Permission denied when creating/copying ssh key pair

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SSH configuration, publickeys, Permission denied (publickey,password). error

I am trying to set up a sshkey pair using with the aid of the tutorial here however when I get to the first line of step 2 (the scp command) I am greeted with this lovely error

Permission denied (publickey,keyboard-interactive).

lost connection

This does not make sense to me as it would seem to imply that I cannot connect because I do not have a publickey, however the whole reason I am attempting to connect is to provide one.

I spent the better part of the morning looking for a solution and the closest thing I could find was this one however it is closed and the question does not appear to be answered.

Sorry for the outside link, I originally posted on SO and was told come come here instead.

I do not have physical access to the server I am trying to connect to, it is possible however, to contact those that do if absolutely necessary.

My question is how can I send my public key to the server if it refuses connections until it has the public key?

Here is the verbose output in case it helps

Executing: program /usr/bin/ssh host myServer, user          myClient, command scp -v -t -- pubkey.txt
OpenSSH_5.8p1 Debian-1ubuntu3, OpenSSL 0.9.8o 01 Jun 2010
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug2: ssh_connect: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to myServer [myIp] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: permanently_set_uid: 0/0
debug2: key_type_from_name: unknown key type '-----BEGIN'
debug2: key_type_from_name: unknown key type '-----END'
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa type 1
debug1: Checking blacklist file /usr/share/ssh/blacklist.RSA-2048
debug1: Checking blacklist file /etc/ssh/blacklist.RSA-2048
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert type -1
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_4.7
debug1: match: OpenSSH_4.7 pat OpenSSH_4*
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.8p1 Debian-1ubuntu3
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-rsa-cert-v00@openssh.com,ssh-rsa,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-dss-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-dss-cert-v00@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,arcfour256,arcfour128,aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,arcfour,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,arcfour256,arcfour128,aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,arcfour,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour128,arcfour256,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,arcfour128,arcfour256,arcfour,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0 
debug2: mac_setup: found hmac-md5
debug1: kex: server->client aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none
debug2: mac_setup: found hmac-md5
debug1: kex: client->server aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST(1024<1024<8192) sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP
debug2: dh_gen_key: priv key bits set: 116/256
debug2: bits set: 498/1024
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY
debug1: Server host key: RSA RSAFINGERPINTHERE
debug1: Host 'myServer' is known and matches the RSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /root/.ssh/known_hosts:5
debug2: bits set: 540/1024
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature correct
debug2: kex_derive_keys
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug1: Roaming not allowed by server
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_REQUEST sent
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug2: key: /root/.ssh/id_rsa (0x7f9fc835ad00)
debug2: key: /root/.ssh/id_dsa ((nil))
debug2: key: /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa ((nil))
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering RSA public key: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug1: Trying private key: /root/.ssh/id_dsa
debug1: Trying private key: /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: Next authentication method: keyboard-interactive
debug2: userauth_kbdint
debug2: we sent a keyboard-interactive packet, wait for reply
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
Permission denied (publickey,keyboard-interactive).
lost connection

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It was brought to my attention that this post and mine are very similar. While this is true after reviewing the post I do not believe we have the same problem as I have already tried changing file permissions. If I am mistaken in this regard please let me know.

@maliq I thought about that, however his problem was fixed by changing his permissions and I already tried that. Plus the only thing in my config file is StrictHostChecking No, so the standard permissions of 600 700 should work I believe — AdamP, Dec 13 '11 at 22:10
This did not fix the problem, however this time it quit with an Exit 1 status instead of the Permission denied error (the verbose output still has the error though). — AdamP, Dec 13 '11 at 22:18

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 13 '11 at 22:23

1

debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering RSA public key: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive

Your public key was sent and declined. You need to look at the server logs or set the server daemon to be verbose to determine why.

answered Dec 13 '11 at 22:23

Jeff Ferland

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The public key was declined because the server has no key yet. I was attempting to connect to the server to give it the public key I just generated. – AdamP Dec 13 '11 at 22:30
You need to connect by some other means and add it via the shell. If password auth is working, you can use that. Otherwise, console time. – Jeff Ferland Dec 14 '11 at 00:21

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 13 '11 at 22:22

0

Most servers (any that have decent security) are set to either "PermitRootLogin No" or "Permit rootLogin without-password"

In that case, you need to create another user, and sudo to the root user. (you can just copy and paste the keys using vi)..

also, you don't have to login as root, if your root on your computer, you can ssh to the remote one as another user by copying root's public key, then doing an ssh user@otherServer (or you can add rules to your ssh config to change your username depending on the host).

answered Dec 13 '11 at 22:22

Brian

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When you say I need to create another user do you mean on the server? If so how would I go about doing that? – AdamP Dec 13 '11 at 22:29
I guess it would depend on who has access to the machine. but typically, most modern Distro's either heavily encourage, or force you to create a non-root user. If someone disabled root logins, without a key, then you will need someone with either sudo access, a root key already setup, or physical access to add the key. – Brian Dec 13 '11 at 23:07

Permission denied when creating/copying ssh key pair

2 Answers2