====== Using an SSH agent to avoid typing your password ======

:!: **Do not use this tutorial until you [[using_ssh_for_connections_transfer_to_from_sdf#ssh_public_key_authentication|make a unix account accessible via public key authentication following this tutorial]].**

Not only is typing your passphrase once convenient, you can [[http://xkcd.com/936/|make your password very complicated and only ever type an easy to remember passphrase to access all your accounts]].

  * Unix

===== At the shell =====

At any time, you can type

<file config example>

ssh-agent /bin/ksh
ssh-add $HOME/private_key.rsa

</file>

(you can replace ''/bin/ksh'' by your favorite shell). Any command issued from then on that uses ''ssh'' to interact with a server that hosts your public key (e.g. ''ssh'', ''sshfs'', ''rsync'') will not require a password e.g.

<file config example>

home_pc$ ssh-agent /bin/ksh
home_pc$ ssh-add $HOME/public_key.rsa
Enter passphrase for /home/user/public_key.rsa:
Identity added: /home/user/public_key.rsa (/home/user/public_key.rsa)
home_pc$ ssh miku.freeshell.org
miku$

</file>

===== Any Window Manager =====

Arrange to have

''ssh-add $HOME/private_key.rsa''

run at login (e.g. via $HOME/.xinitrc or as a "Startup Application in Gnome/KDE"). You should get a popup asking for your passphrase.

===== Gnome =====

===== KDE =====

===== Mac OS X =====

===== Windows =====

You may have to change your openssh formatted private key to PuTTY's .ppk format via [[http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html|PuTTYgen]].

 $Id: agent.html,v 1.3 2011/09/11 13:31:10 jbaber Exp $ [[http://sdf.org/?tutorials/agent|Using an SSH agent to avoid typing your password]] - traditional link (using [[wp>Revision_Control_System|RCS]])