How to check consistency of an EC or RSA private key

Check the consistency of an EC or RSA private key.

Check the consistency of an unencrypted RSA private key.

$ openssl rsa -in rsa_key_dec.pem -noout -check

RSA key ok

Check the consistency of an encrypted RSA private key.

$ openssl rsa -in rsa_key_enc.pem -passin pass:keypass -noout -check

RSA key ok

Check the consistency of an unencrypted EC private key.

$ openssl ec -in ec_key_dec.pem  -noout -check 

read EC key
EC Key valid.

Check the consistency of an encrypted EC private key.

$ openssl ec -in ec_key_enc.pem -aes256 -passin pass:keypass  -noout -check 

read EC key
EC Key valid.

You will get an error and in case something is wrong.

$ openssl ec -in ec_key_enc_err.pem -aes256 -passin pass:keypass  -noout -check

read EC key
unable to load Key
140493977212288:error:09091064:PEM routines:PEM_read_bio_ex:bad base64 decode:../crypto/pem/pem_lib.c:943:

You can use exit code to detect a problem.

$ echo $?                                                                       

1

The same situation goes for incorrect password.

$ openssl rsa -in rsa_key_enc.pem -passin pass:wrongkeypass -noout -check 

unable to load Private Key
140635927500160:error:06065064:digital envelope routines:EVP_DecryptFinal_ex:bad decrypt:../crypto/evp/evp_enc.c:610:
140635927500160:error:0906A065:PEM routines:PEM_do_header:bad decrypt:../crypto/pem/pem_lib.c:461:

$ echo $?                                                                       

1