What are the benefits and drawbacks of using SSH keys over passwords? (2024)

FAQs

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using SSH keys over passwords? ›

SSH supports two main methods of authentication: passwords and keys. Passwords are easy to use and remember, but they are also vulnerable to brute-force attacks, phishing, and human errors. Keys are more secure and efficient, but they require more setup and management.

Passwords are often easier and more convenient to use because they are easier to remember and manage, while SSH Keys serve a more secure purpose as they are cryptographically generated and require attackers to have both the public and private key in order to gain access.

In terms of convenience, SSH-keys, when used with a program known as an SSH agent, allow users to connect to a server or multiple servers, without requiring the user to remember and re-enter their password when logging into multiple solutions, making for faster, easier log-ins.

Advantages and Disadvantages of SSH

It allows you to safely tunnel insecure programs such as SMTP, IMAP, POP3, and CVS. It permits users to remotely inspect the directory's content, change files, and access custom database apps. It is free to use for non-commercial purposes.

SSH key pairs offer a more secure way of logging into your server than a password that can easily be cracked with a dictionary and brute force attacks. SSH keys are very hard to decipher with these attacks.

First, keys are more difficult to set up and maintain than passwords. You need to generate, distribute, and store your keys securely, and update them regularly. Second, keys can pose a security risk if they are lost, stolen, or compromised.

6 Disadvantages of SSH

SSH requires some software and settings to use, and it may not be compatible with some older or simpler devices. SSH also requires some knowledge and skills to use properly, such as generating and managing keys, choosing encryption algorithms, or troubleshooting errors.

SSH encourages bad security practices.

Rekeying is hard, so it's not done. Users are exposed to key material and encouraged to reuse keys across devices. Keys are trusted permanently, so mistakes are fail-open.

SSH is "secure" because it incorporates encryption and authentication via a process called public key cryptography. Public key cryptography is a way to encrypt data, or sign data, with two different keys. One of the keys, the public key, is available for anyone to use.

So in the case where a user is authenticating using the SSH keys (instead of manually keying in the password), the server will then send an encrypted challenge statement back to the user and the user will then decrypt the message with the private key and then send it back to the remote server to be checked.

Is it safe to use SSH key without password? ›

There are several risks to using SSH keys instead of password authentication. For example: If someone gains access to your private key, they can use it to log in to any server that has your public key without needing to know your password.

Key vs password

Passwords are often created to be memorized by users and may contain non-random information such as dictionary words. On the other hand, a key can help strengthen password protection by implementing a cryptographic algorithm which is difficult to guess or replace the password altogether.

Passwords are easier to compromise than passkeys

While these are the rules for creating strong passwords, many users don't follow them and continue to use weak passwords for their online accounts, making them more vulnerable to being compromised.

Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol which provides a secure remote access connection to network devices. Communication between the client and server is encrypted while telnet does not encrypt the information it sends. Everything is sent in plain text, even passwords. It is not advisable to use telnet over the Internet.

Non-repudiation: Public key encryption provides non-repudiation, which means that the sender of a message cannot deny having sent the message once it has been sent. This is important in legal and financial scenarios where proof of identity and authenticity is required.