SSH Tectia

Identity

The Identity page is used to specify the host keys and host certificates that identify the server to the clients.

SSH Tectia Server Configuration - Identity page

Figure 4.8. SSH Tectia Server Configuration - Identity page

Host Key (RSA)

Under Host Key (RSA), you can generate an RSA key, and specify the private and public host key files.

Private key file

Click the Browse button on the right-hand side of the text field to change the private host key file. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to find and specify the desired file. You can also type the path and filename directly into the text field.

The default file is hostkey, located in the installation directory (by default, "C:\Program Files\SSH Communications Security\SSH Tectia\SSH Tectia Server"). The key file and directory should have full permissions for the Administrators group and the SYSTEM account and no other permissions.

Public key file

Click Browse button on the right-hand side of the text field to change the public host key file. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to find and specify the desired file. You can also type the path and filename directly into the text field.

If the public key is not specified, it will be derived from the private key. However, specifying the public key will decrease the start-up time for the software, as deriving the public key is a fairly slow operation.

Generate RSA key

Click the Generate RSA key button to generate a new RSA host key pair. This launches the ssh-keygen-g3.exe command-line tool and generates a 1536-bit RSA key pair.

You can generate the key pairs also manually with a command line tool. See instruction in ssh-keygen-g3(1).

Show Fingerprint

Click the Show Fingerprint button to view the key's fingerprint in the SSH Babble format (a series of five-letter words).

Host Key (DSA)

Under Host Key (DSA), you can generate a DSA key, and specify the private and public host key files.

Private key file

Click the Browse button on the right-hand side of the text field to specify the private host key file. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to find and specify the desired file. You can also type the path and filename directly into the text field.

By default, the hostkey is located in the installation directory (by default, "C:\Program Files\SSH Communications Security\SSH Tectia\SSH Tectia Server"). The key file and directory should have full permissions for the Administrators group and the SYSTEM account and no other permissions.

Public key file

Click the Browse button on the right-hand side of the text field to specify the public host key file. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to find and specify the desired file. You can also type the path and filename directly into the text field.

If the public key is not specified, it will be derived from the private key. However, specifying the public key will decrease the start-up time for the software, as deriving the public key is a fairly slow operation.

Generate RSA key

Click the Generate DSA key button to generate a new DSA host key pair. This launches the ssh-keygen-g3.exe command-line tool and generates a 1536-bit DSA key pair.

You can generate the key pairs also manually with a command line tool. See instruction in ssh-keygen-g3(1).

Show Fingerprint

Click the Show Fingerprint button to view the key's fingerprint in the SSH Babble format (a series of five-letter words).

Certificate

Under Certificate, you can specify the host certificate settings.

Private key file

Click the Browse button on the right-hand side of the text field to change the private key file associated with the certificate. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to specify the desired file. You can also type the path and filename directly into the text field.

Click the Import PKCS12 button to import a private key stored in the Personal Information Exchange (PFX) format. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to specify the desired file.

Certificate file

Click the Browse button to select the host certificate file. The Select File dialog appears, allowing you to specify the desired file. You can also type the path and file name directly into the text field.

Click the View button to display the current certificate.

External Key

Under External Key, you can specify an external host key to be used.

Type

Enter the type of the external key in the text box. The currently supported types are none, software, entrust, mscapi, pkcs11 and pkcs12.

Init info

Enter the initialization info of the external key provider.

This field can be used, for example, to define a directory where the keys are polled or key files where the keys are read. For information on the init-info options, see externalkey in ssh-server-config(5).

Notice that all key and certificate files should be located on a local drive. Network or mapped drives should not be used, as the server program may not have proper access rights for them.

See also Server Authentication with Public Keys, Server Authentication with Certificates, and Server Authentication using External Host Keys.