Several tools exist to generate SSH public/private key pairs. The following sections show how to generate an SSH key pair on UNIX, UNIX-like and Windows platforms.
However, you can follow the same process to use a private key when using any terminal software on Linux. Note: For information about using Secure Shell (SSH) private keys on Microsoft® Windows® operating systems, see Logging in with an SSH Private Key on Windows and Generate RSA keys with SSH by using PuTTYgen.
UNIX and UNIX-like platforms (including Solaris and Linux) include the ssh-keygen utility to generate SSH key pairs.
filename
your choice of file name for the private key:The ssh-keygen utility prompts you for a passphrase for the private key.
Note:
While a passphrase is not required, you should specify one as a security measure to protect the private key from unauthorized use. When you specify a passphrase, a user must enter the passphrase every time the private key is used.
The ssh-keygen utility prompts you to enter the passphrase again.
filename
and the public key has been saved as filename
.pub
. It also displays information about the key fingerprint and randomart image.The PuTTYgen program is part of PuTTY, an open source networking client for the Windows platform.
To download PuTTY or PuTTYgen, go to http://www.putty.org/ and click the You can download PuTTY here link.
May 27, 2010 H ow do I generate ssh RSA keys under Linux operating systems? You need to use the ssh-keygen command as follows to generate RSA keys (open terminal and type the following command): ssh-keygen -t rsa OR ssh-keygen. Generate a 2048 bit RSA Key. You can generate a public and private RSA key pair like this: openssl genrsa -des3 -out private.pem 2048. That generates a 2048-bit RSA key pair, encrypts them with a password you provide and writes them to a file. You need to next extract the public key file. The standard OpenSSH suite of tools contains the ssh-keygen utility, which is used to generate key pairs. Run it on your local computer to generate a 2048-bit RSA key pair, which is fine for most uses. Ssh-keygen The utility prompts you to select a location for the keys. To create a 2048-bit private key and corresponding CSR (which you can send to a certificate authority to obtain your SSL certificate): openssl req -new-nodes-newkey rsa:2048 -keyout mydomain.key -out mydomain.csr This command will make a 2048-bit key, run the interactive prompt to populate the fields of the certificate signing request,. RSA; GnuPG; Generating 2048-bit RSA keys. This document describes how I generate 2048-bit RSA keys. Here is the log to generate signature key and encryption subkey. I invoke GnuPG with -gen-key option. (2048) Requested keysize is 2048 bits and select expiration of the key.
As the key is being generated, move the mouse around the blank area as directed.
Windows XP requires ' Activation':You must contact Microsoft with a few weeks afterinstallation, or Windows XP will refuse to continue to work.You will have in your Start-Menu the entry to 'Activate Windows',and there will also be an icon in your taskbar, reminding youoften to activate.Activation is NOT Registration:Activation: based on the serial number of the(harddisk, motherboard, network card), a code is generated.
Note:
While a passphrase is not required, you should specify one as a security measure to protect the private key from unauthorized use. When you specify a passphrase, a user must enter the passphrase every time the private key is used.
.ppk
(PuTTY private key).Note:
The.ppk
file extension indicates that the private key is in PuTTY's proprietary format. You must use a key of this format when using PuTTY as your SSH client. It cannot be used with other SSH client tools. Refer to the PuTTY documentation to convert a private key in this format to a different format. Make sure you select all the characters, not just the ones you can see in the narrow window. If a scroll bar is next to the characters, you aren't seeing all the characters.
.pub
extension to indicate that the file contains a public key.ssh
utility on Linux), export the private key:.ppk
format, using an extension such as .openssh
to indicate the file's content.