ssh issue - hash mismatch; key_verify failed for server_host_key

[RobertCarback]

about 1 out of ten tries to ssh from an hp-ux 11.23 server to redhat linux servers (2 of them) causes the following errors to occur --

ssh version --
OpenSSH_4.4p1-hpn12v11, OpenSSL 0.9.7l 28 Sep 2006
HP-UX Secure Shell-A.04.40.011


sometimes I get --
hash mismatch
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature incorrect
key_verify failed for server_host_key

sometimes I get --

debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug3: authmethod_lookup password
debug3: remaining preferred:
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled password
debug1: Next authentication method: password
root@mxfax01's password:

Here is the first full debug output --

mxpddf02:/.ssh > ssh -vvv mxfax01
OpenSSH_4.4p1-hpn12v11, OpenSSL 0.9.7l 28 Sep 2006
HP-UX Secure Shell-A.04.40.011, HP-UX Secure Shell version
debug1: Reading configuration data /opt/ssh/etc/ssh_config
debug3: RNG is ready, skipping seeding
debug2: ssh_connect: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to mxfax01 [192.168.150.128] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: permanently_set_uid: 0/3
debug1: identity file /.ssh/id_rsa type -1
debug3: Not a RSA1 key file /.ssh/id_dsa.
debug2: key_type_from_name: unknown key type '-----BEGIN'
debug3: key_read: missing keytype
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug3: key_read: missing whitespace
debug2: key_type_from_name: unknown key type '-----END'
debug3: key_read: missing keytype
debug1: identity file /.ssh/id_dsa type 2
debug1: Remote protocol version 1.99, remote software version OpenSSH_3.6.1p2
debug1: match: OpenSSH_3.6.1p2 pat OpenSSH_3.*
debug1: Remote is NON-HPN aware
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_4.4p1-hpn12v11
debug2: fd 4 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug3: RNG is ready, skipping seeding
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour128,arcfour256,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour128,arcfour256,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0
debug2: mac_init: found hmac-md5
debug1: kex: server->client aes128-cbc hmac-md5 none
debug2: mac_init: found hmac-md5
debug1: kex: client->server aes128-cbc hmac-md5 none
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST(1024<1024<8192) sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP
debug2: dh_gen_key: priv key bits set: 120/256
debug2: bits set: 522/1024
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: filename /.ssh/known_hosts
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: match line 3
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: filename /.ssh/known_hosts
debug3: check_host_in_hostfile: match line 4
debug1: Host 'mxfax01' is known and matches the RSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /.ssh/known_hosts:3
debug2: bits set: 539/1024
hash mismatch
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature incorrect
key_verify failed for server_host_key

[vaasusworld]

Hi,

It looks like in your HP-UX system, you are using the older versions of SSL and SSH.
Itâ s always recommended to use the latest available versions on HP-UX.
All the feature enhancements and vulnerability fixes are available ONLY in the latest versions of SSL and SSH.

Thanks & Regards,
Vasu

[RobertCarback]

as it turns out a network hub was interfering with packet delivery. we removed the hub and now ssh is fine