Server System Variables • caching_sha2_password_private_key_path • caching_sha2_password_public_key_path • character_set_client Command-Line Format --caching-sha2-password-private-key- path=file_name System Variable caching_sha2_password_private_key_path Scope Global Dynamic No SET_VAR  Hint Applies No Type File name Default Value private_key.pem Command-Line Format --caching-sha2-password-public-key- path=file_name System Variable caching_sha2_password_public_key_path Scope Global Dynamic No SET_VAR  Hint Applies No Type File name Default Value public_key.pem System Variable character_set_client Scope Global, Session Dynamic Yes SET_VAR  Hint Applies No Type String 777 This variable specifies the path name of the RSA private key file for the  caching_sha2_password authentication plugin. If the file is named as a relative path, it is interpreted relative to the server data directory. The file must be in PEM format. Because this file stores a private key, its access mode should be restricted so that only the MySQL server can read it. For information about  caching_sha2_password , see Section 6.4.1.2, “Caching SHA-2 Pluggable Authentication” . Important This variable specifies the path name of the RSA public key file for the  caching_sha2_password authentication plugin. If the file is named as a relative path, it is interpreted relative to the server data directory. The file must be in PEM format. For information about  caching_sha2_password , including information about how clients request the RSA public key, see Section 6.4.1.2, “Caching SHA-2 Pluggable Authentication” .