The BIND 9.x server signature generation using the KSK must be done off-line, using the KSK-private key stored off-line.

The private key in the KSK key pair must be protected from unauthorized access. The private key should be stored off-line (with respect to the Internet-facing, DNSSEC-aware name server) in a physically secure, non-network-accessible machine along with the zone file master copy. Failure to protect the private KSK may have significant effects on the overall security of the DNS infrastructure. A compromised KSK could lead to an inability to detect unauthorized DNS zone data resulting in network traffic being redirected to a rogue site.