Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3: System Administration Guide
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# 22.3. Configuring an OpenSSH Client

To connect to an OpenSSH server from a client machine, you must have the `openssh-clients` and `openssh` packages installed on the client machine.

## 22.3.1. Using the `ssh` Command

The `ssh` command is a secure replacement for the `rlogin`, `rsh`, and `telnet` commands. It allows you to log in to a remote machine as well as execute commands on a remote machine.

Logging in to a remote machine with `ssh` is similar to using `telnet`. To log in to a remote machine named penguin.example.net, type the following command at a shell prompt:

    ssh penguin.example.net

The first time you `ssh` to a remote machine, you will see a message similar to the following:

    The authenticity of host 'penguin.example.net' can't be established.
    DSA key fingerprint is 94:68:3a:3a:bc:f3:9a:9b:01:5d:b3:07:38:e2:11:0c.
    Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?

Type `yes` to continue. This will add the server to your list of known hosts as seen in the following message:

    Warning: Permanently added 'penguin.example.net' (RSA) to the list of known hosts.

Next, you will see a prompt asking for your password for the remote machine. After entering your password, you will be at a shell prompt for the remote machine. If you do not specify a username the username that you are logged in as on the local client machine is passed to the remote machine. If you want to specify a different username, use the following command:

    ssh username@penguin.example.net

You can also use the syntax `ssh -l `username` penguin.example.net`.

The `ssh` command can be used to execute a command on the remote machine without logging in to a shell prompt. The syntax is `ssh `hostname` `command``. For example, if you want to execute the command `ls /usr/share/doc` on the remote machine penguin.example.net, type the following command at a shell prompt:

    ssh penguin.example.net ls /usr/share/doc

After you enter the correct password, the contents of the remote directory `/usr/share/doc` will be displayed, and you will return to your local shell prompt.

## 22.3.2. Using the `scp` Command

The `scp` command can be used to transfer files between machines over a secure, encrypted connection. It is similar to `rcp`.

The general syntax to transfer a local file to a remote system is as follows:

    scp localfile username@tohostname:/newfilename

The `localfile` specifies the source, and `username@tohostname:/newfilename` specifies the destination.

To transfer the local file `shadowman` to your account on penguin.example.net, type the following at a shell prompt (replace `username` with your username):

    scp shadowman username@penguin.example.net:/home/username

This will transfer the local file `shadowman` to `/home/`username`/shadowman` on penguin.example.net.

The general syntax to transfer a remote file to the local system is as follows:

    scp username@tohostname:/remotefile /newlocalfile

The `remotefile` specifies the source, and `newlocalfile` specifies the destination.

Multiple files can be specified as the source files. For example, to transfer the contents of the directory `/downloads` to an existing directory called `uploads` on the remote machine penguin.example.net, type the following at a shell prompt:

    scp /downloads/* username@penguin.example.net:/uploads/

## 22.3.3. Using the `sftp` Command

The `sftp` utility can be used to open a secure, interactive FTP session. It is similar to `ftp` except that it uses a secure, encrypted connection. The general syntax is ``sftp username@hostname.com``. Once authenticated, you can use a set of commands similar to those used by FTP. Refer to the `sftp` man page for a list of these commands. To read the man page, execute the command `man sftp` at a shell prompt. The `sftp` utility is only available in OpenSSH version 2.5.0p1 and higher.

## 22.3.4. Generating Key Pairs

If you do not want to enter your password every time you use `ssh`, `scp`, or `sftp` to connect to a remote machine, you can generate an authorization key pair.

Keys must be generated for each user. To generate keys for a user, use the following steps as the user who wants to connect to remote machines. If you complete the steps as root, only root will be able to use the keys.

Starting with OpenSSH version 3.0, `~/.ssh/authorized_keys2`, `~/.ssh/known_hosts2`, and `/etc/ssh_known_hosts2` are obsolete. SSH Protocol 1 and 2 share the `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`, `~/.ssh/known_hosts`, and `/etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts` files.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 uses SSH Protocol 2 and RSA keys by default.

| Tip
| If you reinstall and want to save your generated key pair, backup the `.ssh` directory in your home directory. After reinstalling, copy this directory back to your home directory. This process can be done for all users on your system, including root.

### 22.3.4.1. Generating an RSA Key Pair for Version 2

Use the following steps to generate an RSA key pair for version 2 of the SSH protocol. This is the default starting with OpenSSH 2.9.

1. To generate an RSA key pair to work with version 2 of the protocol, type the following command at a shell prompt:

       ssh-keygen -t rsa

   Accept the default file location of `~/.ssh/id_rsa`. Enter a passphrase different from your account password and confirm it by entering it again.

   The public key is written to `~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub`. The private key is written to `~/.ssh/id_rsa`. Never distribute your private key to anyone.

2. Change the permissions of the `.ssh` directory using the following command:

       chmod 755 ~/.ssh

3. Copy the contents of `~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub` to `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the machine to which you want to connect. If the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` exist, append the contents of the file `~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub` to the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the other machine.

4. Change the permissions of the `authorized_keys` file using the following command:

       chmod 644 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

5. If you are running GNOME, skip to Section 22.3.4.4 Configuring `ssh-agent` with GNOME. If you are not running the X Window System, skip to Section 22.3.4.5 Configuring `ssh-agent`.

