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Q. How do you set-up SSH with DSA public key authentication? I have Linux laptop called tom and remote Linux server called jerry. How do I setup DSA based authentication so I don’t have to type password?

A. DSA public key authentication can only be established on a per system / user basis only i.e. it is not system wide. You will be setting up ssh with DSA public key authentication for SSH version 2 on two machines:

#1 machine : your laptop called tom
#2 machine : your remote server called jerry
Command to type on your laptop/desktop (local computer)

First login to local computer called tom and type the following command.
Step #1: Generate DSA Key Pair

Use ssh-keygen command as follows:
$ ssh-keygen -t dsa
Output:

Enter file in which to save the key (/home/vivek/.ssh/id_dsa): Press [Enter] key
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): myPassword
Enter same passphrase again: myPassword
Your identification has been saved in /home/vivek/.ssh/id_dsa.
Your public key has been saved in /home/vivek/.ssh/id_dsa.pub.
The key fingerprint is:
04:be:15:ca:1d:0a:1e:e2:a7:e5:de:98:4f:b1:a6:01 vivek@vivek-desktop

Caution: a) Please enter a passphrase different from your account password and confirm the same.
b) The public key is written to /home/you/.ssh/id_dsa.pub.
c) The private key is written to /home/you/.ssh/id_dsa.
d) It is important you never-ever give out your private key.
Step #2: Set directory permission

Next make sure you have correct permission on .ssh directory:
$ cd
$ chmod 755 .ssh
Step #3: Copy public key

Now copy file ~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub on Machine #1 (tom) to remote server jerry as ~/.ssh/authorized_keys:
$ scp ~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub user@jerry:.ssh/authorized_keys
Command to type on your remote server called jerry

Login to your remote server and make sure permissions are set correct:
$ chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
Task: How do I login from client to server with DSA key?

Use scp or ssh as follows from your local computer:
$ ssh user@jerry
$ ssh user@remote-server.com
$ scp file user@jerry:/tmp

You will still be asked for the passphrase for the DSA key file each time you connect to remote server called jerry, unless you either did not enter a passphrase when generating the DSA key pair.
Task: How do I login from client to server with DSA key but without typing a passhrase i.e. password-less login?

Type the following command at shell prompt:
$ exec /usr/bin/ssh-agent $SHELL
$ ssh-add
Output:

Enter passphrase for /home/vivek/.ssh/id_dsa: myPassword
Identity added: /home/vivek/.ssh/id_dsa (/home/vivek/.ssh/id_dsa)

Type your passhrase once. Now, you should not be prompted for a password whenever you use ssh, scp, or sftp command.

If you are using GUI such as Gnome use the command:
$ ssh-askpass
OR
$ /usr/lib/openssh/gnome-ssh-askpass

To save your passphrase during your GNOME session under Debian / Ubuntu, do as follows:
a) Click on System
b) Select Preferences
c) Select Session
d) Click on New
e) Enter "OpenSSH Password Management" in the Name text area
f) Enter /usr/lib/openssh/gnome-ssh-askpass in the command text area.
Howto Linux / UNIX setup SSH with DSA public key authentication
g) Click on close to save the changes
h) Log out and then log back into GNOME. After GNOME is started, a dialog box will appear prompting you for your passphrase. Enter the passphrase requested. From this point on, you should not be prompted for a password by ssh, scp, or sftp.


Install / Append SSH Key In A Remote Linux / UNIX Servers Authorized_keys

by Vivek Gite on May 6, 2010 · 4 comments

How do I install my SSH public key ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub onto a remote Linux / UNIX server automatically from Linux workstation / Apple OS X laptop without using scp and/or copy & paste method?

You need to use the ssh-copy-id script that uses ssh to log into a remote machine using a login password. The syntax is as follows:

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub user@server.example.com
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub user@server.example.com

Step # 1: Create Keys

Type the following ssh-keygen command to generates, manages and converts authentication keys for your workstation / laptop:
ssh-keygen
Make sure you protect keys with the passphrase.
Step # 2: Install Keys

Install key in a remote server called www-03.nixcraft.in, enter:
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub username@www-03.nixcraft.in
Step #3: Use keychain for password less login

OpenSSH offers RSA and DSA authentication to remote systems without supplying a password. keychain is a special bash script designed to make key-based authentication incredibly convenient and flexible. Add following lines to your ~/.bash_profile

/usr/bin/keychain $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa
source $HOME/.keychain/$HOSTNAME-sh

Save and close the file.
References:

* man ssh-copy-id


REFERENCES
http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/ssh-password-less-login-with-dsa-publickey-authentication/
http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/install-ssh-identity-key-remote-host/