Secure Shell (SSH) → Create SSH Public/Private Key Files

This function lets you create authentication files to identify you with hosts that offer public/private key file authentication.

You need to specify the length of the key in bits (usually 2048) and the key type (the latter depends on your host and the SSH version which the host offers).

The passphrase is a word or short sentence which is used to protect the key in order do avoid that someone who gets hold of your private key file can use the key to log on with your accounts.

After the keys are created, they are stored in two files, where the public part of the key ends with the extension .pub. The public part needs to be transferred to your SSH server were it is usually appended to authorized_keys file in the ~/.ssh directory. The private key will need to remain in ZOC's SSH directory.

With ZOC this can be done on a Unix/Linux host using the following way:

1. Copy the contents of the newly created public key file, e.g. id_rsa.pub file to the clipboard by using the Function Tools-menu→Copy SSH Public-Key to Clipboard.

2. Log on to the remote computer and type the following commds, where after typing echo you paste the contents of clipboard into the command by using the Edit-menu→Paste function:
cd ~/.ssh
echo (paste clipboard here) >>authorized_keys

See also: SSH Communication→Options and SSH Communication→Global Authentication Keys.

 
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