<p>One is the minimum number. [This space intentionally left unblank.]</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-21T21:12:41.257Z
"♫ One... is... the minimum number for a private key... ♫"
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-22T02:18:03.553Z
If only I'd thought of that to get around the minimum answer length. :)
G. Maxwell
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-21T17:14:16.223Z
2018-09-21T17:14:16.223Z
G. Maxwell
<p>The all-zero bitstring doesn't have a corresponding public key per the standard (according to <a href="https://crypto.stackexchange.com/a/30272/8801">"Are all possible EC private keys valid?" on Crypto.SE</a>), so it's <code>000…001</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-21T17:13:44.623Z
2018-09-21T17:13:44.623Z
Murch
<p>Private keys are 256 bit numbers. I know the max. possible number is something around:
115792089237316195423570985008687907852837564279074904382605163141518161494336</p>

<p>What about the min. number possible?</p>

<p>Thanks. </p>

<ecdsa>
What is is minimum possible number for an ECDSA private key?
John Smith
# What is is minimum possible number for an ECDSA private key?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-21)

Private keys are 256 bit numbers. I know the max. possible number is something around:
115792089237316195423570985008687907852837564279074904382605163141518161494336

What about the min. number possible?

Thanks.

**Tags:** ecdsa


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-21. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

The all-zero bitstring doesn't have a corresponding public key per the standard (according to ["Are all possible EC private keys valid?" on Crypto.SE](https://crypto.stackexchange.com/a/30272/8801)), so it's `000…001`.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-09-21. Score: 8

One is the minimum number. [This space intentionally left unblank.]

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: "♫ One... is... the minimum number for a private key... ♫"  
> **username_1**: If only I'd thought of that to get around the minimum answer length. :)  

---

