SSH-PKCS11-HELPER(8) System Manager's Manual SSH-PKCS11-HELPER(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

`ssh-pkcs11-helper` — OpenSSH helper for PKCS#11 support

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

`ssh-pkcs11-helper` \[`-v`]

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

`ssh-pkcs11-helper` is used by [ssh(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh.1), [ssh-agent(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh-agent.1), and [ssh-keygen(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh-keygen.1) to access keys provided by a PKCS#11 token.

`ssh-pkcs11-helper` is not intended to be invoked directly by the user.

A single option is supported:

[`-v`](#v)

Verbose mode. Causes `ssh-pkcs11-helper` to print debugging messages about its progress. This is helpful in debugging problems. Multiple `-v` options increase the verbosity. The maximum is 3.

Note that [ssh(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh.1), [ssh-agent(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh-agent.1), and [ssh-keygen(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh-keygen.1) will automatically pass the `-v` flag to `ssh-pkcs11-helper` when they have themselves been placed in debug mode.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[ssh(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh.1), [ssh-agent(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh-agent.1), [ssh-keygen(1)](/man/os/openssh/ssh-keygen.1)

# [HISTORY](#HISTORY)

`ssh-pkcs11-helper` first appeared in OpenBSD 4.7.

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

Markus Friedl <[markus@openbsd.org](mailto:markus@openbsd.org)>

April 29, 2022 Linux 4.19.0-gvisor

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Document: ssh-pkcs11-helper(8) from openssh 10.5_p1-r3 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable