# SSH & SCP

{% hint style="success" %}
Hack Responsibly.

Always ensure you have **explicit** permission to access any computer system **before** using any of the techniques contained in these documents. You accept full responsibility for your actions by applying any knowledge gained here.
{% endhint %}

## SSH

### sshd

SSH should already be installed on most Linux-based computers, but you may need to start the SSH daemon (sshd) if the computer has never accepted incoming SSH connections before.

```bash
sudo systemctl start sshd
```

To have the SSH daemon start each time you reboot your computer, use this command:

```bash
sudo systemctl enable sshd
```

### SSH Config <a href="#ssh-config" id="ssh-config"></a>

The `$HOME/.ssh/config` file allows for custom configurations and aliases to be specified for SSH connection profiles. The example below sets up `TCPKeepAlive` and `ServerAliveInterval` for all hosts, and sets up aliases for a few servers.

```bash
Host *
    ServerAliveInterval 60
    TCPKeepAlive no

Host jumpBox-1
    HostName jumpbox-1.com
    User jumper
    IdentityFile /home/kali/.ssh/to_jumpbox-1.key

Host jumpBox-2
    HostName sup.er.long.complex.aws.dns.name.com
    User jumpboxAdmin
    IdentityFile /home/kali/.ssh/to_jumpbox-2.key
    ProxyJump jumpBox-1

Host target-1
    HostName 192.168.221.32
    User piUser
    IdentityFile /home/kali/.ssh/to_target-1.key
    ProxyJump jumpBox-2
```

In the case of the SSH server side, replace `ServerAliveInterval` with `ClientAliveInterval` and put it in the file `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`. This is especially useful for reverse tunnels.

The above configuration shows an example of allowing a user to use a simplified command such as`ssh jumpbox-1` in place of having to type out `user@hostName -i /path/to/keyfile` and supplies the relevant information automatically. This reduces the need for remembering usernames, IPs, or long and complex DNS names.

### ProxyJump <a href="#proxyjump" id="proxyjump"></a>

By having SSH keys for each of our jump boxes and the target device on our local machine, we can simplify the process of logging in through each machine quite a bit. The `ProxyJump` directive signifies which machine you need to jump through to get to the next machine in the proxy chain.

This simple change allows a user to simply give the command `ssh target-1`, wait a bit for all of the connections to be made, and pop a shell on the `target-1` device.

### Keep Alive

If you want to set the keep alive [for the server](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?sshd_config%285%29), add this to `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`:

```bash
ClientAliveInterval 60
ClientAliveCountMax 2
```

> **ClientAliveInterval**: Sets a timeout interval in seconds after which if no data has been received from the client, sshd(8) will send a message through the encrypted channel to request a response from the client.
>
> **ClientAliveCountMax**: Sets the number of client alive messages (see below) which may be sent without sshd(8) receiving any messages back from the client. If this threshold is reached while client alive messages are being sent, sshd will disconnect the client, terminating the session.

* ... look in "man sshd\_config" for the server portion running the ssh daemon, not the client config. – [Jeff Davenport](https://stackoverflow.com/users/4756398/jeff-davenport) [Jul 29 '16 at 22:35](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25084288/keep-ssh-session-alive#comment64717733_37330274)
* Should I use `ClientAliveInterval` to let the server check for client alive, or should I let the client "ping" the server with `ServerAliveInterval` repeatedly? Both seems not to make sense – [qrtLs](https://stackoverflow.com/users/4933053/qrtls) [Jun 2 '17 at 14:08](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25084288/keep-ssh-session-alive#comment75665824_37330274)
* Only set the `ClientAliveInterval` on the server if you want the server to disconnect on dead connections that do not respond, and you can customize how often and when that happens. – [Jeff Davenport](https://stackoverflow.com/users/4756398/jeff-davenport) [Jul 25 '17 at 20:22](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25084288/keep-ssh-session-alive#comment77588141_37330274)

## SSH Keys

SSH keys are a secure way to authenticate to remote systems, either as a second authentication factor or as a replacement for passwords. Below is a guide to generating, using, and managing SSH keys effectively.

