How to Generate and Utilize SSH Keys on Linux

Generating and using SSH keys on Linux

Step 1

Before generating a new SSH key pair, check if

ls ~/.ssh

If you see files like id_rsa and id_rsa.pub, you already have SSH keys. You can use these

Step

If you don’t have an SSH key pair or want to generate a new one, use the following command:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048

• -t rsa:
• -b 2048: Specifies the number of bits in the key, with 2048 being a common size.

You will be prompted to provide a location to save the key pair~/.ssh/id_rsa) or specify a different

You can also set a passphrase for added security

Step 3: Copy the Public Key to Remote Server

To use yourssh-copy-id command can help with this:

ssh-copy-id username@remote_server

Replace username with your username on the remote serverremote_server with the server’s address.

Step 4:

After copying the public key, test the SSH connection:

ssh username@remote_server

If you set a passphrase, you’ll be prompted to enter it.

Additional Tips:

• Use SSH Agent:
  • To avoid entering your passphrase every time, you can use the SSH agent. Start the agent:

    eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

    Add your key:

    ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

• Configuring SSH:
  • You can configure SSH options globally or per-host in the ~/.ssh/config file.
• Revoke Access:
  • If your private key is
• Use Different Keys for Different Services:
  • Consider using different SSH keys for different services or servers.

By following these steps, you