What is an SSH connection and what is it used for?
SSH (Secure Shell) is a network protocol for remote logins. However, unlike other network protocols such as Telnet, it provides users an encrypted pathway (hence, more security) in an unsecured network such as the internet. You will need login information to have access to an SSH channel.
Although you also need login information for Telnet, it is considered to have inferior security because users can be granted public access, or guest login capabilities, without needing an account in the network or system.
What is an SSH connection?
An SSH connection is an encrypted access to a remote login or server. Similar to other network access, you can send and receive data and commands from one computer (perhaps your desktop) to another (your hosting server), or one platform (desktop running on Windows) to another (Linux hosting), over a public network like the internet.
If your computer is using Windows OS, you can establish an SSH connection to your Linux server by using the Putty application.
If your computer is using Linux or Mac OS, you can establish an SSH connection to your Linux server by using the Terminal application.
What are SSH-1 and SSH-2?
SSH-1 is the first version of Secure Shell, which is simply a network protocol for remote logins that provides highly secure and encrypted communications over public networks. SSH-2, on the other hand, is a better and more efficient version of SSH-1. Aside from encrypted communication channels over public networks, it also provides SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), which is a more secured version of FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
SFTP not only provides secure file transfer between two computers, but also the capability for file system management.
So basically, SSH-2 is an enhanced version of SSH-1.
Where can you access your SSH keys?
- Click Sign Up / Log In at the top of this page.
- Select Hosting Manager from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your username and password. Then, click Log In.
- Click Security, then click on the SSH Access icon.
- In the next screen, look at the bottom of the page and click Manage SSH Keys.
What is an SSH connection for?
Here are some of the things you can do with an SSH connection:
| Secure File Transfer | the capability of setting up extranets for securely sharing data by giving partial access to selected authorised users. |
| Secure Command Shell | the capability of network administrators to access the server and execute system commands without compromising security, even from a home computer. |
| Enable Port Forwarding | the capability of setting up an encrypted channel where users can securely communicate, transfer data, and perform other applications through a single port, usually port 22 because it is considered the safest and most secure port. |
How does an SSH connection works?
Here is a simplified description on how SSH works:
In this process, there are two computers or machines involved:
- a Client
- a Server
When a client computer needs to remotely log in, send or receive data, or execute system commands on another computer (server), it first tries to establish a connection with that other computer.
However, before the connection between the two computers is confirmed, it first undergoes an authentication process. One of the most common authentication or verification processes is through an exchange of cryptographic keys.
When the connection is verified by the other computer or server it will then establish a secured connection between the two computers.
For every task a client computer performs, the secure shell provides an encrypted channel where it verifies the client's permission first before any of the task is successfully executed. This is how an SSH connection safeguards the data files in transit as well as the computers involved in remote logins.
If you want to know the common SSH Commands, click here.