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SSH key-based authentication for local system users

April 5, 2021
Contributed by:
C

To have a secured user access for the Citrix ADC appliance you can have the public key authentication of the SSH server. The SSH key-based authentication is preferred over traditional user name or password based authentication for the following reasons:

  • Provides better cryptographic strength than user passwords.
  • Eliminates the need of remembering complicated passwords and prevents shoulder-surfing attacks which are possible if passwords are used.
  • Provides a password-less login for making automation scenarios more secured.

Citrix ADC supports SSH key-based authentication by applying the public and private key concept. The SSH key-based authentication in Citrix ADC can be enabled either for a specific user or for all local users.

Note

The feature is supported only for Citrix ADC local users and not supported for external users.

SSH key-based authentication for local system users

In a Citrix ADC appliance, an administrator can set up SSH key-based authentication for a secured system access. When a user logs into the Citrix ADC using a private key, the system authenticates the user using the public key configured on the appliance.

进行gure SSH key-based authentication for the Citrix ADC local system users by using CLI

Following configuration helps you to configure key-based authentication for Citrix ADC local system users.

  1. Log on to a Citrix ADC appliance using administrator credentials.
  2. By default yoursshd_configfile accesses this path:AuthorizedKeysFile /nsconfig/ssh/authorized_keys.
  3. Append the public key to the authorized_keys file:/nsconfig/ssh/authorized_keys. The file path forsshd_configis/etc/sshd_config.
  4. Copy thesshd_configfile into/nsconfigto ensure that the changes persist even after restarting the appliance.
  5. You can use the following command to restart yoursshdprocess.
kill -HUP `cat /var/run/sshd.pid`

Note

If the authorized_keys file is not available, you must first create one and then append the public key.Make sure the file has the following permission for the authorized_keys.

root@Citrix ADC# chmod 0644 authorized_keys

> shell Copyright (c) 1992-2013 The FreeBSD Project. Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. root@ns# cd /nsconfig/ssh root@ns# vi authorized_keys ### Add public keys in authorized_keys file

User-specific SSH key-based authentication for local system users

In a Citrix ADC appliance, an administrator can now set up a user specific SSH key-based authentication for a secured system access. The administrator must first configure theAuthorizedkeysfileoption in thesshd_configfile and then add the public key in theauthorized_keysfile for a system user.

Note

If the authorized_keys file is not available for a user, the administrator must first create one and then add the public key to it.

进行gure user-specific SSH key-based authentication by using the CLI

Following procedure helps you to configure user-specific SSH key-based authentication for Citrix ADC local system users.

  1. Log on to a Citrix ADC appliance using administrator credentials.

  2. At the shell prompt, access thesshd_configfile and add the following configuration line:

    AuthorizedKeysFile ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

    Note

    The ~ is the home directory and differs for different users. It expands to the different home directory.

  3. Change the directory to the system user folder and add the public keys in theauthorized_keysfile.

    /var/pubkey//.ssh/authorized_keys

Once you have completed the earlier steps, restart thesshdprocess on your appliance by the following command:

kill -HUP `cat /var/run/sshd.pid`

Note

If the authorized_keys file is not available, you must first create one and then add the public key.

> shell Copyright (c) 1992-2013 The FreeBSD Project. Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. root@ns# cd /var/pubkey// root@ns# ls .ssh root@ns# cd .ssh root@ns# vi authorized_keys ### Add public keys in authorized_keys file

Also, read Citrix article,CTX109011to know how secure SSH access to Citrix ADC appliance works.

SSH key-based authentication for local system users
April 5, 2021
Contributed by:
C
April 5, 2021
Contributed by:
C

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