gweepnet online help : secure shell (SSH)

What is SSH?

SSH is a telnet-like replacement which does not pass your password in an unencrypted form when you log in. This prevents would-be crackers from obtaining your password by "sniffing the wire" when you log in. An added benefit is that SSH sessions are encrypted, so it is very difficult for someone to eavesdrop on your connection. For more information, please see the SSH FAQ (or see the list of mirrors).

As of July 24 2001, you now must use ssh for interactive access. Telnet has been disabled and will not be re-enabled. The quickest way to get logged in is to use the Mindterm java applet. Go to http://www.gweep.net/login/

What is SCP?

SCP is a utility for securely copying files over networks. It uses a similar authentication/encryption mechanism as SSH, and in fact the two tools are often packaged together. It is recommended (and now required on gweep.net) that you use SCP instead of FTP to, for example, upload files to your home directory or public_html directory. Both the password and the data sent using SCP are encrypted. FTP, like telnet, sends password and data with no encryption, which creates a potential for a malicious individual to get your password.

As of January 28, 2001, you now must use scp to transfer files. FTP has been disabled and will not be re-enabled.

Why does any of this matter? I can handle the risk of someone stealing my account!

Consider that gweep.net provides accounts for close to 300 people and organizations. If your account is compromised, this creates a security situation for everyone with an account on gweep.net. Our policies are in place to protect you as an individual and gweep.net as a whole.

The firewall at my workplace (or coffeshop wifi or ...) is blocking ssh. Help!

Send email to system and we can help you sort out if there's any hope.

Where to get SSH/SCP clients?

• FreeBSD, Linux, other Unix

  • ssh.com has the UNIX source to both SSH V1.5 and SSH V2 clients and servers. You can ftp from the main download site or go to the list of mirrors
  • openssh.com produces a free ssh client and server, to Put an end to unencrypted network logins. Download the portable version or the OpenBSD version.

• MS Windows

  • ssh.com has a nice looking Windows client, which is finally available for free for non-commercial use. This includes ssh terminal support as well as file transfer! Look for SSHWinClient-x.x.x.exe, where x.x.x is a version number. 3.2.0 was current in August 2002. Get it from our mirror.
  • Tera Term + TTSSH is a free SSH V1.5 client for Windows 95/98/NT. Be sure you download Tera Term and TTSSH and follow the installation instructions. This solution is ssh only (no scp).
  • PuTTY is another free SSH client that also happens to include SCP. PuTTY is also one of the few free clients to support V2 SSH (better protection against some types of exploits).
  • Secure iXplorer is a free GUI-based scp client for Windows. It uses PuTTY's PSCP program under the hood, but provides a drag-n-drop file copy capability. There is also a Mirror Site.
  • WinSCP is a WSFTP-like GUI-based SCP client that seems to work well.
  • ssh/scp command-line tools for Win32. Convenient for copying files via the command line.
  • Datafellows has commercial V2 clients and servers for Windows.
  • VanDyke Technologies also has commercial V1,V2, and SFTP clients and servers for Windows.
  • Also, if you are ever stuck somewhere and can't install software but you have a Java-enabled web browser, you can log in using the Java SSH client. This is implemented using a cool bit of Java from Mindbright Technology.

• Macintosh

OS X (all versions)

• The cli ssh client is standard in all versions.

OS 9

• Niftyssh is a free SSH V1.5 client for Macs.
• MacSSH is a free SSH V2 client for Macs.

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