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milosgajdos
Asked: 2012-05-09 07:13:48 +0800 CST

Restrict password based SSH access per user but allow key authentication

  • 772

Is it possible to disable PASSWORD SSH access to user but to allow Key authentication on a per user basis ? I mean, I have a userA whom I don't want to give Password based access BUT I wan't him to only use key authentication to access the server(s). Thanks

linux ssh

3 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    You can add "Match" sections to match on particular users or groups at the bottom of sshd_config, like:

    Match user stew
PasswordAuthentication no

    or

    Match group dumbusers
PasswordAuthentication no
    • 51

  2. Just lock the passwords of the users you don't want to log in with passwords:

    usermod -L <user>

    Then, place a valid public key in their .ssh/authorized_keys file and they will be only able to log in with the corresponding private key, but not with a password.

    Note: This will break sudo unless the user has NOPASSWD: in their visudo entry

    • 4

  3. you should look into

    /etc/ssh/sshd_config

    I think what you're looking for is

    PasswordAuthentication yes

    change it to no and don't forget to restart sshd

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