SSH authentication is broadly categorized into two types: password-based and public key authentication. Let’s now switch gears and check out how SSH authentication works. On the remote system, the public key is saved in the authorized_keys file. The private key decrypts the messages sent from the remote server and a connection is established. It is used for encrypting data exchanged between the server and the client.

On the other hand, the public key can be freely shared with any server you wish to connect to without compromising your identity. We cannot emphasize this enough: the private key should never be revealed to anyone else. In the wrong hands, the private key could be compromised and malicious users can use it to breach your systems. It allows users to securely authenticate with the remote server, and should always be kept secret and never disclosed to anyone. Private and Public SSH KeysĪs the name suggests, the private key is only meant for the person who created it, and therefore strictly resides on the client system. Proper management of these keys is therefore essential to ensure that the SSH keys are in the right hands and used in accordance with the best security practices.īefore we proceed further, let us draw a distinction between public and private keys. Typically, these are systems that should only be accessed by authorized users, and no one else. SSH keys grant users access to critical systems such as cloud and on-premise servers and network devices.

The keys work in tandem to provide authentication between the client and the remote system. The key pair is cryptographic in nature and made up of a public and private key. SSH leverages a pair of SSH keys to encrypt communication with a remote system. Secure Shell, or Secure Socket Shell - commonly abbreviated as SSH - is a secure network protocol that allows users to securely authenticate to remote devices.

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