.9.5 all around versions and firmware.

openssl 3.5.7

latchset git clone from master branch

MLDSA sign and verify works good :-)

MLDSA 87 scheme and mech

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkeyutl -sign -inkey "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=mldsa33" -out workload.sig5 -in workload.txt
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

• [492971160] SNIP Rt1 (accelerator)
• [492971158] SNIP Rt1 slot 0 no token (no label)
• [492971159] SNIP slot 2 no token (no label)
  Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing private key label=mldsa33
  Found slot: SNIP Rt1
  Found initialized token: accelerator
  Found slot: SNIP Rt1
  Found initialized token: accelerator
  Found 1 private key:
  1 P id=▒/ label=mldsa33
  Returning last matching private key: id=▒/ label=mldsa33

pkcs11 debug log looks clean and good :-)

2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB >> C_SignInit
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > hSession 0x000008CB
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > pMechanism->mechanism 0x0000001D (CKM_ML_DSA)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > hKey 0x0000045E
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 00000000 D NFC__CheckMechanismAllowedGetInfo type 0x0000001D (CKM_ML_DSA)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 00000000 D NFC__GetMechanismInfoEx type 0x0000001D (CKM_ML_DSA)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D SignInitPublicHash ok
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB < rv 0x00000000 (CKR_OK)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB >> C_Sign
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > hSession 0x000008CB
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB >
pData= 12 bytes
68656c6c 6f20776f 726c640a

2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > pSignature 0x132fd60
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > *pulSignatureLen 4627
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D SignVerifyFinalPublicHash
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D sig len 4627
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D SignPublic
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D sig len 4627
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__load_key objdata 0x0000045E (0x12e2540)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D CK__applicdata->worldinfo->n_existingobjects 0
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D load_blob_single objdata 0x0000045E (0x12e2540), logtokid 0x00000000, class CKO_PRIVATE_KEY
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__getconnection
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D load_blob_single loaded keyid 0x6623d503 (module 1)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__load_key load_blob_single keyid 0x6623d503 (module 1)
2026-06-26 19:27:56 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__transact, slot_mutex_held FALSE
2026-06-26 19:27:57 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D sig len 4627
2026-06-26 19:27:57 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D SignPublic ok
2026-06-26 19:27:57 [29609] t406773f7107f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB <
pSignature= 4627 bytes
d8c165a2 953496fa 1ee2be73 efe3dd15 600fd1f8 4869f109 6f68b33b bc35c680
18899276 4c62fb98 fd800897 98c415c1 4d329d72 3bab2eea 1c9e5556 db786829
330f2982 01bff11c 094da214 5ad06626 50157126 997c6f89 a02bc650 ffb4c5af
d14f6a6a c5eda20e 770f7af0 459ee5ee 9e88589c 9b99f402 9030f77d e3dbf645
f8034739 1c6d3f72 84da08f7 b05834d9 88ee19d2 2a010858 949d82cf 833bde69
4ac7cd0d 8108225a 465c13a6 02edc599 7e0a8e8e 51078e23 7c2f2aef ef94144f
193d025a 2b0239e2 790269a1 e0343d6b 4d060cbc 8b0a636c 65af018e 45d7e9f6
094cf274 8b398dd6 36fe1872 c67013e4 f586650a af8626e2 4ae56fe2 02a64b53

looks good!

Verify on MLDSA:

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkeyutl -verify -in workload.txt -sigfile workload.sig5 -inkey "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=mldsa33;type=public" -pubin
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing public key label=mldsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 public key:
1 id=▒ label=mldsa33 Returning last matching public key: id=▒ label=mldsa33
Signature Verified Successfully

EXPORT PUB:

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkey -in pkcs11:object=mldsa33 -pubin -pubout -text
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing public key label=mldsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 public key:
1 id==П label=mldsa33
Returning last matching public key: id==П label=mldsa33
-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
MIIKMjALBglghkgBZQMEAxMDggohAG1TSH9QIkYLs/xDR8dS7J1JoO9sf1HQSAPe
qnfUyjcgnibpWpzJzDRj+x5wJB+x+qdrn36AQQ1SxC36zAQ7tzD7SL+jr3A8BLLn
/uDTLMBR9WqrLl1szub8vOYWX7GTaipBCf1zCVkKuwBgnjpfde/gbTMp7I868SMj
0oWcYIZm0R+24uUmZ5SsJCl1W0MXrQ7PcEka2+MzcD0fSiBbrBAAVYvhtRAQVD3I
BZdiOIygX8fwQtM1coE70jFyrpNLuKTVC54inzabtCcnQ6ooCENYMoWpGCJQA0mL
BrN8WVT7GI6kVzg0OywLja4ENOmm65SbOpCldALM4RvRZD5Pqg9+0shNd0FbjRQg
PglsddGd8blUnYU0vAiEmvqTL5m7kLXAJZw6S8PDdtDTmfZ6aDK0f9r2zT1s/zvE

