SSH keys between Windows and Linux machines

When it comes to using SSH keys between Windows and Linux machines, particularly with Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and 1Password, there are a few common areas where people might get confused:

Key format differences

• SSH keys generated on Linux machines are typically in the OpenSSH format, which is the native format for Linux and macOS.

• Windows, on the other hand, has its own native format for SSH keys, known as the PuTTY format (.ppk files).

• When using SSH keys generated on a Windows machine with a Linux server, you may need to convert the PuTTY-formatted private key to the OpenSSH format using a tool like PuTTYgen.

Storing and accessing SSH keys in 1Password

• 1Password is a popular password manager that can also store SSH keys securely.

• When storing SSH keys in 1Password, it's essential to store both the private key and the public key separately, as they serve different purposes.

• When using 1Password with VS Code on Windows, you need to configure VS Code to use the SSH key stored in 1Password. This involves specifying the path to the private key file in the VS Code SSH configuration.

Configuring VS Code to use SSH keys

• VS Code has built-in support for SSH, allowing you to remotely connect to and edit files on a Linux machine.

• To use SSH keys with VS Code, you need to configure the SSH settings in VS Code to point to the correct private key file.

• On Windows, you may need to provide the path to the private key file in the PuTTY format (.ppk) or convert it to the OpenSSH format if VS Code expects the OpenSSH format.

File permissions and ownership

• On Linux machines, SSH keys and the ~/.ssh directory have specific file permissions and ownership requirements for security reasons.

• The ~/.ssh directory should have permissions set to 700 (drwx------), and the private key file should have permissions set to 600 (-rw-------) to ensure only the owner can read and write to the file.

• When copying SSH keys from a Windows machine to a Linux machine, you need to ensure the correct file permissions and ownership are set on the Linux machine.

SSH agent and key management

• The SSH agent is a program that runs in the background and manages your SSH keys, allowing you to use them without repeatedly entering the passphrase.

• On Windows, you can use tools like PuTTY's Pageant or the built-in OpenSSH agent to manage your SSH keys.

• When using VS Code on Windows to connect to a Linux machine, you need to ensure the SSH agent is running and has the correct private key loaded.

To mitigate these challenges, it's recommended to:

• Use OpenSSH format for SSH keys whenever possible, as it is compatible with both Windows and Linux.

• Store SSH keys securely in 1Password and provide the correct paths to the private key files in VS Code settings.

• Ensure the correct file permissions and ownership are set on the Linux machine when copying SSH keys.

• Configure and use the SSH agent to manage your SSH keys and avoid repeatedly entering passphrases.

By understanding these common points of confusion and following best practices, you can smoothly use SSH keys between Windows and Linux machines, even when working with VS Code and 1Password.