passwordless ssh using id_dsa.pub or id_rsa.pub or identity.pub not working

Question

I have a solaris 8 box and im trying to authenticate using no password the user george onto a solaris 11.

versions of ssh:

• solaris8: OpenSSH_3.4p1, SSH protocols 1.5/2.0, OpenSSL 0x0090607f
• solaris11: Sun_SSH_2.0, SSH protocols 1.5/2.0, OpenSSL 0x100000af

I have tried using all types of ssh-keygen. and checked my configuration many times that it is correct (created local public/private keys, added private key to ssh-add and copied public key to server under authorized_keys. gave permissions 600 and 700 to ~/.ssh)

When trying older version of ssh (identity.pub) i use -1 argument The connection still prompts me for a password

This is the output:

george@solaris11:~$ ssh -v george@solaris8 ls /  
Sun_SSH_2.0, SSH protocols 1.5/2.0, OpenSSL 0x100000af  
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config  
debug1: Rhosts Authentication disabled, originating port will not be trusted.  
debug1: ssh_connect: needpriv 0  
debug1: Connecting to alphasun [10.162.1.27] port 22.  
debug1: Connection established.  
debug1: ssh_kmf_check_uri: /export/home/george/.ssh/identity  
debug1: Identity file/URI '/export/home/george/.ssh/identity' pubkey type ssh-unknown  
debug1: ssh_kmf_check_uri: /export/home/george/.ssh/id_rsa  
debug1: ssh_kmf_key_from_blob: blob length is 277.  
debug1: Identity file/URI '/export/home/george/.ssh/id_rsa' pubkey type ssh-rsa  
debug1: ssh_kmf_check_uri: /export/home/george/.ssh/id_dsa  
debug1: ssh_kmf_key_from_blob: blob length is 433.  
debug1: Identity file/URI '/export/home/george/.ssh/id_dsa' pubkey type ssh-dss  
debug1: Logging to host: solaris8  
debug1: Local user: george Remote user: george  
debug1: Remote protocol version 1.99, remote software version OpenSSH_3.4p1  
debug1: match: OpenSSH_3.4p1 pat OpenSSH_3.2*,OpenSSH_3.3*,OpenSSH_3.4*,OpenSSH_3.5*  
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0  
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-Sun_SSH_2.0  
debug1: use_engine is 'yes'  
debug1: pkcs11 engine initialized, now setting it as default for RSA, DSA, and symmetric   ciphers
debug1: pkcs11 engine initialization complete  
debug1: Creating a global KMF session.  
debug1: My KEX proposal before adding the GSS KEX algorithm:  
debug1: Failed to acquire GSS-API credentials for any mechanisms (No credentials were   supplied, or the credentials were unavailable or inaccessible
)  
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent  
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received  
debug1: My KEX proposal I sent to the peer:    
debug1: KEX proposal I received from the peer:  
debug1: kex: server->client arcfour hmac-sha1 none  
debug1: kex: client->server arcfour hmac-sha1 none  
debug1: Host key algorithm 'ssh-rsa' chosen for the KEX.  
debug1: Peer sent proposed langtags, ctos:  
debug1: Peer sent proposed langtags, stoc:  
debug1: We proposed langtags, ctos: el-GR  
debug1: We proposed langtags, stoc: el-GR  
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST sent  
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP  
debug1: dh_gen_key: priv key bits set: 144/320  
debug1: bits set: 1565/3191  
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT sent  
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY  
debug1: ssh_kmf_key_from_blob: blob length is 149.  
debug1: ssh_kmf_key_from_blob: blob length is 149.  
debug1: ssh_kmf_key_from_blob: blob length is 149.  
debug1: Host 'solaris' is known and matches the RSA host key.  
debug1: Found key in /export/home/george/.ssh/known_hosts:1  
debug1: bits set: 1550/3191  
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature correct  
debug1: set_newkeys: setting new keys for 'out' mode  
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent  
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS  
debug1: set_newkeys: setting new keys for 'in' mode  
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received  
debug1: done: ssh_kex2.  
debug1: send SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_REQUEST  
debug1: got SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT  
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password,keyboard-interactive  
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey  
debug1: Trying public key: /export/home/george/.ssh/id_rsa  
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password,keyboard-interactive  
debug1: Trying public key: /export/home/george/.ssh/id_dsa  
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password,keyboard-interactive  
debug1: Next authentication method: keyboard-interactive  
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password,keyboard-interactive  
debug1: Next authentication method: password  
george@solaris8's password:  

I cannot find an authlog file on the remote server though (none under /var/log/ or any other ssh directories) I have tried this method using the same solaris 11 for a client-server connection and it works! so maybe this is a compatibility issue between ssh versions. that is why im attempting to connect with -1 also.

Can someone please help me overcome this? Thank you !!!

Answer 1

I've got this nagging feeling that I encountered this very problem a decade ago with a Sun 220R. I'm almost certain it is related to pam and /etc/pam.conf. Check /var/adm/ for log files and sometimes dmesg.

I can't remember exactly. This post seems a bit familiar. I think you'd be best served turning up the debugging on your Sol8's OpenSSH.

Incidentally, if you don't resolve this - that version of OpenSSH has quite a few known remote exploits - you might be able to use one of them instead. :)

Answer 2

I have seen a lot of commends about making this work. None said about option StrictModes having something to do with authenticating

Apparently though, this is only the case in OpenSSH_3.4p1 because i try enabling/disabling the option on Solaris11 to Solaris11 "ssh nopassword authentication" and it makes no difference.

But in my case changed in sshd_conf parameter StrictModes no and this did the trick!!!

Thank you Kevin, cant vote up ur question bcos i dont have 15+ reputation on the site. yet..