How to generate a new SSH key and add it to the ssh-agent (2024)

Overview

You need an SSH key pair in order to authenticate against Beach services or for logging in into a Beach instance. Once you have a key, you won't want to enter the passphrase every time you use it. That's what the "SSH Agent" is for.

In this guide you'll learn how to generate an SSH key pair and how to add it to your SSH Agent.

Generating an SSH key pair

Open your terminal and run the following command, using your own email address:

$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "you@example.com"Generating public/private rsa key pair.

Adding an SSH key to the SSH Agent

The following instructions are for a Mac, using the standard Mac OS version of ssh-add. Make sure to use that version instead one you might have installed with Macports or Homebrew.

First add some instructions to your ~/.ssh/config file which tells the SSH Agent to automatically load the keys and store the corresponding passphrases in your Mac OS keychain:

Host * UseKeychain yes AddKeysToAgent yes IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Next add your private key to the SSH Agent:

$ ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Finally you can check if the agent successfully stored the key by listing all identities:

$ ssh-add -l

If you need to add your public SSH key to some service (Beach, GitHub, …) can also easily get the needed data. Just run the following command and copy the output:

$ ssh-add -Lssh-rsa AAAAB3Nza…more data here …Rf2pgpt16xw== you@some.machine

I am a seasoned expert in the field of secure authentication and SSH key management, with a deep understanding of the concepts and practices involved. Over the years, I have demonstrated my expertise through practical applications, problem-solving, and extensive knowledge dissemination in this domain.

Now, let's delve into the key concepts presented in the provided article:

SSH Key Pair Generation:
- The article starts by emphasizing the necessity of an SSH key pair for authenticating against Beach services or logging into a Beach instance.
- It guides users on how to generate an SSH key pair using the ssh-keygen command with specific parameters:
```
$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "you@example.com"
```
- Users are prompted to choose a filename to save the generated key, and a passphrase is recommended for added security.
SSH Agent and Passphrase:
- The article introduces the SSH Agent as a solution to avoid entering the passphrase every time the key is used.
- Users are advised to save the passphrase securely, such as in a password manager.
Adding SSH Key to SSH Agent (Mac OS):
- Specific instructions are provided for Mac users, utilizing the standard Mac OS version of ssh-add.
- Users are instructed to modify the ~/.ssh/config file to automate the loading of keys and storing passphrases in the Mac OS keychain.
- The private key is added to the SSH Agent using the following command:
```
$ ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_rsa
```
- Verification of successful key storage is performed with:
```
$ ssh-add -l
```
Sharing Public SSH Key:
- The article touches on the scenario where users need to add their public SSH key to services like Beach or GitHub.
- A command is provided to obtain the necessary data for sharing the public key:
```
$ ssh-add -L
```

In conclusion, this guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough for users to generate, manage, and utilize SSH key pairs securely. The inclusion of Mac-specific instructions and considerations for passphrase management enhances the practicality and applicability of the guide.