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SSH

SSH Overview

The SSH option allows you to manage secure telnet access to your account. Much of the functionality of telneting is handled through the File Manager option in the Control Panel. However, there are instances when telneting (outside the operation of the File Manager) is required to get the job done.

The only way to gain telnet access to your account is by using SSH secure telnet software that must be loaded on your computer. The recommended software is Van Dyke Technologies’ Secure CRT. The website for this software is: http://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt/index.html.

The SSH Option allows you to upload the RSA (Rivest, Shamir, Adleman) key generated on your computer by the SSH software to the server on which your site resides. Once completed, you will have secure telnet access to the site.

Note:

• You must be set up for SSH access to your account. If you are not and you use the SSH option from the Control Panel, the following message will display when the SSH Manager opens.

Once your hosting company has given you approval (using whatever criteria they deem necessary) to use a secure telnet connection to the server, you will be able to use the SSH Manager to set up your public (RSA) key on the server.

The SSH Manager

How To Use the SSH Manager:


1. From the Control Panel select the SSH icon. The SSH Manager appears

2. As illustrated above, the SSH Manager provides step-by-step instructions for transferring your public key to the server. The first step in this procedure is this: Create your RSA key. Your software will have directions on how to do this. The next procedure in this document shows, step-by-step, how to create this RSA key using the Secure CRT software.

Creating an RSA (Public) Key

How To Create an RSA Key with Secure CRT:

1. Launch the Secure CRT application. The application displays typically with the Connect dialog box open to the Session List tab.

Select the New button to create a new session.  The Session Preferences – new dialog box displays.

3. In the Name field, enter name of the session you are creating.

4. In the Protocol field, select ssh from the drop-down list.

5. In the Hostname or IP field, enter your domain name or the IP number for your domain.

6. Complete the rest of the fields on this screen with the appropriate information. Make sure to enter your domain user name in the Username field and to select RSA from the Authentication field’s drop-down list.

7. Select the Advanced button. The Advanced SSH Options dialog box displays.

8. On the General tab, select the Create Identity File button from the Identity Filename section of the dialog box. The SecureCRT – RSA Key Generation Wizard displays.

9. Click on the Next> button to proceed with the next step of the Wizard.

10. If you wish to use a passphrase as an added layer of security, enter the passphrase in the Passphrase and Confirm Passphrase fields. Be sure to enter it into both fields in exactly the same way. Don’t forget to your passphrase handy. You will need it when establishing a connection to the server.

11. In the Comment field, either accept the default value or enter a new one. The comment will be your way of knowing when the application is prompting you for your passphrase.

12. Click on the Next> button to proceed to the next step. (Note: the <Back button can be used throughout this wizard to move back to the previous step and make changes if necessary.)

13. You need to determine the length of your RSA key pair needs to be determined. It is recommended that you choose a value between 1024 and 2048 bits. 2048 bits is the maximum and will generate the most secure key, but it takes longer to generate a key of this size. 512 bits is the absolute minimum and is not recommended. Once you have entered a number, select Next> to proceed.

14. As the instructions in the wizard indicate, you need to move your mouse around on the screen for the application to generate the key. The application uses a complex set of formulas to create the key out of a mathematical interpretation of your mouse’s movements. When you have moved your mouse around sufficiently, the screen automatically changes and the key pair is generated. This is shown in the image below. You do not need to move your mouse around for this second part of the step.

15. When both progress bars are “full”, the Next> button becomes enabled. Select it to proceed.

16. Select the folder on your hard drive in which to store the key. You can accept the default, which is usually the identity sub-folder of the SecureCRT folder, located wherever you installed the application originally.

17. To complete the wizard, select the Finish button. The Advanced SSH Options dialog box reappears.

18. From there, select the OK button to close the dialog box. The Session Preferences – new dialog box reappears.

19. Select OK to apply the changes and end the procedure. Your newly created session will now appear at the bottom of the Session List.

Warning:

• At this point you cannot yet connect to the server using Secure CRT. First, you must place the RSA key on the server using the SSH Manager in the Control Panel. This is explained in the next section.

Placing the RSA Key on the Server with SSH Manager

How To Place the RSA Key on the Server:

1. (If you left the SSH Manager open from earlier sections in this manual, you may skip this step.) From the Control Panel, select the SSH icon. Once again, the SSH Manager displays.

Place your key in the text box that is provided in the SSH Manager and submit it. (To do this, you must open the key in another application, copy it, and then paste it into this text box.)

2. Launch any text-editor. On a Windows-based PC, Notepad will suffice. (This is available from the Start menu, under Programs, then Accessories.)

3. From the Notepad File menu, select Open. The Open dialog box displays.

4. Find the key file by switching the Files of type field to All Files (*.*). Then, move through the directory structure to the location of your file, identity.pub. (The application stated where the file would be stored in the previous procedure.) When you located the file, double-click on it to open it in Notepad. (Note, the image below has been altered, so the key will not actually work.)

5. Once the key is displayed in Notepad, highlight the entire key with your mouse. From the Edit menu, select Copy.

6. Switch back to the SSH Manager and paste the key into the text box. You can do this by placing the cursor in the dialog box and either selecting Edit and then Paste from your browser’s main menu or by using the key combination [Ctrl] + [V]. (Note: the image below has been altered. It is not a real key.)

7. Select the Submit button. A new screen displays.

8. Enter the IP address for any computers from which you will be accessing the server. You can get this information from your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Or, if you are currently at the computer you will be regularly using, you can find the IP address by opening a DOS prompt and typing the command, ipconfig.

9. After you have entered a number in at least one of the spaces provided, click on the Next button. A new screen displays.

10. Make sure that the IP address listed is correct. Then select the Submit button. A message appears indicating that you will be able to access the server, via your SSH software (Secure CRT), from one of the addresses you listed within the next ten minutes.

Once these steps have been performed, use the Secure CRT software as usual to establish a connection to your site on the server. You will be prompted for your passphrase when the connection is made. Once the connection is made, Secure CRT works similarly to other telnet utilities.