linux_wiki:configure_key-based_authentication

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Configure Key-based Authentication

General Information

SSH key based authentication (password-less).


SSH Key Creation and Distribution

Key based authentication involves a private and public key.
The private key stays on the source system, the public key is distributed to all remote systems.

Generate the private/public key pair.

ssh-keygen
  • RSA is the default key type
  • Prompted for file to save private key (~/.ssh/id_rsa)
  • Prompted for file to save public key (~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub)


Copy the public key to a remote system

ssh-copy-id myserver
  • Prompted for password login
  • Next normal ssh login will be password-less


Key Pair with Passphrase

If you created the key pair with a passphrase, it is useful to cache the passphrase for a bash session to avoid re-entering it for each ssh connect.


Start the ssh-agent for the current shell

ssh-agent bash


Add the passphrase

ssh-add
  • Prompted for the ssh key passphrase


Connect as normal with ssh, you should not be prompted for a password if the public key has already been copied to the remote server.


  • linux_wiki/configure_key-based_authentication.1475804789.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2019/05/25 23:50
  • (external edit)