Setting up SSH Keys for CIS Linux Nodes:

Instructions

To Generate an SSH Key from a Mac/Linux/Windows (MobaXterm Terminal)

Open the terminal

Type:

ssh-keygen

This will prompt you with a location to generate the public and private SSH key

Press enter (to accept the default location)

You will then be prompted for a passphrase.   This will be used in place of a password along with the key pair (private/public) to protect your account.  

Please make sure this passphrase is easy to remember because you will not be able to log in without it

Once the passphrase has been entered type the following:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh $username@$hostname.cis.rit.edu "cat - >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

For my account on Armstrong.cis.rit.edu the command would look like this:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh bampci@armstrong.cis.rit.edu "cat - >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

You should be prompted for your CIS password to make the needed changes.  

SSH back in to confirm you are now authenticate with key-pair and passphrase and not with your password

help@cis.rit.edu if you have any questions or send a slack to Jim or Brett in the CIS slack channel.