Using certificates for SSH authentication [LWN.net]

Using certificates for SSH authentication

Posted Nov 9, 2022 10:46 UTC (Wed) by mkj (subscriber, #85885)
In reply to: Using certificates for SSH authentication by scientes
Parent article: Using certificates for SSH authentication

What kind of devices would you use it with? Configuring routers always seems like a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem, NFC could be an interesting option. The hardware mightn't be cheap enough though to get it added.

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Using certificates for SSH authentication

Posted Apr 21, 2023 9:48 UTC (Fri) by sammythesnake (guest, #17693) [Link]

I don't think hardware cost is much of an issue, even at single unit prices they're less than a tall flat white and presumably somewhat less in bulk (https://www.google.com/search?q=nfc+reader&tbm=shop). Most mobile phones have NFC already, so adding it to a laptop or an access terminal isn't much of an ask. There are keyboards with integrated ID card readers which are basically the same thing.

On the other hand, Bluetooth, WiFi, USB (for key dongles) and QR codes are all somewhat more commonly available and could do the job (perhaps combined with "enter this code to confirm"). Android phones use QR codes to share WiFi connection details, for example, and WhatsApp uses them to connect to the web client, which is a pretty similar authentication pattern...