Validator Keys
Each validator required a private key to be used for signing blocks. This key is called the Validator Key. The Validator Key is also used to sign the consensus messages that the validator sends to the other validators.
Validator key format
A file containing the keys for your node.
The Validator Keys are located in the validatorKey.pem file, which is generated in the node setup process. By default, each node stores its own .pem file in the $HOME/elrond-nodes/node-0 folder. A copy also archived as a zip file in the $HOME/VALIDATOR_KEYS folder, for restore purposes.
Below you can find their anatomy and how to extract the information from them
Example:
-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY for 45e7131ba37e05c5de3f8862b4d8294812f004a5b660abb793e89b65816dbff2b02f54c25f139359c9c98be0fa657d0bf1ae4115dcf6fdbf5f3a470f1d251f769610b48fe34eeab59e82ac1cc0336d1d9109a14b768b97ccb4db4c2431629688-----
YmRiNmViOGYzMmQ3OWY0YjE4ODJjMzE1ODA4YjQyZmZjODhiZDQxNzMwNmE5MTRiZjQ4OTAyNjM0MTcyNjMzMw==
-----END PRIVATE KEY for 45e7131ba37e05c5de3f8862b4d8294812f004a5b660abb793e89b65816dbff2b02f54c25f139359c9c98be0fa657d0bf1ae4115dcf6fdbf5f3a470f1d251f769610b48fe34eeab59e82ac1cc0336d1d9109a14b768b97ccb4db4c2431629688-----
In plain English:
-----The private key for this``*PUBLIC KEY*``starts below-----
**PRIVATE KEY**
-----The private key for this``*PUBLIC KEY*``was listed above-----
The string in italics from the example is the PUBLIC KEY. The string in bold from the example is the PRIVATE KEY.
More clearly:
*PUBLIC KEY:* 45e7131ba37e05c5de3f8862b4d8294812f004a5b660abb793e89b65816dbff2b02f54c25f139359c9c98be0fa657d0bf1ae4115dcf6fdbf5f3a470f1d251f769610b48fe34eeab59e82ac1cc0336d1d9109a14b768b97ccb4db4c2431629688
**PRIVATE KEY:**YmRiNmViOGYzMmQ3OWY0YjE4ODJjMzE1ODA4YjQyZmZjODhiZDQxNzMwNmE5MTRiZjQ4OTAyNjM0MTcyNjMzMw==
Always save and protect private keys, they are like your username + password + 2FA at your bank, all combined.
Public keys are like your phone number - no harm in others knowing it, it actually is needed for some scenarios. Still, only share it on a need to basis, like you would do with your own phone number.
How to generate a new key
The easiest way to generate a new validator key is by using the keygenerator tool that resides near the node.
How to generate a new validator key if golang is already set on the host:
$ git clone https://github.com/multiversx/mx-chain-go.git
$ cd mx-chain-go/cmd/keygenerator
$ go build
$ ./keygenerator --key-type validator
Alternatively, if you've already installed a node on the host, you can issue the following command:
$ cd ~/elrond-utils/
$ ./keygenerator --key-type validator