passwordless ssh

[ROSS HANSON]

I am trying to acces one hpux machine from another hpux machine without having to put in a password. I have been reading other threads about this on the forums but I guess I just don't get it. For the purpose of creating a script to obtain files I need to scp or sftp to another hpux machine once an hour get these files and place them back on the machine I started from. I have created the authorized keys and had them placed on all the other machines but when I test this "passwordless entry" on the command line I am once again asked for a password. Please direct me to a easy understanding source to read

[Steven E. Protter]

Attaching a document.

You can ignore the X windows part and just use cat.

pay close attention to permissions.

SEP

toda raba Chris

[TwoProc]

Let's assume a few basic things...
A) Machine names MA and MB
B) username - myuser

A) First go to each machine and as myuser run the command:
ssh-keygen -t rsa
agree to everything by default, and put no additional password when asked.

B) On MA and as user myuser
cd .ssh
chmod 700 . *
cat id_rsa.pub >> authorized_keys2
chmod 700 authorized_keys2

You've just allowed yourself to ssh onto MA -
try it...
ssh MA
...it should ask you to verify a key about the hostname - be agreeable and let it.
... You should now be logged onta MA as myuser.

C) repeat B) on server MB

Now all we need is to append the public_keys for MA and append it to the authorized_keys2 file on server MB, and vice-versa:

D) From server MB
cd .ssh
scp -p MA:/home/myuser/.ssh/id_rsa.pub id_rsa.MA
...you'll have to put in a password - do it.
cat id_rsa.MA >> authorized_keys2
rm id_rsa.MA
... You've just allowed myuser from MA to ssh over to MB ...

E) Do step D) on server MA
cd .ssh
scp -p MB:/home/myuser/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
id_rsa.MB
...you'll have to put in a password - do it.
cat id_rsa.MB >> authorized_keys
rm id_rsa.MB
... You've just allowed myuser from MA to ssh over to MB ...


Now, that's the simple version - there are lots of options, servers that run and distribute keys for you, policies, etc. that you need to review and set, etc.

But, that should be enough of a quick n dirty to start seeing how it works and what makes things integrate.

[Patrick Wallek]

Check the permissions on the users home directory and on the .ssh directory and the associated files. About 90% of the time, the problem is that permissions are too open.

You want your home directory to be -rwxr-x--- (760 permission) ideally. The .ssh directory should be -rwx------ (700 permission) and the files in the .ssh directory should be -r-------- or -rw------- (400 or 600 permissions).

Check those, correct them and then see what happens.