SSH Tectia

Chapter 5 Authentication

Table of Contents

Server Authentication with Public Keys
Host Key Storage Formats
Using the System-Wide Host Key Storage
Resolving Hashed Host Keys
Using the OpenSSH known_hosts File
Server Authentication with Certificates
Using the Configuration File (Unix)
Using the GUI (Windows)
User Authentication with Passwords
Using the Configuration File (Unix)
Using the GUI (Windows)
User Authentication with Public Keys
Creating Keys with ssh-keygen-g3
Uploading Public Keys Manually
Creating Keys with the Key Generation Wizard (Windows)
Uploading Public Keys Automatically (Windows)
Using Keys Generated with OpenSSH
Special Considerations with Windows Servers
User Authentication with Certificates
Using the Configuration File (Unix)
Using the GUI (Windows)
Host-Based User Authentication (Unix)
User Authentication with Keyboard-Interactive
Using the Configuration File (Unix)
Using the GUI (Windows)
User Authentication with GSSAPI
Using the Configuration File (Unix)
Using the GUI (Windows)

The Secure Shell protocol used by the SSH Tectia client/server solution provides mutual authentication – the client authenticates the server and the server authenticates the client user. Both parties are assured of the identity of the other party.

The remote Secure Shell server host can authenticate itself using either traditional public-key authentication or certificate authentication.

Different methods can be used to authenticate Secure Shell client users. These authentication methods can be combined or used separately, depending on the level of functionality and security you want.

User authentication methods

Figure 5.1. User authentication methods

User authentication methods used by SSH Tectia Client by default are: public-key, password, keyboard-interactive, and GSSAPI authentication. Public-key and certificate authentication are combined into the public-key authentication method.

For reference information on authentication methods, see technical note SSH Tectia Client/Server User Authentication Methods at http://www.ssh.com/resources/.