SSH Remote Access

Secure Shell Concept and Guides

SSH Keys Explained

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What Are SSH Keys?

When a Node Operator (Administrator) builds a VPS (Virtual Private Server) in the cloud, they need a secure method to access and administer that instance. This is typically done by connecting to the VPS from a local machine (e.g., a laptop or desktop) over the Internet.

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Why Do We Use SSH?

Data traveling across the Internet is vulnerable to interception by malicious actors who may attempt to steal, monitor, or manipulate the connection. To defend against this, we use encryption to create a secure tunnel between the local and remote systems.

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How SSH Keys Work

SSH keys are a pair of cryptographic keys:

• A public key, which is shared with the remote server

• A private key, which is kept securely on your local machine

These keys are used to:

• Authenticate your identity

• Establish an encrypted connection

• Securely transmit commands and data

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Create SSH keys

🔑Create SSH Keys

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Encryption in Action

In the context of connecting to a cloud VPS:

• The public key (stored on the VPS) is used to encrypt the data

• The private key (on your local machine) is used to decrypt it

This ensures that only your local machine—with the private key—can access and interpret the data sent by the server.

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🛡️ SSH key authentication is significantly more secure than using a password alone and is the standard method for managing Constellation Network nodes in cloud environments.