key2words

key2words

key2words is a Go program that allows you to backup and restore SSH private keys using memorizable seed phrases. It utilizes the BIP39 algorithm to generate mnemonic phrases from the private key's seed, providing a secure and convenient way to backup and restore your SSH keys.

The project is based on Melt. The only change is to remove as many external dependencies as possible, for maximum security.

Features

• Backup an SSH private key and generate a mnemonic phrase
• Restore an SSH private key from a mnemonic phrase
• User-friendly command-line interface with colorful output
• Error handling and informative messages
• Supports Ed25519 private keys

Installation

1. Make sure you have Go installed on your system.
2. Clone this repository: git clone https://github.com/dfeldman/key2words.git
3. Change to the project directory: cd key2words
4. Build the program: go build

Usage

Backup a private key

To backup an SSH private key and generate a mnemonic phrase, run the following command: key2words backup <private_key_file>

Replace <private_key_file> with the path to your SSH private key file.

Example: key2words backup ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

The program will output the generated mnemonic phrase.

Restore a private key

To restore an SSH private key from a mnemonic phrase, run the following command: key2words restore

Replace <mnemonic> with the mnemonic phrase you obtained during the backup process.

Example: key2words restore "word1 word2 word3 word4 word5 word6 word7 word8 word9 word10 word11 word12"

The program will restore the private key and save it to the restored_key file, along with the corresponding public key in restored_key.pub.

Credits

key2words is based on the Melt project by Carlos Alexander Becker. Large parts of the code are borrowed from that project.

License

This program is licensed under the MIT License.