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SSH Key

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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  • N
    NollipfSense
    last edited by NollipfSense Feb 25, 2020, 6:55 PM Feb 25, 2020, 6:35 PM

    Is SSH key stored in the backup config file for restoration from backup? Last night, I tried to SSH in and permission denied although password was correct. System>User Manager>user/Admin SSH key box was empty. I am on pfSense 2.5-dev and had mine set to require both password and public key although I am accessing from LAN.

    pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
    pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
    • G
      Gertjan
      last edited by Gertjan Feb 26, 2020, 12:36 PM Feb 25, 2020, 9:44 PM

      I didn't check, but something lights up in my head that says : " ..... nice catch".

      using this :

      c0a6b9e7-fc80-4ff3-8bfe-4b7385cad6e2-image.png

      which contains the public key which does not get saved in the config.xml ..... (I'm really hoping I'm producing purely distilled bullshit right now)

      Which means you have to fire up your favorite editor, edit saved config.xml to remove the Public key only setting, load the config, to regain access ( another 60 seconds lost ^^ )

      Btw : you're using 2.5.0, that's quiet cutting edge .... things could be different.

      No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
      Edit : and where are the logs ??

      N 2 Replies Last reply Feb 25, 2020, 10:35 PM Reply Quote 0
      • N
        NollipfSense @Gertjan
        last edited by Feb 25, 2020, 10:35 PM

        @Gertjan It's saved per here see the image below...should had checked last night but still puzzled as to why I keep getting permission denied. I even tried an older laptop that was used to set up SSH on pfSense 2.4.

        Screen Shot 2020-02-25 at 3.07.00 PM.png

        pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
        pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • N
          NollipfSense @Gertjan
          last edited by Feb 25, 2020, 11:36 PM

          @Gertjan said in SSH Key:

          Which means you have to fire up your favorite editor, edit saved config.xml to remove the Public key only setting, load the config, to regain access

          I should also have stated that if I change the setting to a password or public key, I can log in...no problem. So, do you think the key somehow gets contaminated making and restoring from backup?

          pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
          pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by Feb 25, 2020, 11:53 PM

            The SSH keys pfSense uses are not stored in the config, they are regenerated when you restore it.

            But any public keys you uploaded to you a user to allow them to connect to the firewall are.

            It sounds like you're doing the later so I would expect it to connect.

            Steve

            N 1 Reply Last reply Feb 26, 2020, 1:17 AM Reply Quote 0
            • N
              NollipfSense @stephenw10
              last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 1:17 AM

              @stephenw10 said in SSH Key:

              The SSH keys pfSense uses are not stored in the config, they are regenerated when you restore it.

              But any public keys you uploaded to you a user to allow them to connect to the firewall are.

              It sounds like you're doing the later so I would expect it to connect.

              Steve

              Yes, that's what I expected; however, only using the password worked...the key is the issue.

              pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
              pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 1:34 AM

                Then the key must have changed somewhere. Can you check the config diff? Upload the key again?

                You are testing in 2.5?

                N 1 Reply Last reply Feb 26, 2020, 8:08 AM Reply Quote 0
                • N
                  NollipfSense @stephenw10
                  last edited by NollipfSense Feb 26, 2020, 3:13 PM Feb 26, 2020, 8:08 AM

                  @stephenw10 said in SSH Key:

                  Then the key must have changed somewhere. Can you check the config diff? Upload the key again?

                  You are testing in 2.5?

                  That seems to be the conclusion...ended up just creating a new key...much easier than fiddling with copying the key from pfSense to Mac, although, I did attempt. Yes, I am testing V2.5 by running in production mode with Suricata on WAN and Snort on LAN both inline mode, Squid's ClamAV, and pfBlockerNG two months now. The stability is impressive!

                  pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
                  pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • G
                    Gertjan
                    last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 1:09 PM

                    I guess @stephenw10 put me on the right path :

                    Normally, I was generating the keys outside of pfSense, with tools like PuttyGEN.
                    Copying the public key into /root/.ssh/authorized_keys - switch "SSHd Key Only" to "Public key only" reboot sshd and Bob's your uncle.
                    Not the best method.

                    No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                    Edit : and where are the logs ??

                    N 1 Reply Last reply Feb 26, 2020, 3:24 PM Reply Quote 0
                    • J
                      jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                      last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 1:19 PM

                      You should never alter the user authorized_keys files on the filesystem directly. User keys must be saved in the user account in the GUI/config.xml or they'll get wiped out the next time pfSense syncs the user data to the disk.

                      Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                      Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                      Do not Chat/PM for help!

                      N 1 Reply Last reply Feb 26, 2020, 3:33 PM Reply Quote 1
                      • G
                        Gertjan
                        last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 1:30 PM

                        Just found :

                        f2dbb73e-2d6b-4d8c-ac8f-c7b4af801f08-image.png

                        was overlooking this since .... the beginning.

                        edit : I knew it. It was "to manual". It's a click click thing.

                        No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                        Edit : and where are the logs ??

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • N
                          NollipfSense @Gertjan
                          last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 3:24 PM

                          @Gertjan said in SSH Key:

                          Copying the public key into /root/.ssh/authorized_keys - switch "SSHd Key Only" to "Public key only" reboot sshd

                          Tried that last night but still got permission denied. So ended up just creating new key; however, maybe I would have had success had I paste the key in the user account in the GUI/config.xml as Jimp points out.

                          pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
                          pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • N
                            NollipfSense @jimp
                            last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 3:33 PM

                            @jimp said in SSH Key:

                            User keys must be saved in the user account in the GUI/config.xml

                            Jimp, if I scroll down and add key from another device, will that work to enable that device?

                            Screen Shot 2020-02-26 at 9.27.11 AM.png

                            pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
                            pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

                            N 1 Reply Last reply Feb 26, 2020, 3:54 PM Reply Quote 0
                            • N
                              NollipfSense @NollipfSense
                              last edited by NollipfSense Feb 26, 2020, 4:43 PM Feb 26, 2020, 3:54 PM

                              @NollipfSense said in SSH Key:

                              @jimp said in SSH Key:

                              User keys must be saved in the user account in the GUI/config.xml

                              Jimp, if I scroll down and add key from another device, will that work to enable that device?

                              Screen Shot 2020-02-26 at 9.27.11 AM.png

                              @jimp Never mind...it worked...now have two devices connecting SSH via key and password from LAN.

                              pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
                              pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by Feb 26, 2020, 11:58 PM

                                Yeah, as you found you can just add more keys below the first one.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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