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I cannot ssh to a CentOS 7 server using pre-shared keys, I get a "server refused our key" message. Below is an ssh attempt using -vv 

OpenSSH_7.2p2, OpenSSL 1.0.2h-fips  3 May 2016
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 56: Applying options for *
debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 67: Deprecated option "useroaming"
debug2: resolving "my.server.net" port 22
debug2: ssh_connect_direct: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to my.server.net [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type 1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa type -1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert type -1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 type -1
debug1: key_load_public: No such file or directory
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519-cert type -1
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_7.2
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_6.6.1
debug1: match: OpenSSH_6.6.1 pat OpenSSH_6.6.1* compat 0x04000000
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Authenticating to my.server.net:22 as 'root'
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: local client KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,ext-info-c
debug2: host key algorithms: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-rsa-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-ed25519,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,ssh-rsa
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,3des-cbc
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,3des-cbc
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib
debug2: languages ctos:
debug2: languages stoc:
debug2: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: reserved 0
debug2: peer server KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,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: host key algorithms: ssh-rsa,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ssh-ed25519
debug2: ciphers ctos: aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,arcfour256,arcfour128,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,arcfour,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se
debug2: ciphers stoc: aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,arcfour256,arcfour128,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,arcfour,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se
debug2: MACs ctos: hmac-md5-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96-etm@openssh.com,hmac-md5-96-etm@openssh.com,hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: MACs stoc: hmac-md5-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96-etm@openssh.com,hmac-md5-96-etm@openssh.com,hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos:
debug2: languages stoc:
debug2: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: reserved 0
debug1: kex: algorithm: curve25519-sha256@libssh.org
debug1: kex: host key algorithm: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256
debug1: kex: server->client cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug1: kex: client->server cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug1: kex: curve25519-sha256@libssh.org need=64 dh_need=64
debug1: kex: curve25519-sha256@libssh.org need=64 dh_need=64
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY
debug1: Server host key: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 SHA256:nFjxJ0gve4qBgnPulv8IUeRkjfi47dAZRHzyVtUI64s
debug1: Host 'my.server.net' is known and matches the ECDSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:1
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: rekey after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: rekey after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa (0x83f8f80e810)
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa ((nil))
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa ((nil))
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 ((nil))
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received

debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic,password
debug1: Next authentication method: gssapi-keyex
debug1: No valid Key exchange context
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: Next authentication method: gssapi-with-mic
debug1: Unspecified GSS failure.  Minor code may provide more information
No Kerberos credentials available (default cache: KEYRING:persistent:1000)

debug1: Unspecified GSS failure.  Minor code may provide more information
No Kerberos credentials available (default cache: KEYRING:persistent:1000)

debug1: Unspecified GSS failure.  Minor code may provide more information


debug1: Unspecified GSS failure.  Minor code may provide more information
No Kerberos credentials available (default cache: KEYRING:persistent:1000)

debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering RSA public key: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic,password
debug1: Trying private key: /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa
debug1: Trying private key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug1: Trying private key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: Next authentication method: password

I have been managing few other servers and I've never had such an issue. I precise that directories/files permissions look ok. I compared /etc/ssh/sshd_config with another server running Fedora 23 where I can connect with no problem using shared keys and the only difference I see with the CentOS is about the HostKey setting :

Fedora 23 (working)

HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key

CentOS (not working)

HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key

I tend not experimenting to much with sshd config as I don't want to lock me out of the machine.

Any hint? Thanks

feub
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  • Do you have your authentication public key in `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` and do this file and parent folder have proper permissions and SELinux labels? – Jakuje Jul 01 '16 at 08:28
  • @Jakuje yes the public key is in `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` with the correct permission (600). I have SELinux disabled – feub Jul 01 '16 at 08:33
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    And the private key is `/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa`? It is rejected. Turn on verbose logging on the server (`LogLevel DEBUG3` in `sshd_config`), restart `sshd`, try to connect and you will see why the key was rejected. – Jakuje Jul 01 '16 at 08:35
  • Thank you a lot @Jakuje, indeed it was a permission issue, but not on the keys or even on the `.ssh`directory, but on the home directory itself : `Authentication refused: bad ownership or modes for directory /home/user` that was with 770 – feub Jul 01 '16 at 08:53

2 Answers2

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From comments:

Do you have your authentication public key in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys and do this file and parent folder have proper permissions and SELinux labels?

The .ssh folder needs to have permissions 700 (not readable by others).

chmod 700 ~/.ssh/
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
Digin Dominic
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Jakuje
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3

Following the advice of @Jakuje, I checked the logs after turning LogLevel from INFO to DEBUG3 in sshd_config and the problem was simply a permission issue with the user directory : Authentication refused: bad ownership or modes for directory /home/user

feub
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