Creating a customized SSH key on Linux Mint 21 vanessa: step-by-step

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SSH

SSH, which stands for Secure Shell, is a cryptographic network protocol used for secure communication over an unsecured network. It is commonly used to access and manage remote systems securely.

SSH provides a secure channel over an insecure network by using strong encryption to protect the communication between a client and a server, preventing eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other attacks.

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SSH key

An SSH key is a pair of cryptographic keys used for secure communication between a client and a server using the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol. The two components of an SSH key pair are the private key and the public key.

Using SSH keys for authentication is considered more secure than traditional password-based authentication. The private key acts as a form of digital signature, and even if someone gains access to the public key, they cannot easily derive the corresponding private key.

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Let's get down to business

shall we?

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Solution

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Check your OS

This step is just to make sure you have Linux Mint or a Ubuntu-based Linux distribution.

cat /etc/os-release
lsb_release -a
uname -a
hostnamectl

Output

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List all SSH keys

ls ~/.ssh/

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Generate the SSH key

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "Pro Bug Hunter Mint SSH Key" -f ~/.ssh/pbh_mint_ssh_key

Output

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Brief explanation

• -t ed25519: The -t flag stands for type. It specifies the type of key to create, in this case, Ed25519.

• -C "Pro Bug Hunter Mint SSH Key": -C stands for comment. It adds a comment to the key. Make sure to include the comment in double quotes.

• -f ~/.ssh/ebh_fedora_ssh_key: -f stands for filename. It specifies the filename of the key.

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Enter your passphrase

Leave empty if you prefer.

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Visualize your key

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List your keys

ls ~/.ssh/

Output

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Done

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Celebrate

Well-done. You did a great job!

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Final thoughts

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