How do I SSH to a specific private key?

To specify a private key file in SSH from the command line, you can simply use -i option in the ssh command. However, things get complicated when you have multiple private keys. In that case, you can declare which private key to use for each SSH server, in your SSH configuration file which is found at ~/. ssh/config .

How does SSH verify identity?

The most common means of authentication is via SSH asymmetric key pairs. The server uses the public key to encrypt a message and send it to the client. If the client has the correct private key, they can decrypt the message and send it back to the server for verification.

Can SSH key be hacked?

High volume SSH Key scanning attacks going undetected Activity reported by web servers has proven attackers are exploiting SSH Keys to gain access to company data. Attackers can breach the perimeter in a number of ways, as they have been doing, but once they get in, they steal SSH Keys to advance the attack.

Is SSH with private key secure?

Public key encryption ensures that passwords need not be sent over the network, providing an additional layer of security. SSH keys are an excellent way to stay secure and compliant with various regulations and mandates, provided that you use best practice to generate, store, manage, and remove them.

What is identity file in SSH?

Identity file is simply a private key (or cert), usually created by running ssh-keygen . This will by default create an RSA key, but you can change that with the -t option. According to your output, you have an RSA and an ECDSA key.

How do I choose which SSH key to use?

Method one, specify the key in command line with the -i option of ssh. Check more in the manual. Method two, use the ssh config file. This is useful when you do not have the -i option available, such as using git, rsync or lftp.

How does SSH private key authentication work?

An SSH key relies upon the use of two related keys, a public key and a private key, that together create a key pair that is used as the secure access credential. The private key is secret, known only to the user, and should be encrypted and stored safely.

How does SSH know which key?

When a client connects to the host, wishing to use SSH key authentication, it will inform the server of this intent and will tell the server which public key to use. The server then checks its authorized_keys file for the public key, generates a random string, and encrypts it using the public key.

What can a hacker do with a private key?

Attackers in possession of the private key can: Impersonate the website, if they are also in a position to perform an active MITM attack (i.e. alter the traffic coming from the client, so as to redirect the request to their server).

How do you decode a private key?

To decrypt the private key from the terminal:

  1. Open terminal.
  2. Run the open ssl command to decrypt the file $ openssl rsa -in -out Enter pass phrase for encrypted_private.key: writing RSA key.

Why is SSH a security risk?

Because SSH provides remote access into systems, it is critical that access be tracked and controlled. Since many organizations don’t have centralized oversight and control of SSH, the risk of unauthorized access is increasing.

Is SSH insecure?

The Secure Shell (SSH) protocol enables cryptographically protected remote system administration and file transfers over insecure networks.