ssh : Permission denied (publickey)

January 19, 2018 23.5k views
Security Ubuntu 16.04
njyoon
By:
njyoon

Dear !!

I created droplet 2 weeks ago.
I followed the using ssh guide, creating ssh key, adding ssh key for security on digitalocean.
I have logined the system everyday since setup.

But Today I try . : ssh root@IP address, I found the following message.
Permission denied (publickey).

I searched all question, but not working.

Please help me.

1 comment
  • skynet5615 August 6, 2018

    I created droplet today but i can't access with ssh.
    when i run: ssh user@ip_addr
    it return Permission denied (publickey).
    what can i do to solve that?

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8 Answers
rothmaan April 5, 2018
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leeu November 28, 2018

When I created my very first droplet, I encountered the same error.

The solution was:

  1. Generate a keypair in localhost using "ssh-keygen" and press <Enter> for the rest.
  2. Add a public key to your account settings with name "id_rsa.pub".
  3. Create the droplet after <1>. Make sure to check the checkbox to use existing pub key.
  4. After droplet creation, log in as usual "ssh root@<droplet_ip>"

Hope it helps.
Vu

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djoles January 19, 2018

I had same issue couple days ago. My problem was name of public key, I just rename public key to id_rsa and it works again.

Try with ssh -vvv root@IP address and see what is your problem with login.

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  • njyoon January 19, 2018

    When I try this command : ssh -vvv root@IP address,

    the result is below.

    debug2: key: /Users/happy/.ssh/idrsa (0x7fe651412070), explicit, agent
    debug3: send packet: type 5
    debug3: receive packet: type 7
    debug1: SSH2    MSGEXTINFO received
    debug1: kexinputextinfo: server-sig-algs=<rsa-sha2-256,rsa-sha2-512>
    debug3: receive packet: type 6
    debug2: service    accept: ssh-userauth
    debug1: SSH2MSGSERVICEACCEPT received
    debug3: send packet: type 50
    debug3: receive packet: type 51
    debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
    debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey
    debug3: preferred publickey,keyboard-interactive,password
    debug3: authmethod    lookup publickey
    debug3: remaining preferred: keyboard-interactive,password
    debug3: authmethodisenabled publickey
    debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
    debug1: Offering RSA public key: /Users/happy/.ssh/idrsa
    debug3: send    pubkey_test
    debug3: send packet: type 50
    debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
    debug3: receive packet: type 51
    debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
    debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
    debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
    Permission denied (publickey).

hadrianbayanulh January 20, 2018

Do you have multiple ssh-keys on your computer?
you might wanna check if you have added your ssh key to your agent with 'ssh-add -L'

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fergusmurray January 21, 2018

I'm having a very similar experience, except I'm not sure I ever managed to log in! Everything ends in Permission denied (publickey). e.g.

ssh-copy-id oolong@[my IP address]
/usr/bin/ssh-copy-id: INFO: attempting to log in with the new key(s), to filter out any that are already installed
/usr/bin/ssh-copy-id: INFO: 1 key(s) remain to be installed -- if you are prompted now it is to install the new keys
Permission denied (publickey).

I'm using Mint, fwiw.

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  • njyoon January 21, 2018

    Thanks for your advice.

    Did you manage the problem?
    I have a same result, "Permission denied (publickey)."

    Sincerely.

    • artemzinchenko February 3, 2018

      Probably, it can be useful to know.

      If you copy private key on to you PC, for instance, after system reinstall, make sure that you have added key correctly.

      ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

  • vincentca February 9, 2018

    I'm getting the same thing. I'm running Ubuntu with Ruby on Rails. Trying to connect via iTerm on mac.

hunterdding February 20, 2018

Meets the same issue , anyone who has solved it ?

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careers March 14, 2018

We are getting same issue since few days. Anyone found solutions?

Reply
csselo April 12, 2018

I have the same problem.
I tried everything in digitalocean

rothmann doesn t work

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