### Generating SSH Keys

To generate a new SSH key for remote access, use the `ssh-keygen` command with the desired algorithm and key size:

```bash
# Generate an RSA key with 4096 bits
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096

# Generate an ECDSA key with 521 bits
ssh-keygen -t ecdsa -b 521

# Generate an Ed25519 key (recommended for modern use)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
```

### Key Algorithms Comparison

| Algorithm | Key Size (bits) | Strength                  | Pros                         | Cons                         |
| --------- | --------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| RSA       | 2048/4096       | Strong (4096 recommended) | Widely supported, secure     | Larger key size, slower      |
| DSA       | 1024            | Weak                      | Legacy support               | Deprecated, insecure         |
| ECDSA     | 256/384/521     | Strong                    | Smaller keys, faster         | Requires good randomness     |
| Ed25519   | Fixed (256)     | Very Strong               | Fast, secure, small key size | Limited client compatibility |

### Using SSH Keys

1. **Generate a Key Pair**: Use `ssh-keygen` as shown above.
2.  **Copy Public Key to Remote Host**:

    ```bash
    ssh-copy-id -i $key_file $user@$remote_host
    ```
3.  **Connect Using the Key**:

    ```bash
    ssh -i $key_file $user@$remote_host
    ```

### Key File Details

To inspect the details of a key file:

*   Public key:

    ```bash
    openssl rsa -in $priv_key -pubout -out $pub_key_name
    ```
*   Private key:

    ```bash
    openssl rsa -noout -text -in key.private
    ```

### Notes on Key Usage

*   **Permissions**: Ensure private keys have proper permissions:

    ```bash
    chmod 600 $key_file
    ```
*   **AWS Compatibility**:\
    AWS requires keys without `-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----` and `-----END PUBLIC KEY-----` headers.

    ```bash
    ssh-keygen -f PublicKey.pub -i -mPKCS8
    ```

### Extracting Public Key from Private Key

To extract the public key from a private key:

```bash
openssl rsa -in $priv_key -pubout -out $pub_key_name
```

### Generating Public Key from Private Key

To generate a public key from a private key:

```bash
ssh-keygen -y -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa > ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
```

> **Note**: The comment of the public key is lost during this process. You may need to manually append a comment to the first line of the public key file (ex: \~/.ssh/id\_rsa.pub). Append a comment to the first line with a space between the comment and key data. An example public key is shown truncated below.

Example:

```bash
ssh-rsa <key_data AAAA..snipped../VqDjtS5> user@hostname
```

### Summary: SSH/SCP into target using a keyfile

1. From the `attacker_machine`, generate a keypair: `ssh-keygen -t ed25519`
2. Copy the contents from the public key `$keyfile.pub` into the `.ssh/authorized_keys` file of the `target_machine`
3. Connect with the argument `-i $keyfile`

## Remote Command Execution

Run a command on remote system without a shell through SSH by appending it to the end of the line, or, run multiple commands at once with a "Herefile". `HERE` can be anything, but it must begin and end with the same word.

Single Command:

```bash
ssh $user@$hostname $command_to_run
```

Multiple Commands:

```bash
ssh $user@$hostname << HERE
 $command1
 $command2
HERE
```

## SCP

There are three main uses of SCP: to pull files from a remote host, to push files to a remote host, and to copy files between two remote hosts.

### Copy from remote host to local file:

```bash
scp $username@ip:$remote_file $local_directory
```

### Copy local file to remote host:

```bash
$ scp $local_file $username@$ip:$directory
```

### Copy local directory to remote directory:

```bash
scp -r $local_directory $username@$ip:$remote_directory
```

### Copy a file from one remote host to another:

```bash
scp $username@$host1:$directory/$file $username@$host2:$directory2
```

### Improve scp performance (using blowfish algorithm):

```bash
scp -c blowfish $local_file $username@$ip:$directory
```

### Use keyfile to login to remote host

(`-i` must be the first parameter)

```bash
scp -i $keyfile [other parameters]
```

## Local Forward Tunnels

Local forward tunnels allow you to forward a port from your local machine to a remote server. This is useful for accessing services on a remote server that are not directly accessible from your local machine.

