An SSH key is an access credential for the SSH (secure shell) network protocol. This authenticated and encrypted secure network protocol is used for remote communication between machines on an unsecured open network. SSH is used for remote file transfer, network management, and remote operating system access. The SSH acronym is also used to describe a set of tools used to interact with the SSH protocol.
GitLab supports secure communication between Git and its servers using SSH keys. The SSH protocol provides this security and allows you to authenticate to the GitLab remote server without supplying your username or password each time. This page can help you configure secure SSH keys which you can use to help secure connections to GitLab repositories. Ensure that you generated your SSH key pair correctly and added the public SSH key to your GitLab profile; Try manually registering your private SSH key using ssh-agent as documented earlier in this document; Try to debug the connection by running ssh -Tv [email protected] (replacing example.com with your GitLab domain).
My Git setup runs fine on Linux, but when I try to set things up under Windows (using Git for Windows and TortoiseGit), I don't know where to put my private SSH key (or, better still, how to tell ssh where it's located). I'm using the standard ssh.exe option during installation of Git for Windows. Jul 25, 2019 Go to this address, and download Git for Windows, after the download install it with default settings Open Git Bash that you just installed (Start-All Programs-Git-Git Bash) Type in the following: ssh-keygen -t rsa (when prompted, enter password, key name can stay the same). PuTTYgen is an key generator tool for creating SSH keys for PuTTY. It is analogous to the ssh-keygen tool used in some other SSH implementations. The basic function is to create public and private key pairs. PuTTY stores keys in its own format in.ppk files. However, the tool can also convert keys to and from other formats. Apr 19, 2019 In order to properly configure a Windows client for authenticating via SSH keys, the public key (.PUB) file must be transferred to the client device's.ssh directory and stored in the authorized.
SSH uses a pair of keys to initiate a secure handshake between remote parties. The key pair contains a public and private key. The private vs public nomenclature can be confusing as they are both called keys. It is more helpful to think of the public key as a 'lock' and the private key as the 'key'. You give the public 'lock' to remote parties to encrypt or 'lock' data. This data is then opened with the 'private' key which you hold in a secure place.
How to Create an SSH Key
SSH keys are generated through a public key cryptographic algorithm, the most common being RSA or DSA. At a very high level SSH keys are generated through a mathematical formula that takes 2 prime numbers and a random seed variable to output the public and private key. This is a one-way formula that ensures the public key can be derived from the private key but the private key cannot be derived from the public key.
SSH keys are created using a key generation tool. The SSH command line tool suite includes a keygen tool. Most git hosting providers offer guides on how to create an SSH Key.
Generate an SSH Key on Mac and Linux
Both OsX and Linux operating systems have comprehensive modern terminal applications that ship with the SSH suite installed. The process for creating an SSH key is the same between them.
1. execute the following to begin the key creation
This command will create a new SSH key using the email as a label
2. You will then be prompted to 'Enter a file in which to save the key.'
You can specify a file location or press “Enter” to accept the default file location.
You can specify a file location or press “Enter” to accept the default file location.
3. The next prompt will ask for a secure passphrase.
A passphrase will add an additional layer of security to the SSH and will be required anytime the SSH key is used. If someone gains access to the computer that private keys are stored on, they could also gain access to any system that uses that key. Adding a passphrase to keys will prevent this scenario.
A passphrase will add an additional layer of security to the SSH and will be required anytime the SSH key is used. If someone gains access to the computer that private keys are stored on, they could also gain access to any system that uses that key. Adding a passphrase to keys will prevent this scenario.
At this point, a new SSH key will have been generated at the previously specified file path.
4. Add the new SSH key to the ssh-agent
The ssh-agent is another program that is part of the SSH toolsuite. The ssh-agent is responsible for holding private keys. Think of it like a keychain. In addition to holding private keys it also brokers requests to sign SSH requests with the private keys so that private keys are never passed around unsecurly.
Before adding the new SSH key to the ssh-agent first ensure the ssh-agent is running by executing:
Once the ssh-agent is running the following command will add the new SSH key to the local SSH agent.
The new SSH key is now registered and ready to use!
Generate an SSH Key on Windows
Windows environments do not have a standard default unix shell. External shell programs will need to be installed for to have a complete keygen experience. The most straight forward option is to utilize Git Bash. Once Git Bash is installed the same steps for Linux and Mac can be followed within the Git Bash shell.
Windows Linux Subsystem
Modern windows environments offer a windows linux subsystem. The windows linux subsystem offers a full linux shell within a traditional windows environment. If a linux subsystem is available the same steps previously discussed for Linux and Mac can be followed with in the windows linux subsystem.
Summary
SSH keys are used to authenticate secure connections. Following this guide, you will be able to create and start using an SSH key. Git is capable of using SSH keys instead of traditional password authentication when pushing or pulling to remote repositories. Modern hosted git solutions like Bitbucket support SSH key authentication.
How to generate an SSH key in Windows 10
To generate an SSH key in Windows 10:
- Ensure the Windows 10 OpenSSH client is installed.
- Run “ssh-keygen” in Command Prompt and follow the instructions to generate your key.
Applies to Windows 10 1803, and up
Generating SSH keys in a Windows environment used to be a convoluted process which required the installation of third-party tools. Since the Windows 10 April 2018 update, Windows has shipped with a preinstalled OpenSSH client, which means you can use ssh-keygen to generate SSH keys. Read on as we walk you through the entire process.
First, you’ll need to make sure OpenSSH is installed on your machine – if you upgraded from an earlier version of Windows 10, you may need to manually enable it. Launch the Settings app and click the “Apps” category. Next, click the “Manage optional features” link. If you don’t see “OpenSSH Client” in the list which appears, click the “Add a feature” button and install it. You might need to reboot your PC after the installation.
Once OpenSSH is installed, you’re ready to proceed. Open Command Prompt from the Start menu. Type “ssh-keygen” (without the quotes) into the terminal window and press enter. You’ll be prompted to confirm the save location. We recommend pressing enter to use the default location in your user directory. Otherwise, type a path to save the key in and then press enter.
Git Ssh Key Generate Windows
You can now choose to add a passphrase (password) to the key. If you add one, you’ll need to supply it whenever you use the key. Either type a passphrase and press enter or press enter immediately to proceed without one.
Git Ssh Key Generation Windows 7
Windows will now generate your RSA public/private key pair. The public key will be stored as “id_rsa.pub” in the directory you specified. Upload this key to any machines you need to SSH into. You can then open a connection using Windows’ built-in SSH client – type “ssh [email protected]” to connect and authenticate using your generated credentials.