I just installed the SSH server for my raq 3, and it works fine. The first time I logged in (with putty) a warning screen came up saying my key could not be found-and the indentity of my computer could not be verified. Anyone know any good documentation source for installing "keys" or what they are? Also, is my connection still secure without this key- is it just an optional but not needed feature?

Any info you can give is appreciated,
David Kiley

I believe what you are referring to are host keys. Host keys are used to identify a host. You ssh client should store the host key so that on future validations you know you are connecting to the same machine -- this avoids session hijacking and other issues. You do not need this key to connect, but without it, you could never tell if your session was hijacked.

Also, depending on your ssh client, you may be talking about your personal key. You can set up SSH to use keys to authenticate instead of passwords. This is great beacause keys are much more difficult to crack than the password. It is nearly impossible with a good key length to crack a public/private key setup. This eliminates the need for you to send your password over the internet. And for the really paranoid, you can disable all other forms of access such that you must have a key to authenticate and gain access to the server. This will prevent people from tyring to brute-force your password.


Now, to fix your problem. Check your ssh clients docs. All clients are different. I use SSH.com's SSH Client. It supports SSH2, secure copy, and easy handling of keys.


For more information about keys:
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci214299,00.html

Also look as the tech section of:
www.ssh.com

They have many white papers on SSH technology.

Lastly, check http://www.openssh.org/. The open source version of SSH.