Help with ssh key file

[Mark Wiltshire]

Hi all,

I have iSSH for iPad, but am having real difficulty getting the ssh key file uploaded.

I have read through various posts on the forum here, but have yet to find a way where I can get the key file uploaded and working.

Here is where I am.

a) I have a key file, which I use successfully on my mac, which has the header line

     SSH PRIVATE KEY FILE FORMAT 1.1

b) I also have PPK file from PuTTy, which I also use from some windows machines (I do not have the passkey for this)

c) I have tried using keygen but do not think this is working correctly to generate ssh2 keys

d) I have tried emailing, the file, and text from the file, to my iPad, and cut and pasting this into the Import Key

BUT each time I do, I get the following error.

Key file corrupted

unable to process clipboard contents.

I do not have the password for the keyfile, and iSSH doesn't let me save without this.

Can anyone please, please help me.

I would like a step by step guide on how to install the key file.

Many thanks

Mark

[Dean Beeler]

A private key with the header: 

SSH PRIVATE KEY FILE FORMAT 1.1

is an RSA-1 formatted key which iSSH presently does not support.

iSSH supports PPK, OpenSSH and SSH2 formatted keys.  If you can convert or upgrade it to that format, you should be good.  This link might be able to help: http://burnz.wordpress.com/2007/12/14/ssh-convert-openssh-to-ssh2-and-vise-versa/

Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a good link that specifically dealt with RSA-1 keys.

If you have an encrypted PPK key, having the password is mandatory as the key is effectively useless to anything without it.

Generating keys on the device should work just fine. It's slower for the higher bit levels but it'll still generate a key given enough patience. (30 seconds to a minute or so for 4096 bit keys.)

Hope this helps!

Dean

[Mark Wiltshire]

I have tried PPK and above key, and both fail.

I do not have root access onto the server so cannot add new keys, I only have the key I use from Windows and Mac terminal emulators.

Windows PuTTy, and Mac Terminal.

The import process is very very painful in iSSH, would you consider adding Dropbox support, to import the key file?

Can you also comment on wether you are going to add RSA-1 support ?

Many thanks

Mark

[Dean Beeler]

Keys aren't added at the superuser level. They're registered the in the respective users .ssh directory. 

The paradox with private key importing is that it's effectively unsafe. Sending a private key through Dropbox is somewhat unsecure unless TrueCrypt or something like it is also being used.  Ideally a private key should be generated on a per-device basis and the public key transmitted to the hosts to which it will be granted access.

I think RSA-1 was an accidental omission. I can have added almost immediately and will be in the next update.

Dean