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What is Secure Socket Shell ?

SSH (Secure Shell) is a network protocol that allows secure access to a computer over an unsecured network. It encrypts the connection to ensure that all data transmitted is secure and protected from eavesdropping or interception. SSH is commonly used for remote login to server machines and can also be used for securely transferring files.

What is SSH-keygen?

ssh-keygen is a command-line tool used to create pairs of public and private keys for SSH authentication. Instead of using a password to log in to a remote server, you can use these keys to establish a secure connection.

How it works?

  1. Key Generation:
  • You generate a key pair using ssh-keygen.
  • This command creates two keys: a private key and a public key.
  1. Private Key:
  • The private key is kept secure on your local machine.
  • It should never be shared with anyone or exposed to the internet.
  • It is used to prove your identity when connecting to a remote server.
  1. Public Key:
  • The public key is shared with the remote server.
  • It is added to a special file called ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the server.
  1. Authentication:
  • When you attempt to connect to the server, your SSH client uses the private key to create a digital signature.
  • The server uses the public key to verify the signature.
  • If the verification is successful, you are granted access.

Simple Explanation of Private and Public Keys

  • Private Key:
  • Think of the private key as a unique, secret password that you keep safe and secure.
  • It’s like a key to your house that you never share with anyone.
  • Public Key:
  • The public key is like a lock that you can give to anyone.
  • Only the private key can unlock this lock.
  • You place this lock (public key) on the remote server so it can recognize and accept the private key.

Example Workflow

  1. Generate Keys:
  • Run ssh-keygen on your local machine.
  • It will prompt you to save the keys (default location is ~/.ssh/id_rsa for the private key and ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub for the public key).
   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048 -C "your_email@example.com"
  1. Copy Public Key to Server:
  • Use ssh-copy-id to copy your public key to the server.
   ssh-copy-id user@remote_host
  1. Connect to Server:
  • Use SSH to connect to the server. The server will recognize your public key and authenticate using the private key.
   ssh user@remote_host

By using SSH and key pairs, you can securely connect to remote servers without needing to enter a password every time, and the connection is encrypted to protect your data.

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