Getting Started with SSH
Chapters
In this short course we will explore what SSH is. This course is split into multiple parts such as
- Introduction to SSH
- Generating a Key Pair to make connections
- Accessing remote servers using SSH client
- Various scenarios SSH can be used in
- Installing SSH server
Primary objective of this course is to get you up and running with SSH.
We hope that you will enjoy this short course.
Author: Subject Coach
Added on: 4th Jan 2015
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In this chapter, we will cover, what is SSH?
SSH is a protocol, just like FTP, HTTP. SSH runs on top of TCP IP layer.
SSH is an acronym for Secure SHell, where connection between your machine and the remote server is encrypted.
When you are using SSH to login to remote computer, you can have administrator level control over the remote machine with valid credentials.
Beauty is! you can access your server from anywhere.
SSH is a replacement for insecure shell protocols such as telnet. Now a days telnet is not installed, when you are installing your operating system on your machine.
SSH helps you run commands on remote server using a secure channel over an insecure network.
It also becomes handy when you have to transfer files securely to the remote machine.
SSH clients are available for all major operating systems. Unix-based systems, including Linux and Mac OS X, can use OpenSSH. Also check the OpenSSH website for Mac OS and Windows alternatives. PuTTY is one of the most prominent Windows clients.
If you are using Android or iPhone, there are apps that will let you access your remote server shell via your phone using SSH.
You can create SSH tunnels so other programs running on different port can communicate via standard SSH port
SSH can use different forms of encryption ranging anywhere from 512 bit on up to as high as 32768 bits and includes ciphers like AES (Advanced Encryption Scheme),
Triple DES, Blowfish, CAST128 or Arcfour. The higher the bits, the longer it will take to generate and use keys as well as the longer it will take to pass data over the connection.
Also it makes it very hard for any sniffers to sniff off data using programs such as WireShark.