Apr 28, 2017 SSH keys are a necessity for Python development when you are working with Git, connecting to remote servers and automating your deployments.Let's walk through how to generate SSH key pairs, which contain both a public and a private key within a single pair, on Ubuntu Linux. Jul 30, 2015 In fact, if you don't mind leaving a private key unprotected on your hard disk, you can even use keys to do secure automatic log-ins - as part of a network backup, for example. Different SSH programs generate public keys in different ways, but they all generate public keys in a similar format. In case you travel and can’t carry your laptop with you, just keep your private key on a USB stick and attach it to your physical keychain. Your server will be much safer this way. Generate Public/Private SSH Key Pair. Open Command Prompt from the Start Menu and type.
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Several tools exist to generate SSH public/private key pairs. The following sections show how to generate an SSH key pair on UNIX, UNIX-like and Windows platforms.
Generate Public Private Key Pair Ubuntu Server
Generating an SSH Key Pair on UNIX and UNIX-Like Platforms Using the ssh-keygen Utility
UNIX and UNIX-like platforms (including Solaris and Linux) include the ssh-keygen utility to generate SSH key pairs.
To generate an SSH key pair on UNIX and UNIX-like platforms using the ssh-keygen utility:
- Navigate to your home directory:
- Run the ssh-keygen utility, providing as
filename
your choice of file name for the private key:The ssh-keygen utility prompts you for a passphrase for the private key. - Enter a passphrase for the private key, or press Enter to create a private key without a passphrase:Note:While a passphrase is not required, you should specify one as a security measure to protect the private key from unauthorized use. When you specify a passphrase, a user must enter the passphrase every time the private key is used.The ssh-keygen utility prompts you to enter the passphrase again.
- Enter the passphrase again, or press Enter again to continue creating a private key without a passphrase:
- The ssh-keygen utility displays a message indicating that the private key has been saved as
filename
and the public key has been saved asfilename
.pub
. It also displays information about the key fingerprint and randomart image.
Generating an SSH Key Pair on Windows Using the PuTTYgen Program
The PuTTYgen program is part of PuTTY, an open source networking client for the Windows platform.
To generate an SSH key pair on Windows using the PuTTYgen program:
- Download and install PuTTY or PuTTYgen.To download PuTTY or PuTTYgen, go to http://www.putty.org/ and click the You can download PuTTY here link.
- Run the PuTTYgen program.
- Set the Type of key to generate option to SSH-2 RSA.
- In the Number of bits in a generated key box, enter 2048.
- Click Generate to generate a public/private key pair.As the key is being generated, move the mouse around the blank area as directed.
- (Optional) Enter a passphrase for the private key in the Key passphrase box and reenter it in the Confirm passphrase box.Note:While a passphrase is not required, you should specify one as a security measure to protect the private key from unauthorized use. When you specify a passphrase, a user must enter the passphrase every time the private key is used.
- Click Save private key to save the private key to a file. To adhere to file-naming conventions, you should give the private key file an extension of
.ppk
(PuTTY private key).Note:The.ppk
file extension indicates that the private key is in PuTTY's proprietary format. You must use a key of this format when using PuTTY as your SSH client. It cannot be used with other SSH client tools. Refer to the PuTTY documentation to convert a private key in this format to a different format. - Select all of the characters in the Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file box.Make sure you select all the characters, not just the ones you can see in the narrow window. If a scroll bar is next to the characters, you aren't seeing all the characters.
- Right-click somewhere in the selected text and select Copy from the menu.
- Open a text editor and paste the characters, just as you copied them. Start at the first character in the text editor, and do not insert any line breaks.
- Save the text file in the same folder where you saved the private key, using the
.pub
extension to indicate that the file contains a public key. - If you or others are going to use an SSH client that requires the OpenSSH format for private keys (such as the
ssh
utility on Linux), export the private key:- On the Conversions menu, choose Export OpenSSH key.
- Save the private key in OpenSSH format in the same folder where you saved the private key in
.ppk
format, using an extension such as.openssh
to indicate the file's content.
Generate Public Private Key Pair Ubuntu Mac
SSH allows for both password based authentication, as well as public key authentication. Public key authentication is generally regarded as being more secure, as it isn’t as prone to brute force login attempts (if you disable password based authentication). The private key can also have a passphrase associated with it, which makes public key authentication even more secure if needed.
Sometimes cloud servers will let you put a public key in as a authorized authentication key when the cloud server is created, preventing the need for password based authentication to be enabled by default.
Generate a new SSH public and private key pair:
Sometimes cloud servers will let you put a public key in as a authorized authentication key when the cloud server is created, preventing the need for password based authentication to be enabled by default.
Generate a new SSH public and private key pair:
“Identifying comment” can be any string that will assist in determining which key this is. “username@hostname” of the machine where you are connecting from would be a good example.
eg:
eg:
This will generate two files, “keypair” and “keypair.pub”. “keypair” being the private key that you need to keep secure, and “keypair.pub” being the public key, that can be put on servers that you want to be able to log into with the private key.
Change the filename to suit your needs. This example uses “keypair” for the examples.
The contents of the public key file “keypair.pub” can be inserted into the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the machine that you want to be able to connect into remotely. This must be done for the specific user.
Insert public key into authorized keys
View the contents of the public key file:
Change the filename to suit your needs. This example uses “keypair” for the examples.
The contents of the public key file “keypair.pub” can be inserted into the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the machine that you want to be able to connect into remotely. This must be done for the specific user.
Insert public key into authorized keys
View the contents of the public key file:
eg:
Take note of the output, and copy it into the clipboard if possible, or use some other method to get this file/data onto the remote machine, as it will be used in the next step.
On the remote server you want to be able to log into:
On the remote server you want to be able to log into:
If you have chosen to copy the public key file to the remote host instead, you can issue the following command instead:
How To Generate Public Private Key Pair Ubuntu
Logging into remote ssh server using the private key file
To connect to the remote host using SSH you can use the following command:
To connect to the remote host using SSH you can use the following command:
This will use the private key called “keypair” created earlier, and assuming the remote server has the public key added to the “user” users authorized_keys file, you should be able to log into the remote system.