SSH error parsing private key
Hi,
I have a fresh install of RDM and am attempting to configure SSH connections on my iPad. I have no problem with connections that use a password. However I cannot get any key configuration to work.
I have tried configuring a personal private key via settings as well as using ‘data’ and generating a key. I have tried most of the key types as well as both with and without a passphrase.
I have turned on debugging and the error I constantly get is “error parsing private key”.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated as I’m not sure what more to try.
Here is a copy of the debug messages from one of the ssh connection attempts:
2024-02-17 9:13:12 p.m.] Starting SSH, verbose level: 3
[2024-02-17 9:13:12 p.m.] Setting up connection
[2024-02-17 9:13:12 p.m.] Connecting to port: 22 (IP any)
[2024-02-17 9:13:12 p.m.] SSH banner: SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_7.4p1 Debian-10+deb9u7
[2024-02-17 9:13:12 p.m.] Sending kex init
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Received kex init
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Selected algorithms: curve25519-sha256, ssh-ed25519, chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com, chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com, implicit by cipher, implicit by cipher, none, none
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Sending Ed25519 kex init
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Received Ed25519 kex reply
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Successfully authentified server
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Sending new keys message
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Received new keys message
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Sending userauth service request
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Received extension info message
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Server accepts public key types: ssh-ed25519,ssh-rsa,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Received service accepted message
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Using provided key data
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Error parsing private key
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Unable to use the key
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Sending userauth init request
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Received userauth failure: publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic,keyboard-interactive
[2024-02-17 9:13:13 p.m.] Starting interactive authentication
All Comments (10)
Hi,
Considering the contents of your log, it appears that the data entered for your private key is incomplete or incorrect.
We kindly suggest that you re-enter your private key and try once more.
Best regards,
André Sanscartier
Hi and thanks for the reply.
I certainly can try again, however please understand that I have tried generating a key pair using the built in generator many times (10-12 is a conservative estimate). I have tried:
- generating the key in the different algorithms available
- saving the key to a file in the different file formats available and then attempting to load it both into the session and into the personal key entry.
- selecting data and then using the generator to generate the key pair (again, using different algorithms) with in the session entry and personal key entry,
- generating the key both with and without passphrases
- generating the key pair both as the personal key, and then selecting that for the session, as well as generating a key for each session.
I guess what I’m saying is that over the course of several hours of attempts I have assumed that I’m doing something incorrectly and have tried every combination I can think of… with the same results every time.
What I have not done is taken a private key that I have generated outside of RDM and pasted it into the session key, having selected data.
I’ll try generating a key from within RDM again as well as using an externally generated key. However, I would appreciate any other suggestions I can do to debug this process that you may have.
Cheers,
Merlin.
In case it makes a difference (meant to add this previously):
- iOS 17.3.1
- RDM 2023.3.5
- New iPad Pro, fresh install of RDM
Hi,
Just did the following:
- reset my personal key
- pasted in the private and public parts of an externally generated key and saved it without a passphrase
- configured a session to use my personal private key
- attempted a connection
- result: same error
- reset my personal key
- selected data, generated a key pair and saved it.
- just to be sure, reconfigured the session for no private key and saved it and then configured it to use my private key
- attempted a connection
- result: same error
what I’m doing incorrectly I have no idea. Either I’m missing something or I tripped over a bug… but certainly someone else should have see this also if it was/is a bug.
Cheers,
Merlin
Hi Merlin,
Sorry for the delay.
We are trying to understand what might be happening on your end.
We will contact you as soon as possible.
Best regards,
André Sanscartier
Thank you for the reply/update. Please let me know if there is anything further I can try and/or information I can provide.
Hi Merlin,
We have identified an issue with the editing of private keys which should explain your situation.
We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Best regards,
André Sanscartier
Hello,
Version 2024.1.1, which includes a fix for your issue, is now available.
If you encounter any further problems, please don't hesitate to let us know.
Best regards,
Maxime Brousseau
Hi,
Thank you very much for the follow up.
I have updated the app on my iPad, regenerated my personal key, and tested connections. I can confirm that it now works as expected.
Great support as always!
Cheers,
Merlin.
Hi,
Glad to hear that, thank you for the feedback.
Maxime Brousseau