Password-less SSH#
To configure password-less SSH, generate an SSH key pair and enable it for authentication.
1. Generate an SSH Key Pair#
On Linux/macOS:
Open a terminal and run:
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@kaust.edu.sa"
Keys are saved in ~/.ssh/id_rsa
(private) and ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
(public).
On Windows:
For Windows 10 or later, open PowerShell/Command Prompt and run:
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
Keys are saved in C:\Users\<yourname>\.ssh\
by default.
Alternatively, use PuTTYgen if you prefer PuTTY.
Note
When prompted, enter a strong passphrase to encrypt your private key.
2. Copy Your Public Key to the Remote System#
Method 1: Using `ssh-copy-id` If available (Linux/macOS/Windows Git Bash):
ssh-copy-id username@ilogin.ibex.kaust.edu.sa
Method 2: Manual Copy If ssh-copy-id is unavailable:
Copy the contents of your public key: - Linux/macOS:
~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
- Windows:C:\Users\<yourname>\.ssh\id_rsa.pub
Log in to Ibex with your password:
ssh -X username@ilogin.ibex.kaust.edu.sa
Paste the key into
~/.ssh/authorized_keys
on Ibex. If the.ssh
directory doesn’t exist:
mkdir -p ~/.ssh
nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
Set secure permissions:
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
3. Test the SSH Connection#
Verify password-less login:
ssh -X username@ilogin.ibex.kaust.edu.sa
You should only be prompted for your key passphrase (if set), not your Ibex password.
Note
If prompted for a password: - Specify the key path explicitly (if non-default):
ssh -X -i /path/to/id_rsa username@ilogin.ibex.kaust.edu.sa