ok lets do

SLHDSA now :-) sign and verify

SLHDSA256ShSHAKE is the mech / scheme

export SLHDSA pub key

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkey -in pkcs11:object=slhdsa33 -pubin -pubout -text
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing public key label=slhdsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 public key:
1 id=a▒ label=slhdsa33
Returning last matching public key: id=a▒ label=slhdsa33
-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
MFAwCwYJYIZIAWUDBAMeA0EAe3/2rDwg/KfhZDmbZJ7xONYAjJBVZp/4xeJWIcdy
XUU4SRIFaH+2MFMjNg4qaoxVrLQbgR8/BDhB8gLp6Lj6Kg==
-----END PUBLIC KEY-----
SLH-DSA-SHAKE-256s Public-Key:
pub:
7b:7f:f6:ac:3c:20:fc:a7:e1:64:39:9b:64:9e:f1:
38:d6:00:8c:90:55:66:9f:f8:c5:e2:56:21:c7:72:
5d:45:38:49:12:05:68:7f:b6:30:53:23:36:0e:2a:
6a:8c:55:ac:b4:1b:81:1f:3f:04:38:41:f2:02:e9:
e8:b8:fa:2a

works good! look how small that pubkey is :-)

[hsmguy]

Hi @olszomal

ok did some testing on an SLHDSA key with the following schemes:

SLHDSA128FhSHA2
SLHDSA256ShSHAKE

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkeyutl -sign -inkey "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsaSLHDSA128FhSHA2" -out workload.sig5 -in workload.txt
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing private key label=slhdsaSLHDSA128FhSHA2

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 private key:
1 P id=dD▒ label=slhdsaSLHDSA128FhSHA2
Returning last matching private key: id=dD▒ label=slhdsaSLHDSA128FhSHA2
Could not find private key from pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsaSLHDSA128FhSHA2
pkeyutl: Error loading key

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkeyutl -sign -inkey "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsa33" -out workload.sig5 -in workload.txt
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing private key label=slhdsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 private key:
1 P id=▒▒▒ label=slhdsa33
Returning last matching private key: id=▒▒▒ label=slhdsa33
Could not find private key from pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsa33
pkeyutl: Error loading key

hmmm both failed...

I am attaching pkcs11 debug log here :-)

any ideas?

do you support those 2 schemes for SLHDSA keys?

the Entrust (ncipher) hsm has the following SLHDSA schemes available in pkcs11:

(SLHDSA128FhSHA2, SLHDSA128ShSHA2, SLHDSA128FhSHAKE,
SLHDSA128ShSHAKE, SLHDSA192FhSHA2, SLHDSA192ShSHA2,
SLHDSA192FhSHAKE, SLHDSA192ShSHAKE, SLHDSA256FhSHA2,
SLHDSA256ShSHA2, SLHDSA256FhSHAKE, SLHDSA256ShSHAKE)

i havent looked in your header to see what schemes / parameter sets you support.... but i tried a lower one and a higher one :-)

attaching pkcs11 debug log

thanks!!! :-) shaping up good the MLDSA works GREAT on the Entrust (ncipher) N5c rack mount HSM :-)

pkcs11.log

[hsmguy]

I can see in the pkcs11 log its doing a c findobjects for priv key with cka label set

it finds it

then it does get attrib on cka id and parameter and always auth and returns the values...

then it does some more on public keys etc.

thanks :-)

[hsmguy]

Just an update

I got the command line SLHDSA signer working :-)

it requires the key CKA_ID set to something unique.....

(but for MLDSA the signer didnt need that.....)

(sign for SLHDSA using Entrust (ncipher) N5c rack mount hsm)

openssl pkeyutl -sign -inkey "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsa33" -out workload.sig5 -in workload.txt

0 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB >> C_SignInit
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > hSession 0x000008CB
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > pMechanism->mechanism 0x0000002E (CKM_SLH_DSA)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > hKey 0x00000460
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 00000000 D NFC__CheckMechanismAllowedGetInfo type 0x0000002E (CKM_SLH_DSA)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 00000000 D NFC__GetMechanismInfoEx type 0x0000002E (CKM_SLH_DSA)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__SignInitVerifyPublic ok
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB < rv 0x00000000 (CKR_OK)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB >> C_Sign
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > hSession 0x000008CB
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB >
pData= 12 bytes
68656c6c 6f20776f 726c640a

