Connecting to GitHub Repository Using SSH
SSH connection is end-to-end encrypted and requires authentication to connect securely to the server. Unlike Telnet, SSH encrypts all data sent from client to server and vice versa, ensuring that information cannot be intercepted, thus adding an extra layer of security.
SSH keys provide a highly secure authentication method compared to traditional password authentication. Therefore, it is recommended to use SSH key authentication for remote server connections.
An SSH key pair consists of a private key (stored on our local machine) and a public key (uploaded to the server). The server allows connections only from clients whose key matches the server's stored public key.
1 | SSH Protocol
SSH (Secure Shell) is a secure communication protocol that allows remote connections to servers configured for this type of connection.
When connecting to the server, validation occurs between these key pairs. Successful validation grants access. Multiple users can upload their keys to allow authorized access from different computers.
Using SSH keys, we can connect to GitHub without supplying our username or password. Once configured, we generate an SSH key, add it to ssh-agent, and then add it to our GitHub account.
Adding the SSH key to ssh-agent ensures an additional layer of security by using a passphrase.
2 | Generating a New SSH Key
The ssh-keygen command creates a new SSH key using the provided email as a label. SSH keys are always generated as a pair: public (id_rsa.pub) and private (id_rsa). It's crucial to keep the private key secure and use the public key for authentication purposes, such as with GitHub.
To generate an SSH key within BAS, use the command with your GitHub email address.
3 | Adding the SSH Key to ssh-agent
ssh-agent is a program that starts when we log in and stores our private keys securely. Ensure it's running with eval ssh-agent -s``. Use ssh-add to add the key to the agent.
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
Navigate to .ssh folder to list keys (ls -altrs). Use cd .ssh to access the folder.
ls -altrs
4 | Adding the Public SSH Key to GitHub
To view the public key, use cat followed by the file name. Upload this content to GitHub by navigating to your user settings, selecting SSH and GPG keys, and clicking "New SSH key". Paste the key from BAS and give it a name.
Enter this command to display the contents of your public key:
cat .ssh/id_rsa.pub
Key can be copied with:
clip < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
Once added, you can verify the key in your GitHub account settings.
PD: There has been changes in the process.
Here is a current update from github oficcial page: https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/about-ssh