Want to know the how to generate public, private SSH key in Linux, here are the steps

 Steps to generate public, private SSH key in Linux

    SSH (Secure Shell) is a cryptographic network protocol used to establish secure connections between computers. One way to use SSH for authentication is by using a public/private key pair. Here's how it works:

• A public/private key pair consists of two keys: a public key and a private key.
• The private key is kept on the local computer and should be kept secret.
• The public key is shared with remote computers.
• When a user connects to a remote computer using SSH, the local computer sends the remote computer the public key.
• The remote computer uses the public key to encrypt a message and sends it back to the local computer.
• The local computer uses the private key to decrypt the message.
• If the message can be decrypted, the remote computer has verified that the local computer has the private key, and the user is authenticated.

Here are the steps to generate a public/private SSH key in Linux:

1. Open the terminal: To start the process of generating a public/private SSH key in Linux, you will need to open the terminal on your Linux machine. You can do this by using the shortcut key "Ctrl + Alt + T" or by going to the "Applications" menu and selecting "Terminal."

2. Generate a new SSH key: In the terminal window, type the following command to generate a new SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t rsa

This will create a new SSH key pair using the RSA algorithm.

3. Choose a location and file name: The command in step 2 will prompt you to enter a location and file name for your new SSH key. The default location is the .ssh directory in your home directory. You can press Enter to accept the default location or enter a different location if you prefer.

4. Enter a passphrase: The next prompt will ask you to enter a passphrase for your SSH key. A passphrase is a password that will be used to encrypt your SSH key. You can choose to enter a passphrase or leave it blank. Note that leaving your passphrase blank will make your SSH key vulnerable if someone gains access to your computer.

5. Confirm your passphrase: If you entered a passphrase in step 4, you will be prompted to confirm it. Type your passphrase again and press Enter.

6. Check your SSH key: Once you have generated your SSH key, you can check the contents of the public key by using the following command:

bash
cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

This will display the public key in the terminal window.

7. Copy the public key: To use your SSH key for authentication, you will need to copy the contents of the public key and add it to the authorized_keys file on the remote server you want to connect to. To copy the public key, highlight the entire key in the terminal window and copy it to the clipboard.

8. Add the public key to the remote server: Once you have copied the public key to your clipboard, you can add it to the authorized_keys file on the remote server you want to connect to. The location of the authorized_keys file may vary depending on the SSH server you are using, but it is usually located in the ~/.ssh directory. You can add the key to the file by using the following command:

typescript
echo [public key] >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Replace [public key] with the contents of your public key that you copied in step 7.

    

That's it! You have now generated a public/private SSH key pair in Linux and added your public key to the authorized_keys file on the remote server you want to connect to. You should now be able to use your SSH key for authentication when connecting to the remote server.