Best way to Manage SSH Hosts and Private Keys

Best way to Manage SSH Hosts and Private Keys

1. Add First SSH Host. For example we have our first SSH host is running a PHP development web server with details nick name as php-web1, user root, port 22 and accessible through password. ...
2. Add Second SSH Host. ...
3. Add Third SSH Host. ...
4. Setup Forwarding with SSH.

1. How do I manage multiple SSH keys?
2. Can I have multiple SSH private keys?
3. How do I manage my SSH keys?
4. Where should I store my private SSH key?
5. Should I use different SSH keys?
6. Should I have more than one SSH key?
7. How do I store multiple private keys?
8. How do I use 2 SSH keys?
9. Can I rename my SSH keys?
10. What type of SSH key should I use?
11. What is the most secure SSH key type?
12. How do you manage keys?

How do I manage multiple SSH keys?

Solution

1. Create a new ssh key pair. Generate a new ssh key pair using the company's email id. ...
2. Add the ssh key to the ssh-agent. Now add the generated key using the ssh-add command. ...
3. Update the hosts in the ssh config file. ...
4. Clone your personal Github and company Github projects.

Can I have multiple SSH private keys?

You can have different private keys in different files and specify all of them in ~/. ssh/config using separate IdentityFile values (or using -i option while running ssh ). They would be tried in sequence (checkout man 5 ssh_config ).

How do I manage my SSH keys?

6 SSH Key Security Best Practices

1. Discover all SSH Keys and Bring Under Active Management. ...
2. Ensure SSH Keys Are Associated With a Single Individual. ...
3. Enforce Minimal Levels of User Rights Through PoLP. ...
4. Stay Attentive to SSH Key Rotation. ...
5. Eliminate Hardcoded SSH Keys. ...
6. Audit All Privileged Session Activity.

Where should I store my private SSH key?

So I would recommend storing ssh-keys in the home directory of another user account.
...
I would recommend storing private keys:

1. offline (not in the cloud)
2. in more than one place.
3. apart from anything it's related to, e.g. a key for your encrypted data, store it in a separate place from the data.

Should I use different SSH keys?

As far as security is concerned, you don't compromise your key in any way by using it to log in on a machine (as you would by using a password), so having separate keys for separate destinations doesn't make you any more safe from an authentication/security perspective.

Should I have more than one SSH key?

You use SSH for connecting to remote servers, which also includes managing your code using Git and syncing with remote repositories. Even though it is considered a good practice to have one private-public key pair per device, sometimes you need to use multiple keys and/or you have unorthodox key names.

How do I store multiple private keys?

3 Answers

1. Load both keys into your ssh agent using ssh-add . Then both keys will be available when connecting to both servers.
2. Create your $HOME/.ssh/config file and create a Host section for server1 and another for server2. In each Host section, add an IdentityFile option pointing to the appropriate private key file.

How do I use 2 SSH keys?

Use multiple ssh-keys for different GitHub accounts on the same computer

1. Create a new ssh-key and add it to the work GitHub account. ...
2. Modify the ssh config file ( ~/.ssh/config ) ...
3. Clone the work project repo (with a slightly different address) ...
4. Modify the package.

Can I rename my SSH keys?

Rename an SSH Key

Locate the key you wish to rename in the list, click the SSH Key Actions drop-down menu to the right of the corresponding key, and click Rename. A pop-up menu will then appear where you can update the current name by inputting the new name into the Name form, and clicking Change SSH Key Name.

What type of SSH key should I use?

Unless there is a good reason not to, you should always authenticate using SSH keys. A number of cryptographic algorithms can be used to generate SSH keys, including RSA, DSA, and ECDSA. RSA keys are generally preferred and are the default key type.

What is the most secure SSH key type?

This article will focus on asymmetric keygen algorithms. As of 2020, the most widely adopted algorithms are RSA, DSA, ECDSA, and EdDSA, but it is RSA and EdDSA that provide the best security and performance.

How do you manage keys?

9 Steps to Create a Comprehensive Key Control Policy

1. Identify gaps in your current key control policy.
2. Invest in a patented key system.
3. Create a master key system.
4. Rekey your facility.
5. Create and distribute a key holder agreement.
6. Conduct staff training.
7. Make lost key and new access steps clear.
8. Use trusted resources during key control planning.