[NTLUG:Discuss] SSH

[severian@pobox.com]

Chris,
   Thank you for the feedback.  I am glad to see someone who has done this 
tell me my impression of Type 1 keys and open ports is appropriate.  If 
anything, your statements tell me I underestimated the need the need to 
close all ports.

   As for authentication, I would like to clarify things a bit.  I talked 
about generating keys with OpenSSH.  What I did was generate one set of 
keys for a remote machine and I was going to give them to each of three 
users.  I now believe that is a bad idea.  I should generate a unique set 
of keys for each user.  I did not realize the passwords were passed in the 
clear, so I really need the keys for each user and I changed 
PasswordAuthentication today.  And I might as well generate the two Windows 
users keys with Putty, so that problem is gone.  Since the key contains the 
user's IP or DNS name, I think I need to assign a name to each user, put 
the name in the user's hosts file and the hosts file on the Linux Gateway 
server.  Then the keys should work, and I'll have to keep the hosts files 
up to date when the remote users IP addresses change.  I know one remote 
user is a SouthWestern Bell DSL user and the other s cable modem, I 
think.  Does all this seem reasonable?  Am I being overly complicated?
Thanks,
Ralph