Configuring Solaris Secure Shell

By default, host-based authentication and the use of both protocols are not enabled in Solaris Secure Shell. Changing these defaults requires administrative intervention. Also, for port forwarding to work requires administrative intervention.

How to Set Up Host-Based Authentication for Solaris Secure Shell

The following procedure sets up a public key system where the client's public key is used for authentication on the server. The user must also create a public/private key pair.

In the procedure, the terms client and local host refer to the machine where a user types the ssh command. The terms server and remote host refer to the machine that the client is trying to reach.

Become an administrator with the required security attributes.
For more information, see How to Obtain Administrative Rights.
On the client, enable host-based authentication.
In the client configuration file, /etc/ssh/ssh_config, type the following entry:
```
HostbasedAuthentication yes
```
For the syntax of the file, see the ssh_config(4) man page
On the server, enable host-based authentication.
In the server configuration file, /etc/ssh/sshd_config, type the same entry:
```
HostbasedAuthentication yes
```
For the syntax of the file, see the sshd_config(4) man page
On the server, configure a file that enables the client to be recognized as a trusted host.
For more information, see the FILES section of the sshd(1M) man page.
- Add the client as an entry to the server's /etc/ssh/shosts.equiv file.
```
client-host
```
- Or, you can instruct users to add an entry for the client to their ~/.shosts file on the server.
```
client-host
```
On the server, ensure that the sshd daemon can access the list of trusted hosts.
Set IgnoreRhosts to no in the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.
```
## sshd_config
IgnoreRhosts no
```
Ensure that users of Solaris Secure Shell at your site have accounts on both hosts.
Do one of the following to put the client's public key on the server.
- Modify the sshd_config file on the server, then instruct your users to add the client's public host keys to their ~/.ssh/known_hosts file.
```
## sshd_config
IgnoreUserKnownHosts no
```
  For user instructions, see How to Generate a Public/Private Key Pair for Use With Solaris Secure Shell.
- Copy the client's public key to the server.
  The host keys are stored in the /etc/ssh directory. The keys are typically generated by the sshd daemon on first boot.
  1. Add the key to the /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts file on the server.
    On the client, type the command on one line with no backslash.
```
# cat /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key.pub | ssh RemoteHost \
'cat >> /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts && echo "Host key copied"'
```
  2. When you are prompted, supply your login password.
    When the file is copied, the message “Host key copied” is displayed.
    Each line in the /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts file consists of fields that are separated by spaces:
```
hostnames algorithm-name publickey comment
```
  3. Edit the /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts file and add RemoteHost as the first field in the copied entry.
```
## /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts File
RemoteHost <copied entry>
```

Example 19-1 Setting Up Host-based Authentication

In the following example, each host is configured as a server and as a client. A user on either host can initiate an ssh connection to the other host. The following configuration makes each host a server and a client:

On each host, the Solaris Secure Shell configuration files contain the following entries:

## /etc/ssh/ssh_config
HostBasedAuthentication yes
# 
## /etc/ssh/sshd_config
HostBasedAuthentication yes
IgnoreRhosts no

On each host, the shosts.equiv file contains an entry for the other host:

## /etc/ssh/shosts.equiv on machine2
machine1

## /etc/ssh/shosts.equiv on machine1
machine2

The public key for each host is in the /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts file on the other host:

## /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts on machine2
… machine1

## /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts on machine1
… machine2

Users have an account on both hosts:

## /etc/passwd on machine1
jdoe:x:3111:10:J Doe:/home/jdoe:/bin/sh

## /etc/passwd on machine2
jdoe:x:3111:10:J Doe:/home/jdoe:/bin/sh

How to Enable Solaris Secure Shell v1

This procedure is useful when a host interoperates with hosts that run v1 and v2.

Become an administrator with the required security attributes.
For more information, see How to Obtain Administrative Rights.
Configure the host to use both Solaris Secure Shell protocols.
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.
```
# Protocol 2
Protocol 2,1
```

Provide a separate file for the host key for v1.

Add a HostKey entry to the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.

HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa1_key

Generate a host key for v1.
```
# ssh-keygen -t rsa1 -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa1_key -N ''
```
-t rsa1

Indicates the RSA algorithm for v1.

-f

Indicates the file that holds the host key.

-N ''

Indicates that no passphrase is required.
Restart the sshd daemon.
```
# svcadm restart network/ssh:default
```
You can also reboot the system.

How to Configure Port Forwarding in Solaris Secure Shell

Port forwarding enables a local port be forwarded to a remote host. Effectively, a socket is allocated to listen to the port on the local side. Similarly, a port can be specified on the remote side.

Note - Solaris Secure Shell port forwarding must use TCP connections. Solaris Secure Shell does not support UDP connections for port forwarding.

Become an administrator with the required security attributes.
For more information, see How to Obtain Administrative Rights.
Configure a Solaris Secure Shell setting on the remote server to allow port forwarding.
Change the value of AllowTcpForwarding to yes in the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.
```
# Port forwarding
AllowTcpForwarding yes
```
Restart the Solaris Secure Shell service.
```
remoteHost# svcadm restart network/ssh:default
```
For information on managing persistent services, see Chapter 18, Managing Services (Overview), in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration and the svcadm(1M) man page.

Verify that port forwarding can be used.

remoteHost# /usr/bin/pgrep -lf sshd
 1296 ssh -L 2001:remoteHost:23 remoteHost

How to Create User and Host Exceptions to SSH System Defaults

This procedure adds a conditional Match block after the global section of the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file. Keyword-value pairs that follow the Match block specify exceptions for the user, group, host, or address that is specified as the match.

Become an administrator with the required security attributes.
For more information, see How to Obtain Administrative Rights.
Edit the sshd_config file.
Configure a user, group, host, or address to use different SSH keyword settings from the default settings.
Place the Match blocks after the global settings.

Note - The global section of the file might or might not list the default settings. For the defaults, see the sshd_config(4) man page.

You might have users who should not be allowed to use TCP forwarding. In the following example, any user in the group public, and any user name that begins with test cannot use TCP forwarding:
```
## sshd_config file
## Global settings

# Example (reflects default settings):
#
# Host *
#   ForwardAgent no
#   ForwardX11 no
#   PubkeyAuthentication yes
#   PasswordAuthentication yes
#   FallBackToRsh no
#   UseRsh no
#   BatchMode no
#   CheckHostIP yes
#   StrictHostKeyChecking ask
#   EscapeChar ~
Match Group public
 AllowTcpForwarding no
Match User test*
 AllowTcpForwarding no
```
For information about the syntax of the Match block, see the sshd_config(4) man page.

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