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Can't access droplet any more after adding a new SSH key

Posted June 18, 2020 1.3k views
GitDigitalOceanDeploymentLinux Commands

I initially created a droplet and added my SSH key in the creation process. It worked well, I could easily connect to server from my local machine via SSH. However, I recently had to reinstall my OS and lost my saved ssh key, so have had to create a new ssh key. I can’t get it to work. I have tried the commands and get these error messages:

C:\ $ ssh root@droplet IP
root@droplet IP: Permission denied (publickey).

C:\ $ ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa root@droplet IP
root@droplet IP: Permission denied (publickey).

Also, I have deleted my original ssh key from my digitalocean droplet account to try and resolve this but that has not helped.

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KFSys June 19, 2020

Hi @sub359,

It seems like you are trying to use your private id_rsa key to enter. In order to enter using your SSH key, you’ll need to do the following.

  1. Copy your public ssh key in the file id_rsa.pub.

  2. SSH into your droplet’s console and your root password from your Contron Panel

  3. Paste the idrsa.pub contents in your “`~/.ssh/authoroziedkeys”`

  4. Restart your sshd service service sshd restart

  5. Give it another go to SSH to your droplet.

Regards,
KDSys

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  • sub359 June 20, 2020

    Hi. Thank you for the reply. I’m trying to use the same ssh key that I have set up for github, which I have saved in the file id_rsa.pub. I copied the contents and saved them in the SSH keys section for my droplet. Can I use the same key (it works for github)? If not, where do I get my public ssh key?

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    • KFSys June 20, 2020

      Hi @sub359,

      Yes, you can use the same key, having said that, please make sure you’ve added it to the correct file. Additionally, check if the permissions of the files are correct.

      • Your home directory ~, your ~/.ssh directory and the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the remote machine must be writable only by you: rwx------ andrwxr-xr-x are fine, but rwxrwx---is no good, even if you are the only user in your group (if you prefer numeric modes: 700 or 755, not 775).
      • If~/.ssh or authorized_keys is a symbolic link, the canonical path (with symbolic links expanded) is checked.
      • Your ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file (on the remote machine) must be readable (at least 400), but you’ll need it to be also writable (600) if you will add any more keys to it.
      • Your private key file (on the local machine) must be readable and writable only by you: rw——-, i.e. 600.
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