2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > pSignature 0x20910e0
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB > *pulSignatureLen 29792
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D SignPublic
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D sig len 29792
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__load_key objdata 0x00000460 (0x204b910)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D CK__applicdata->worldinfo->n_existingobjects 0
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D load_blob_single objdata 0x00000460 (0x204b910), logtokid 0x00000000, class CKO_PRIVATE_KEY
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__getconnection
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D load_blob_single loaded keyid 0x552775a0 (module 1)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__load_key load_blob_single keyid 0x552775a0 (module 1)
2026-06-30 14:53:13 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D NFC__transact, slot_mutex_held FALSE
2026-06-30 14:53:21 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D sig len 29792
2026-06-30 14:53:21 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB D SignPublic ok
2026-06-30 14:53:21 [149993] t40474b01ee7f0000: pkcs11: 000008CB <
pSignature= 29792 bytes
8d2b31cd 01940161 4894f611 afce0ac7 7c2b71ae e3d13ed8 4b099fad 60371185
f673ff1d 8f9aa514 69db9188 5b9fc3df 40985c1e 0d1577c6 70bce40f 1afe4c9f
3bb1d53f 5e2e03ff 6a189cf1 13c07a96 976de81c ad5a4081 4dcdc794 0aed4c5c
38a98cd1 18b1d4fd 6f764550 e0c2188f de049a9f 5560e6fd e445810f 444577c9

works good :-)

pub key dumps ok now:

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkey -in pkcs11:object=slhdsa33 -pubin -pubout -text
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing public key label=slhdsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 public key:
1 id=0F4321 label=slhdsa33
Returning last matching public key: id=0F4321 label=slhdsa33
-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
MFAwCwYJYIZIAWUDBAMeA0EAe3/2rDwg/KfhZDmbZJ7xONYAjJBVZp/4xeJWIcdy
XUU4SRIFaH+2MFMjNg4qaoxVrLQbgR8/BDhB8gLp6Lj6Kg==
-----END PUBLIC KEY-----
SLH-DSA-SHAKE-256s Public-Key:
pub:
7b:7f:f6:ac:3c:20:fc:a7:e1:64:39:9b:64:9e:f1:
38:d6:00:8c:90:55:66:9f:f8:c5:e2:56:21:c7:72:
5d:45:38:49:12:05:68:7f:b6:30:53:23:36:0e:2a:
6a:8c:55:ac:b4:1b:81:1f:3f:04:38:41:f2:02:e9:
e8:b8:fa:2a

verify works :-)

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl pkeyutl -verify -in workload.txt -sigfile workload.sig5 -inkey "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsa33;type=public" -pubin
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing public key label=slhdsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 public key:
1 id=0F4321 label=slhdsa33
Returning last matching public key: id=0F4321 label=slhdsa33
Signature Verified Successfully

so im wondering why the MLDSA signer works without CKA ID and the SLHDSA needs a CKA_ID ???

maybe its extra thing in the template code...... have to check it out :-)

[hsmguy]

gen a CSR on mldsa, SLHDSA not there yet ;-)

[root@rhel98libp11sw1395 nfast]# openssl req -key "pkcs11:token=accelerator;pin-value=1234;object=slhdsa33" -new -out req.csr
PKCS#11: Initializing the module: /opt/nfast/toolkits/pkcs11/libcknfast.so
Found 3 slots

Searching slots with login for an initialized token containing private key label=slhdsa33

Found initialized token: accelerator
Found 1 private key:
1 P id=0F4321 label=slhdsa33
Returning last matching private key: id=0F4321 label=slhdsa33
You are about to be asked to enter information that will be incorporated
into your certificate request.
What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.
There are quite a few fields but you can leave some blank
For some fields there will be a default value,
If you enter '.', the field will be left blank.

Country Name (2 letter code) [AU]:
State or Province Name (full name) [Some-State]:
Locality Name (eg, city) []:
Organization Name (eg, company) [Internet Widgits Pty Ltd]:
Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []:
Common Name (e.g. server FQDN or YOUR name) []:
Email Address []:

Please enter the following 'extra' attributes
to be sent with your certificate request
A challenge password []:
An optional company name []:
free(): invalid pointer
Aborted (core dumped)

ok but i verified via command line that we do have working:

(1) sign MLDSA
(2) sign SLHDSA
(3) export pubkey of SLHDSA or MLDSA
(4) verify MLDSA
(5) verify SLHDSA

...on Entrust (ncipher)HSM N5c model, 13.9.5 versions all around

working good :-)

thanks chaps!!!!

Feature requests:

(1) openssl genpkey (this is preferred gen method cause its sets the CKA_ID)
(2) certificate support
openssl req
openssl x509

Thanks chaps :-) cheers! :-) will be a good release for sign and verify support