For Unix, what are ssh-agent and ssh-add, and how do I use them?

In Unix, ssh-agent is a background program that handles passwords for SSH private keys. The ssh-add command prompts the user for a private key password and adds it to the list maintained by ssh-agent. Once you add a password to ssh-agent, you will not be prompted for it when using SSH or scp to connect to hosts with your public key.

To use ssh-agent and ssh-add, follow the steps below:

1. At the Unix prompt, enter: eval `ssh-agent` Note: Make sure you use the backquote ( ` ), located under the tilde ( ~ ), rather than the single quote ( ' ).
   
   
2. Enter the command: ssh-add
3. Enter your private key password.
   
   
4. When you log out, enter the command: kill $SSH_AGENT_PID To run this command automatically when you log out, place it in your .logout file (if you are using csh or tcsh) or your .bash_logout file (if you are using bash).

Note: The versions of these programs for SSH2, ssh-agent2 and ssh-add2, are the same as outlined above. To use them, follow the instructions above, replacing all occurrences of ssh-agent with ssh-agent2 , and ssh-add with ssh-add2 . The SSH2 versions will only work if both your computer and the remote host are running SSH2.

At Indiana University, to get support for personal or departmental Linux or Unix systems, see At IU, how do I get support for Linux or Unix?

Also see:

• In SSH and SSH2 for Unix, how do I set up public key authentication?
• In Unix, how do I use the scp command to securely transfer files between two computers?