### 22.3.4.2. Generating a DSA Key Pair for Version 2

Use the following steps to generate a DSA key pair for version 2 of the SSH Protocol.

1. To generate a DSA key pair to work with version 2 of the protocol, type the following command at a shell prompt:

       ssh-keygen -t dsa

   Accept the default file location of `~/.ssh/id_dsa`. Enter a passphrase different from your account password and confirm it by entering it again.

   | Tip
   | A passphrase is a string of words and characters used to authenticate a user. Passphrases differ from passwords in that you can use spaces or tabs in the passphrase. Passphrases are generally longer than passwords because they are usually phrases instead of a single word.

   The public key is written to `~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub`. The private key is written to `~/.ssh/id_dsa`. It is important never to give anyone the private key.

2. Change the permissions of the `.ssh` directory with the following command:

       chmod 755 ~/.ssh

3. Copy the contents of `~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub` to `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the machine to which you want to connect. If the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` exist, append the contents of the file `~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub` to the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the other machine.

4. Change the permissions of the `authorized_keys` file using the following command:

       chmod 644 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

5. If you are running GNOME, skip to Section 22.3.4.4 Configuring `ssh-agent` with GNOME. If you are not running the X Window System, skip to Section 22.3.4.5 Configuring `ssh-agent`.

### 22.3.4.3. Generating an RSA Key Pair for Version 1.3 and 1.5

Use the following steps to generate an RSA key pair, which is used by version 1 of the SSH Protocol. If you are only connecting between systems that use DSA, you do not need an RSA version 1.3 or RSA version 1.5 key pair.

1. To generate an RSA (for version 1.3 and 1.5 protocol) key pair, type the following command at a shell prompt:

       ssh-keygen -t rsa1

   Accept the default file location (`~/.ssh/identity`). Enter a passphrase different from your account password. Confirm the passphrase by entering it again.

   The public key is written to `~/.ssh/identity.pub`. The private key is written to `~/.ssh/identity`. Do not give anyone the private key.

2. Change the permissions of your `.ssh` directory and your key with the commands `chmod 755 ~/.ssh` and `chmod 644 ~/.ssh/identity.pub`.

3. Copy the contents of `~/.ssh/identity.pub` to the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the machine to which you wish to connect. If the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` does not exist, you can copy the file `~/.ssh/identity.pub` to the file `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` on the remote machine.

4. If you are running GNOME, skip to Section 22.3.4.4 Configuring `ssh-agent` with GNOME. If you are not running GNOME, skip to Section 22.3.4.5 Configuring `ssh-agent`.

### 22.3.4.4. Configuring `ssh-agent` with GNOME

The `ssh-agent` utility can be used to save your passphrase so that you do not have to enter it each time you initiate an `ssh` or `scp` connection. If you are using GNOME, the `openssh-askpass-gnome` utility can be used to prompt you for your passphrase when you log in to GNOME and save it until you log out of GNOME. You will not have to enter your password or passphrase for any `ssh` or `scp` connection made during that GNOME session. If you are not using GNOME, refer to Section 22.3.4.5 Configuring `ssh-agent`.

To save your passphrase during your GNOME session, follow the following steps:

1. You will need to have the package `openssh-askpass-gnome` installed; you can use the command `rpm -q openssh-askpass-gnome` to determine if it is installed or not. If it is not installed, install it from your Red Hat Enterprise Linux CD-ROM set, from a Red Hat FTP mirror site, or using Red Hat Network.

2. Select Main Menu Button (on the Panel) => Preferences => More Preferences => Sessions, and click on the Startup Programs tab. Click Add and enter `/usr/bin/ssh-add` in the Startup Command text area. Set it a priority to a number higher than any existing commands to ensure that it is executed last. A good priority number for `ssh-add` is 70 or higher. The higher the priority number, the lower the priority. If you have other programs listed, this one should have the lowest priority. Click Close to exit the program.

3. Log out and then log back into GNOME; in other words, restart X. After GNOME is started, a dialog box will appear prompting you for your passphrase(s). Enter the passphrase requested. If you have both DSA and RSA key pairs configured, you will be prompted for both. From this point on, you should not be prompted for a password by `ssh`, `scp`, or `sftp`.

### 22.3.4.5. Configuring `ssh-agent`

The `ssh-agent` can be used to store your passphrase so that you do not have to enter it each time you make a `ssh` or `scp` connection. If you are not running the X Window System, follow these steps from a shell prompt. If you are running GNOME but you do not want to configure it to prompt you for your passphrase when you log in (see Section 22.3.4.4 Configuring `ssh-agent` with GNOME), this procedure will work in a terminal window, such as an XTerm. If you are running X but not GNOME, this procedure will work in a terminal window. However, your passphrase will only be remembered for that terminal window; it is not a global setting.

1. At a shell prompt, type the following command:

       exec /usr/bin/ssh-agent $SHELL

2. Then type the command:

       ssh-add

   and enter your passphrase(s). If you have more than one key pair configured, you will be prompted for each one.

3. When you log out, your passphrase(s) will be forgotten. You must execute these two commands each time you log in to a virtual console or open a terminal window.

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