Passwordless SSH

Generate SSH keys, configure authorized_keys, and harden key permissions.

A intermediate Linux challenge worth 10 points. Solve it hands-on in a real Linux environment in your browser - no local setup, no fake shells.

The Challenge

Scenario: The CI/CD pipeline needs to deploy to the app servers without password prompts. You need to set up SSH key-based authentication.

Your tasks:

1. Generate an RSA SSH key pair (no passphrase) at the default location

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -N "" -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa

1. Add your public key to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
2. Set correct permissions:

• ~/.ssh directory: 700
• ~/.ssh/authorized_keys: 600

Commands to learn: ssh-keygen, cat >>, chmod 600, chmod 700

Run check when done.