### Setting Up a Local Forward Tunnel

To set up a local forward tunnel, use the `-L` option with the `ssh` command. The syntax is as follows:

```bash
ssh -L [local_port]:[remote_host]:[remote_port] [user]@[remote_server]
```

* **local\_port**: The port on your local machine that you want to forward.
* **remote\_host**: The host on the remote server to which you want to forward traffic.
* **remote\_port**: The port on the remote host to which you want to forward traffic.
* **user**: The username for the remote server.
* **remote\_server**: The address of the remote server.

### Example

Suppose you want to access a web application running on port 8080 of a `target_machine` through an intermediate SSH server (`intermediate_server`). You can set up a local forward tunnel as follows:

```bash
ssh -L 8080:target_machine:8080 user@intermediate_server
```

After running this command, you can access the web application by navigating to `http://localhost:8080` in your web browser.

### Notes

* The local port (e.g., 8080) must not be in use on your local machine.
* You can use `-N` to prevent the SSH session from executing commands, keeping the tunnel open:

```bash
ssh -L 8080:target_machine:8080 user@intermediate_server -N
```

* Use `-f` to run the SSH session in the background:

```bash
ssh -L 8080:target_machine:8080 user@intermediate_server -N -f
```

Local forward tunnels are particularly useful for securely accessing internal services or databases on a remote network.

## Reverse Tunnels

* Let's assume that the `target_machine`'s IP is 192.168.20.55 (Linux box that you want to access).
* You want to access it from the `local_machine` with IP 178.27.99.99.
* `target_machine` <- |NAT| <- `local_machine`
* SSH from the `target_machine` to the `local_machine` (with public IP) using the command below:

```bash
ssh -R 19999:localhost:22 sourceuser@local_machine
```

{% hint style="info" %}
\* port 19999 can be any unused local port.
{% endhint %}

1. Now you can SSH from `local_machine` to `target_machine` through SSH tunneling:

```bash
ssh localhost -p 19999
```

1. 3rd party servers can also access `target_machine` through `local_machine`.

`target_machine` <- |NAT| <- `local_machine` <- Target web server

3.1 From the Target web server:

```bash
ssh sourceuser@local_machine
```

3.2 After the successful login to `local_machine`:

```bash
ssh localhost -p 19999
```

{% hint style="info" %}
\* the connection between `target_machine` and `local_machine` must be alive at all times. Tip: you may run a command (e.g. watch, top) on `target_machine` to keep the connection active.
{% endhint %}

## Dynamic Tunnels

Dynamic tunnels allow you to create a SOCKS proxy on a remote machine, enabling dynamic port forwarding. This is particularly useful for accessing multiple services on a remote network without setting up individual tunnels for each service.

### Setting Up a Dynamic Tunnel

To set up a dynamic reverse tunnel, use the `-D` option with the `ssh` command. The syntax is as follows:

```bash
ssh -D [local_port] [user]@[remote_server]
```

* **local\_port**: The port on your local machine that will act as the SOCKS proxy.
* **user**: The username for the remote server.
* **remote\_server**: The address of the remote server.

### Example

Suppose you want to create a SOCKS proxy on port 1080 of your local machine to access services on a remote network through an intermediate SSH server (`intermediate_server`). You can set up a dynamic reverse tunnel as follows:

```bash
ssh -D 1080 user@intermediate_server
```

After running this command, configure your applications (e.g., web browsers) to use `localhost:1080` as a SOCKS proxy. This will route all traffic through the SSH tunnel to the remote network.

### Notes

* The local port (e.g., 1080) must not be in use on your local machine.
* You can use `-N` to prevent the SSH session from executing commands, keeping the tunnel open:

```bash
ssh -D 1080 user@intermediate_server -N
```

* Use `-f` to run the SSH session in the background:

```bash
ssh -D 1080 user@intermediate_server -N -f
```

Dynamic tunnels are particularly useful for scenarios where you need to access multiple services on a remote network without knowing the specific ports in advance.

