brew

Install keyutils with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper

Linux key management utilities. Version 1.6.3 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install keyutils

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add keyutils

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · keyutils · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install keyutils

Debian stable package indexes · keyutils · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install keyutils

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · keyutils · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#keyutils

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ke/keyutils/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S keyutils

Arch Linux sync databases · keyutils · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install keyutils

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · keyutils · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Linux key management utilities

Project links

Commands and aliases

key.dns_resolver
keyctl
request-key

history

Project history and usage

keyutils is the user-space utility and library package for the Linux kernel key retention service. It provides tools such as keyctl, request-key, and key.dns_resolver, plus libkeyutils for programs that need to call the kernel key-management interfaces.

Project history

David Howells created the keyutils package in July 2005, shortly after the Linux key-management facility became a user-visible subsystem. The package grew from command-line control utilities into a split utility, runtime-library, and development-header package with manual pages and request-key integration.

The keyutils spec changelog shows a long maintenance arc tied to kernel capabilities: version 1.0 in November 2005 renamed the library/header to keyutils and introduced library symbol versioning; version 1.3 in February 2010 exposed security-context and parent-session-keyring operations; version 1.5 in March 2011 added KEYCTL_REJECT, KEYCTL_INSTANTIATE_IOV, DNS lookup generalization, and more keyctl commands; version 1.6 in November 2018 added public-key operations that required Linux 4.20.

Adoption history

keyutils is packaged broadly because it is glue for Linux authentication, filesystem, DNS, and crypto-adjacent workflows rather than an optional application. The batch metadata records packages in Alpine, Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, Nix, Arch, Ubuntu, and openSUSE/Zypper ecosystems.

The Linux kernel documentation describes keyrings as a kernel service for caching cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, cross-domain user mappings, and related data for filesystems and kernel services. keyutils is the standard user-space companion for inspecting and operating on that facility.

How it is used

Administrators and system services use keyctl to add, link, search, read, invalidate, and manage keys and keyrings. request-key is invoked by the kernel-side request-key callback path when a key must be instantiated in user space, and key.dns_resolver supports DNS-related upcalls.

Why package nerds care

keyutils is a classic small package with outsized system importance: it exposes kernel ABI surfaces, ships a shared library and manual pages, and changes as the Linux key subsystem adds capabilities. It is the kind of package that may be invisible on a workstation until Kerberos, encrypted filesystems, DNS resolver keys, module signing, or request-key upcalls need it.

Timeline

2005-07-12: keyutils package creation.
2005-11-28: version 1.0 renamed the library and header to keyutils and added symbol versioning.
2011-03-10: version 1.5 added newer keyctl functionality including KEYCTL_REJECT and KEYCTL_INSTANTIATE_IOV.
2018-11-13: version 1.6 added public-key operations requiring Linux 4.20.
2020-07-07: version 1.6.3 adjusted key change notifications to use pipe2(O_NOTIFICATION_PIPE).

Related projects

The Linux kernel key retention service is the kernel-side subsystem. Linux man-pages documents many of the system-call interfaces, while request-key and key.dns_resolver are user-space helpers shipped in keyutils.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 2 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Linux: /etc/request-key.conf/etc/request-key.d/*.conf/etc/key.dns_resolver.conf

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`key.dns_resolver`	cli	global executable
`keyctl`	cli	global executable
`request-key`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version1.6.3

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutilsnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:keyutils
Version	1.6.3
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/keyutils
Homepage	https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git
Repository	https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git
Upstream docs	https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git/tree/README
License	GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git/snapshot/keyutils-1.6.3.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	keyutils
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Requirements	linux
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

keyutils 1.6.3-6

Linux Key Management Utilities

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo apt install keyutils

Section: admin
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: keyutils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

libkeyutils-dev 1.6.3-6

Linux Key Management Utilities (development)

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo apt install libkeyutils-dev

Section: libdevel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libkeyutils-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

libkeyutils1 1.6.3-6

Linux Key Management Utilities (library)

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo apt install libkeyutils1

Section: libs
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libkeyutils1 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

keyutils

nix profile install nixpkgs#keyutils

normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ke/keyutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

keyutils 1.6.3-3build1

Linux Key Management Utilities

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo apt install keyutils

Section: misc
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: keyutils from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

libkeyutils-dev 1.6.3-3build1

Linux Key Management Utilities (development)

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo apt install libkeyutils-dev

Section: misc
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libkeyutils-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

libkeyutils1 1.6.3-3build1

Linux Key Management Utilities (library)

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo apt install libkeyutils1

Section: misc
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libkeyutils1 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

keyutils 1.6.3-r4

Linux Key Management Utilities

https://people.redhat.com/~dhowells/keyutils/

sudo apk add keyutils

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: keyutils from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

keyutils-dev 1.6.3-r4

Linux Key Management Utilities (development files)

https://people.redhat.com/~dhowells/keyutils/

sudo apk add keyutils-dev

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: keyutils-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

keyutils-doc 1.6.3-r4

Linux Key Management Utilities (documentation)

https://people.redhat.com/~dhowells/keyutils/

sudo apk add keyutils-doc

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: keyutils
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: keyutils-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

keyutils-libs 1.6.3-r4

Key utilities library

https://people.redhat.com/~dhowells/keyutils/

sudo apk add keyutils-libs

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: keyutils
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: keyutils-libs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

keyutils 1.6.3-7.fc44

Linux Key Management Utilities

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo dnf install keyutils

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: keyutils
7 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: keyutils from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

keyutils-libs 1.6.3-7.fc44

Key utilities library

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo dnf install keyutils-libs

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: i686
Source Package: keyutils
2 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: keyutils-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

keyutils-libs-devel 1.6.3-7.fc44

Development package for building Linux key management utilities

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git

sudo dnf install keyutils-libs-devel

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: i686
Source Package: keyutils
3 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: keyutils-libs-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

keyutils 1.6.3-4

Linux Key Management Utilities

https://www.kernel.org/

sudo pacman -S keyutils

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: keyutils from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

keyutils 1.6.3-7.7

Linux Key Management Utilities

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/keyutils.git/

sudo zypper install keyutils

License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
Category: System/Kernel
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: keyutils
4 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Keyutils

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: keyutils from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/keyutils.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install keyutils with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: green

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources