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#1 2022-07-14 16:31:36

djenis
Member
Registered: 2021-04-19
Posts: 82

[SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

Hello,

I'm authenticating from my work laptop (client) to my home laptop (server) over the internet (with port-forwarding from my router).

It works fine with password authentication. For more security I want both publickey and password authentication. But public key authentication is failing.

**Server**

This is my non-default /etc/ssh/sshd_config (without password authentication):

PubkeyAuthentication yes
AuthorizedKeysFile	.ssh/authorized_keys
PasswordAuthentication no
AuthenticationMethods publickey
PermitRootLogin no

I have the public key dell.pub in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.

**client**

This is my ~/.ssh/config:

Host tux
    User denis
    HostName XX.XX.XX.XX
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/dell.pub
    Port 22

This is the output of ssh tux -vvv (I have replaced my ip-address with XX):

OpenSSH_9.0p1, OpenSSL 1.1.1q  5 Jul 2022
debug1: Reading configuration data /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/config
debug1: /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/config line 1: Applying options for tux
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname XX:XX:XX is address
debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts'
debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts2'
debug3: ssh_connect_direct: entering
debug1: Connecting to XX:XX:XX [XX:XX:XX] port 22.
debug3: set_sock_tos: set socket 3 IP_TOS 0x48
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: identity file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell.pub type 0
debug1: identity file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell.pub-cert type -1
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_9.0
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_9.0
debug1: compat_banner: match: OpenSSH_9.0 pat OpenSSH* compat 0x04000000
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Authenticating to XX:XX:XX:XX as 'denis'
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ED25519 in file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts:4
debug3: load_hostkeys_file: loaded 1 keys from XX:XX:XX
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug3: order_hostkeyalgs: have matching best-preference key type ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com, using HostkeyAlgorithms verbatim
debug3: send packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug3: receive packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: local client KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,ext-info-c
debug2: host key algorithms: ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: languages ctos: 
debug2: languages stoc: 
debug2: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: reserved 0 
debug2: peer server KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
debug2: host key algorithms: rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ssh-ed25519
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos: 
debug2: languages stoc: 
debug2: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: reserved 0 
debug1: kex: algorithm: sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com
debug1: kex: host key algorithm: ssh-ed25519
debug1: kex: server->client cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug1: kex: client->server cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug3: send packet: type 30
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY
debug3: receive packet: type 31
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY received
debug1: Server host key: ssh-ed25519 SHA256:ulq7SQKp9hZ6zUGxdDv3R73zBzNKh9Swo12UWo7q+Ls
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ED25519 in file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts:4
debug3: load_hostkeys_file: loaded 1 keys from XX:XX:XX
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: Host 'XX:XX:XX' is known and matches the ED25519 host key.
debug1: Found key in /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts:4
debug3: send packet: type 21
debug2: ssh_set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: rekey out after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug3: receive packet: type 21
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug2: ssh_set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: rekey in after 134217728 blocks
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell.pub RSA SHA256:tg+dTWZtKb5n7JVQgZB1d8SaM71O7t6KzoECh5ZJ0RQ explicit
debug2: pubkey_prepare: done
debug3: send packet: type 5
debug3: receive packet: type 7
debug1: SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO received
debug1: kex_input_ext_info: server-sig-algs=<ssh-ed25519,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,ssh-rsa,rsa-sha2-256,rsa-sha2-512,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com>
debug1: kex_input_ext_info: publickey-hostbound@openssh.com=<0>
debug3: receive packet: type 6
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey
debug3: preferred publickey,keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_lookup publickey
debug3: remaining preferred: keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled publickey
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering public key: /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell.pub RSA SHA256:tg+dTWZtKb5n7JVQgZB1d8SaM71O7t6KzoECh5ZJ0RQ explicit
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
denis@XX:XX:XX: Permission denied (publickey).

Last edited by djenis (2022-07-14 20:48:48)

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#2 2022-07-14 17:52:06

bennyBones
Member
Registered: 2022-07-14
Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

In your config file on the client, the IdentityFile should be pointing to the private key.
When you generate ssh keys with ssh-keygen, it should spit out a public and private key pair. In your case, they key is likely just named "dell" (without the .pub) extension.

