VPS v2 SSH Keys

Direct shell access for the root user user using a password is disabled. You can connect as root if you use SSH keys. SSH keys can be generated in the client that you use to connect to your VPS v2 server with. Follow these steps to generate the SSH key for WinSCP:

1. Download and install WinSCP. Choose the installation package to include public key tools PuTTYgen and Pageant.

2. Run PuTTYgen located in the directory where WinSCP was installed. By default PuTTgen is located under Start/Programs/WinSCP3/Key tools.

3. Click on the SSH2 RSA or SSH2 DSA radio button under Parameters. Do not use SSH1 if possible.

4. Click Generate under Actions to generate a public/private key pair.

5. Connect to your VPS v2 server via SSH and su to root. Change your working directory to the .ssh directory of the user the key is for. For example you would use a command similar to the following:

   cd /root/.ssh
   

6. Copy the entire public key under "Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file" and paste the key into the /home/userid/.ssh/authorized_keys or /root/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the VPS v2 server. The authorized_keys file may not exist and need to be created. The key must be all on one line.

7. Enter and confirm a Key passphrase and click Save private key.

8. Close PuTTYgen.

9. Connect to your VPS v2 server, su to root, and uncomment (remove the #) from the following lines in the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file. You can either use the pico file editor to edit the file or you can FTP the file locally to your PC and make the edits. To edit the file using pico you would run the following command from the shell command line:

   pico /etc/ssh/sshd_config
   

   Uncomment these lines:

   Pubkey Authentication yes
   
   AuthorizedKeysFile   .ssh/authorized_keys
   

10. Start WinSCP3

11. Under Session enter the Host name, User name, Private key file.

12. Click Login. You will be prompted for your private key passphrase unless you have already added your private key to the Pageant ssh agent.

Use the Pageant SSH agent thats included with WinSCP to store your key.