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Date:      Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:02:11 -0700
From:      Gavin Spomer <spomerg@cwu.EDU>
To:        freebsd-stable@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: ssh-keygen between SuSE and FreeBSD
Message-ID:  <48A402A3020000900001C178@hermes.cwu.edu>

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>=20
>>> Pollywog <lists-fbsdstable@shadypond.com> 08/14/08 9:32 AM >>>
> On Thursday 14 August 2008 15:29:27 Gavin Spomer wrote:
> > >>> Lyndon Nerenberg <lyndon@orthanc.ca> 08/13/08 7:10 PM >>>
> > >
> > > You need to start an ssh-agent on the machine you're connecting from =
and
> > > populate it with your keychain:
> > >
> > >  	eval `ssh-agent`
> > >  	ssh-add
> > >
> > > Add the above to your .profile, or check the Linux PAM implementation=
 to
> > > see if it has ssh session support.
> > >
> > > --lyndon
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > That made it possible for me to ssh from SuSE server to FreeBSD =
server, but
> > now when I ssh from my Mac to SuSE server it wants a password now:
> >
> >    Enter passphrase for /home/myusername/.ssh/id_rsa:
> >
> > I read the FreeBSD handbook section "14.11.7 ssh-agent and ssh-add" =
and
> > don't have anything much more intelligent to say but "I don't =
understand".
> > ;)
> >
> > Questions:
> >
> >    1. If the ssh-agent and ssh-add utilities load the keys into =
memory,
> > they'd be wiped if I rebooted?
>=20
> Yes, rebooting will take the keys out of memory and you would need to=20
> use 'ssh-add' on the command line to put the keys and passphrase in =
memory.
> The 'ssh-add -D' command removes the keys when you are done but are =
not=20
> logging out.
>=20
> >
> >    2. Is #1 why I'd add it to my ~/.profile?
>=20
> This is so that ssh-agent is set when you login at a console.  I don't =
know=20
> about Mac but some Linux distributions have session scripts so that this =
is=20
> done for you when you start a KDE session.  I don't believe ~/.profile =
will=20
> be read unless you login at a console or xterm or similar.
>=20
> When you add stuff to your ~/.profile, I recommend doing it on a =
separate=20
> account first.  I once added those lines on a Linux system and was =
locked out=20
> on that account but I was able to get in with another account, su to =
root,=20
> and remove the lines in the affected user ~/.profile and then I was no =
longer=20
> locked out.
> >
> >    3. How am I able to ssh (without a password) from my Mac to SuSE =
server
> > or Mac to FreeBSD server when I don't have "eval `ssh-agent`" and =
"ssh-add"
> > in my .profile on my Mac?
>=20
> You can do 'ssh-agent bash' followed by 'ssh-add' but this will not work =
until=20
> you have generated your SSH keys with:
>=20
> ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 1024
> or
> ssh-keygen -t dsa -b 1024
>=20
> or similar.  Until you do that, you have to use your login password and =
cannot=20
> use a passphrase since you have not set one.  Setting the passphrase is =
part=20
> of the process of generating your SSH keys.
>=20
> BTW I do not know if you are using the "keychain" utility.  Be very =
careful=20
> with it.  It can be confusing.  I found it inconvenient to use and no =
longer=20
> use it.
>=20
> There are some fine SSH tutorials online, I believe "OnLamp" has some.  =
Just=20
> make sure they are not more than about 3 yrs old.

All good information. Thanks. I will save this for future reference. :)



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