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I'm a bit newer to cygwin and sshd, and I want to configure sshd to allow encrypted SFTP file transferring.

From what I understand, I need to find some sort of sshd_config example (which for some reason, I can't find a good one on the internet [it's as if no one uses cygwin or sshd]).

I enable aes256 on protocol 2 of ssh on the sshd_config of the SERVER. I make an RSA key 2048 bit keylength on the CLIENT, then transfer the public-key "pub" file, into "authorized_keys" of the SERVER.

What options in SSHD_Config need to be set? I think I need these options, but what else do I need?:

Protocol 2
Compression yes
Ciphers aes256-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes128-ctr,arcfour256,aes128-cbc
MACs hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-256-96,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-512-96,hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,[email protected],hmac-ripemd160
PasswordAuthentication yes

I think I also need "RSAAuthentication", I'm not certain.

I want to transfer files to my business partners and simply ask them to hand me their public-key and make sure their files are protected and not sent plain-text.

Does anyone have a proper guide to do all this and an example sshd_config?

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1 Answer 1

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You don't need to do any configuration. Most likely, you cannot find any good example because the default sshd_config that OpenSSH always installs is already good – whenever custom configuration is done, it tends to be specific to that system, so not suitable as part of a generic tutorial.

  • The encryption algorithm used is controlled by the Ciphers option, and all recent releases have AES as the preferred algorithm, as written in the sshd_config(5) manual page.

  • Password authentication is enabled by default. It is irrelevant if you are planning to use public-key auth, though.

  • The RSAAuthentication option is only relevant to protocol version 1, which is obsolete. The equivalent protocol 2 option is PubkeyAuthentication, and both options are enabled by default.

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  • But don't we have to create the key on the server for the specified user (put it in /home/username/.ssh , copy the pub key to /home/username/.ssh/authorized_keys... then copy the pub key to client)---so that we can have encrypted file transfer?? Or is it already encrypted-protocol by default even with just a simple password?
    – Stellar Sword
    Apr 24, 2013 at 19:57
  • @Dexter: The keys are only used for authentication. Encryption is already a required part of SSH, a lower layer.
    – u1686_grawity
    Apr 24, 2013 at 20:16
  • ok that's what I assumed, I just wanted to be absolutely certain.
    – Stellar Sword
    Apr 25, 2013 at 15:28

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