Host tux
    User denis
    HostName XX.XX.XX.XX
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/dell
    Port 22

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#3 2022-07-14 18:04:29

djenis
Member
Registered: 2021-04-19
Posts: 82

Re: [SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

You're right. But pointing to the private key didn't solve the issue.

Here's the debug log:

OpenSSH_9.0p1, OpenSSL 1.1.1q  5 Jul 2022
debug1: Reading configuration data /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/config
debug1: /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/config line 1: Applying options for tux
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname XX:XX:XX is address
debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts'
debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts2'
debug3: ssh_connect_direct: entering
debug1: Connecting to XX:XX:XX [XX:XX:XX] port 22.
debug3: set_sock_tos: set socket 3 IP_TOS 0x48
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: identity file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell type 0
debug1: identity file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell-cert type -1
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_9.0
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_9.0
debug1: compat_banner: match: OpenSSH_9.0 pat OpenSSH* compat 0x04000000
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Authenticating to XX:XX:XX:22 as 'denis'
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ED25519 in file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts:4
debug3: load_hostkeys_file: loaded 1 keys from XX:XX:XX
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug3: order_hostkeyalgs: have matching best-preference key type ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com, using HostkeyAlgorithms verbatim
debug3: send packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug3: receive packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: local client KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,ext-info-c
debug2: host key algorithms: ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: languages ctos: 
debug2: languages stoc: 
debug2: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: reserved 0 
debug2: peer server KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
debug2: host key algorithms: rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ssh-ed25519
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos: 
debug2: languages stoc: 
debug2: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: reserved 0 
debug1: kex: algorithm: sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com
debug1: kex: host key algorithm: ssh-ed25519
debug1: kex: server->client cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug1: kex: client->server cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug3: send packet: type 30
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY
debug3: receive packet: type 31
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY received
debug1: Server host key: ssh-ed25519 SHA256:ulq7SQKp9hZ6zUGxdDv3R73zBzNKh9Swo12UWo7q+Ls
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ED25519 in file /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts:4
debug3: load_hostkeys_file: loaded 1 keys from XX:XX:XX
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts: No such file or directory
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: Host 'XX:XX:XX' is known and matches the ED25519 host key.
debug1: Found key in /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/known_hosts:4
debug3: send packet: type 21
debug2: ssh_set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: rekey out after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug3: receive packet: type 21
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug2: ssh_set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: rekey in after 134217728 blocks
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell RSA SHA256:tg+dTWZtKb5n7JVQgZB1d8SaM71O7t6KzoECh5ZJ0RQ explicit
debug2: pubkey_prepare: done
debug3: send packet: type 5
debug3: receive packet: type 7
debug1: SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO received
debug1: kex_input_ext_info: server-sig-algs=<ssh-ed25519,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,ssh-rsa,rsa-sha2-256,rsa-sha2-512,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com>
debug1: kex_input_ext_info: publickey-hostbound@openssh.com=<0>
debug3: receive packet: type 6
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey
debug3: preferred publickey,keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_lookup publickey
debug3: remaining preferred: keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled publickey
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering public key: /home/gontcharovd/.ssh/dell RSA SHA256:tg+dTWZtKb5n7JVQgZB1d8SaM71O7t6KzoECh5ZJ0RQ explicit
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
denis@XX:XX:XX: Permission denied (publickey).

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#4 2022-07-14 18:19:50

bennyBones
Member
Registered: 2022-07-14
Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

Try this:
Backup your known_hosts file. (Name it whatever you like. ex: known_hosts.bak)
Open the original known_hosts file and remove every line that begins with your listed "HostName". (the ip address XX.XX.XX.XX)

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#5 2022-07-14 18:25:18

djenis
Member
Registered: 2021-04-19
Posts: 82

Re: [SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

Unfortunately that didn't help

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#6 2022-07-14 20:00:17

Lithium Sulfate
Member
Registered: 2020-07-01
Posts: 28

Re: [SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

See https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/SSH_ke … the_server -- often this is just due to wrong permissions set on your home and/or keys.

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#7 2022-07-14 20:47:44

djenis
Member
Registered: 2021-04-19
Posts: 82

Re: [SOLVED] SSH can't authenticate with public key

Ugh it was a silly error on my side:

authorized_keys was a directory containing the public key file instead of a file containing a line with the public key. Everything works now! Thank you

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