What is SSH and how do I use it? (2024)

FAQs

What is SSH and how do I use it? ›

Secure Shell is used to connect to servers, make changes, perform uploads and exit, either using tools or directly through the terminal. SSH keys can be used to automate access to servers and are often used in scripts, backup systems and configuration management tools.

SSH keys are a pair of public and private keys that are used to authenticate and establish an encrypted communication channel between a client and a remote machine over the internet.

You can start an SSH session in your command prompt by executing ssh user@machine and you will be prompted to enter your password. You can create a Windows Terminal profile that does this on startup by adding the commandline setting to a profile in your settings.json file inside the list of profile objects.

The SSH protocol (also referred to as Secure Shell) is a method for secure remote login from one computer to another. It provides several alternative options for strong authentication, and it protects communications security and integrity with strong encryption.

Remote encrypted connections: SSH sets up a connection between a user's device and a faraway machine, often a server. It uses encryption to scramble the data that traverses the connection. An intercepting party would only find something like static — random data that means nothing unless it is decrypted.

SSH is often used to "login" and perform operations on remote computers but it may also be used for transferring data.

You can try ssh localhost to test if it is running; if it respons with something like Connection refused , then it is not running. These commands must be run as root. If the server does not start automatically, try using the service sshd start command, or just reboot the computer.

What does SSH stand for? ›

SSH (Secure Shell or Secure Socket Shell) is a network protocol that gives users -- particularly systems administrators -- a secure way to access a computer over an unsecured network.

By default, SSH servers listen on port 22. However, for security reasons, many system administrators choose to change this default port to another, less predictable number to help protect against automated attacks.

Common Use Cases for SSH Protocol

SSH connections have mostly been used to secure different types of communications between a local machine and a remote host, including: Secure remote access to resources. Remote execution of commands. Delivery of software patches and updates.

SSH tunnels use strong symmetric encryption and hashing algorithms to ensure privacy. This provides a secure tunnel for accessing a device on the internet. VPNs use strong encryption and hashing algorithms to ensure privacy. This provides a secure tunnel for all internet traffic.

As of now, SSH (Secure Shell) is not being deprecated in favor of newer protocols for secure remote access and management. SSH continues to be a widely used and essential tool for securely accessing and managing remote systems.