Fixing “Load Key Error in Libcrypto” Caused by CRLF Line Endings

🔍 Introduction

If you’ve encountered the error:

load key "my.key": error in libcrypto

when trying to use SSH, OpenSSL, or other cryptographic tools, you might be dealing with an incorrect file format. A common but overlooked cause is wrong line endings — specifically, your key file might use CRLF (Carriage Return + Line Feed) instead of LF (Line Feed).

This issue typically arises when a key file is edited or transferred between Windows and Unix/Linux systems. Fortunately, it’s an easy fix.

🚨 Why Does This Error Happen?

Cryptographic tools like OpenSSH and OpenSSL expect keys to use LF (\n) line endings, which are standard on Unix/Linux systems. However, if a key file is created or edited on Windows, it may have CRLF (\r\n) line endings, causing OpenSSL's libcrypto to misinterpret the key format.

Common scenarios where this can happen:

• Editing the key in Notepad or another Windows-based editor.
• Transferring the key file between Windows and Linux/macOS.
• Copying the key from a Windows terminal without proper formatting.
• Cloning a Git repository with incorrect line-ending settings.

🔧 How to Detect CRLF Line Endings in Your Key File