[CHUUG]

Stupid SSH Tricks

Extras


  • ssh-agent: typically run from .xinitrc; holds authentication key(s).

    eval `ssh-agent`

    or

    ssh-agent my-window-manager

    (those are backticks). Environment variables (e.g. SSH_AGENT_PID) inherited by child processes. Can be run from an xterm (not as good).

  • ssh-add: adds your key to the agent. If you have a passphrase (see next slide) it asks for it and caches it.

  • ssh-askpass: GUI way of prompting for your passphrase if you have one, e.g.:
    ssh-askpass | ssh-add -p
    Grabs the X focus (as does the xterm ctrl-left-mouse menu item "Secure Keyboard") to make it harder for others to monitor keystrokes:
   

Stupid SSH Tricks
Pat Murphy