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I have a second SSH key in my agent, which I added with ssh-add. It comes after my default key, which lives at ~/.ssh/id_rsa.

I have a server that has the 2nd key's public key added to it's authorized_keys file, and I would expect my agent to offer up the 2nd key when SSHing to it.

However, it does not.

ssh-add -l (with suitable censoring):

$ ssh-add -l
2048 SHA256:y17xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxM1f8GvLwzU /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa (RSA)
4096 SHA256:6sOpxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxCeSXgu1vI /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa-another-key (RSA)

It has correct permissions:

$ ls -l ~/.ssh/id_rsa-another-key
-rw------- 1 user user 3326 Nov 22 11:08 /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa-another-key

The output of ssh with the -v flag when I try to log into the server is at the end of the question.

Can anyone tell me why SSH will not darn well offer the 2nd key up, like it's supposed to?

========== Update 1 =========

I have already tried passing in the right key with -i, and then I get a passphrase. In that case, using -vvv it is using that key, but not the key from the agent.

ps -p $SSH_AGENT_PID reveals that ssh-agent is running, and is not the desktop's custom implementation

========== End Update 1 ==========

$ ssh -vvv ubuntu@12.12.12.12
OpenSSH_7.2p2 Ubuntu-4ubuntu2.1, OpenSSL 1.0.2g  1 Mar 2016
debug1: Reading configuration data /home/user/.ssh/config
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: Applying options for *
debug1: Control socket "/home/user/.ssh/.cp/12.12.12.12-22-ubuntu" does not exist
debug2: resolving "12.12.12.12" port 22
debug2: ssh_connect_direct: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to 12.12.12.12 [12.12.12.12] 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_7.2p2 Ubuntu-4ubuntu2.1
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_6.6.1p1 Ubuntu-2ubuntu2.3
debug1: match: OpenSSH_6.6.1p1 Ubuntu-2ubuntu2.3 pat OpenSSH_6.6.1* compat 0x04000000
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Authenticating to 12.12.12.12:22 as 'ubuntu'
debug3: hostkeys_foreach: reading file "/home/user/.ssh/known_hosts"
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ECDSA in file /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:644
debug3: load_hostkeys: loaded 1 keys from 12.12.12.12
debug3: order_hostkeyalgs: prefer hostkeyalgs: 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
debug3: send packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug3: receive packet: type 20
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,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256
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
debug3: send packet: type 30
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY
debug3: receive packet: type 31
debug1: Server host key: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 SHA256:xxxXXxxXXXxXxxXxXxxxXXxXXxxXxxxxxxxxxXxxxXx
debug3: hostkeys_foreach: reading file "/home/user/.ssh/known_hosts"
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ECDSA in file /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:644
debug3: load_hostkeys: loaded 1 keys from 12.12.12.12
debug1: Host '12.12.12.12' is known and matches the ECDSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:644
debug3: send packet: type 21
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: rekey after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug3: receive packet: type 21
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: rekey after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa (0x55c375c8e230), agent
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa ((nil))
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa ((nil))
debug2: key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 ((nil))
debug3: send packet: type 5
debug3: receive packet: type 6
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey
debug3: preferred gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic,publickey,keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_lookup publickey
debug3: remaining preferred: keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled publickey
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering RSA public key: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa
debug3: send_pubkey_test
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug1: Trying private key: /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa
debug3: no such identity: /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa: No such file or directory
debug1: Trying private key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug3: no such identity: /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa: No such file or directory
debug1: Trying private key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519
debug3: no such identity: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519: No such file or directory
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
Permission denied (publickey).
Asfand Qazi
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  • Try `ssh -vvvi ~/.ssh/id_rsa-another-key ubuntu@12.12.12.12` – Jakuje Nov 22 '16 at 12:53
  • What does `ps -p $SSH_AGENT_PID` show? A lot of desktop environments replace ssh-agent with their own implementation, with a very limited feature set. For instance, the gnome-session-manager doesn't support the new key format (`ssh-keygen -o`). Edit: hmm, probably it's not related; ssh does not query the agent for keys to use, only for passphrases of keys it decided itself to use. – Halfgaar Nov 22 '16 at 13:02
  • Updated answer to reflect that I did try using `-i` to set the key, and got a passphrase prompt again. – Asfand Qazi Nov 22 '16 at 17:24

2 Answers2

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If you have multiple keys then you need to tell ssh client which key to use for which server. You can to this using ~/.ssh/config file

check this answer:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2419566/best-way-to-use-multiple-ssh-private-keys-on-one-client

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Vikelidis Kostas
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  • Unfortunately that does not work; when I use the `-i` flag to pass in the key file, it totally ignores the SSH agent and asks for the key passphrase again. I have added this to my question. – Asfand Qazi Nov 22 '16 at 17:23
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    Actually, this answer is wrong, because ssh is meant to offer up every key in the agent until it finds one that works. – Asfand Qazi Nov 22 '16 at 17:33
1

Mystery solved! I stupidly had IdentitiesOnly set to true in my ~/.ssh/config, so it was actually ignoring the ssh-agent! I took that line out, and now multiple keys in my agent work perfectly. How it managed to get the password for my main SSH key without using the agent is beyond me though........

Asfand Qazi
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