### Using Dynamic Tunnels with Proxychains and Other Applications

Dynamic tunnels can be used in conjunction with tools like `proxychains` or by configuring a browser's proxy settings to route traffic through the SOCKS proxy created by the tunnel. This allows you to access remote services as if they were local.

#### Using Proxychains

`proxychains` is a tool that forces any TCP connection made by a given application to go through a proxy, such as the SOCKS proxy created by a dynamic reverse tunnel.

1.  Install `proxychains` if it is not already installed:

    ```bash
    sudo apt install proxychains
    ```
2.  Edit the `proxychains` configuration file (usually located at `/etc/proxychains.conf`) to add the SOCKS proxy:

    ```
    socks5  127.0.0.1 1080
    ```
3.  Use `proxychains` to run any application through the proxy. For example, to use `curl`:

    ```bash
    proxychains curl http://example.com
    ```

#### Configuring a Browser

To use the SOCKS proxy with a web browser:

1. Open your browser's network or proxy settings.
2. Set the proxy type to SOCKS5.
3. Enter `127.0.0.1` as the proxy address and `1080` as the port (or the port you specified when setting up the dynamic tunnel).
4. Save the settings and browse as usual. All traffic will be routed through the SOCKS proxy.

#### Using Built-in Proxy Options in Tools

Many command-line tools have built-in options to use a proxy. For example:

*   **`curl`**:

    ```bash
    curl --socks5 127.0.0.1:1080 http://example.com
    ```
*   **`wget`**:

    ```bash
    wget --execute="socks_proxy = 127.0.0.1:1080" http://example.com
    ```
*   **`git`**:\
    Configure Git to use the SOCKS proxy:

    ```bash
    git config --global http.proxy socks5://127.0.0.1:1080
    ```

These configurations allow you to leverage the dynamic reverse tunnel for a wide range of applications, enhancing your ability to access remote resources securely and efficiently.

### Dynamic Reverse Tunnels

A bonus feature added in OpenSSH version 7.6 (released in late 2017) is the ability to create Dynamic Reverse Tunnels. The feature works as long as the client supports it, even if the server is running an older version.

If you're performing a security audit and need to access an internal network from outside, but firewalls block inbound SSH connections, you can use a dynamic reverse tunnel to securely route traffic inside.

This allows tools like Burp Suite or Nessus to scan internal assets even when direct access isn’t possible.

Example command (`-R $port` without other port/ip arguments creates a dynamic reverse tunnel):

```bash
ssh user@target_machine -R 2222
```

## Troubleshooting

#### Troubleshooting Connection Drops

* If connection drops immediately after connecting:
  *   Don't use bash for this session, try another shell such as dash (or /bin/sh):

      ```bash
      ssh 127.0.0.1 /bin/dash
      ```
  *   Use bash with command options to disable processing startup files (.profile, .bashrc):

      ```bash
      ssh 127.0.0.1 "bash --noprofile --norc"
      ```
* **Permission Denied Errors**:
  * **Issue**: Encountering "Permission denied" when trying to SSH or SCP.
  *   **Workaround**: Ensure the private key file has the correct permissions:

      ```bash
      chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
      ```

      Verify the username and hostname are correct, and ensure the public key is added to the `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` file on the remote server.
* **Connection Timeout**:
  * **Issue**: SSH connection times out.
  *   **Workaround**: Check if the remote server is reachable using `ping` or `traceroute`. Ensure the SSH port (default 22) is open and not blocked by a firewall. Use the `-v` flag with SSH for verbose output to debug:

      ```bash
      ssh -v user@hostname
      ```
* **Host Key Verification Failed**:
  * **Issue**: SSH fails due to a changed host key.
  *   **Workaround**: This usually happens if the server's SSH key has changed. Remove the old key from the `~/.ssh/known_hosts` file:

      ```bash
      ssh-keygen -R hostname
      ```

      Then reconnect to add the new key.
* **Too Many Authentication Failures**:
  * **Issue**: SSH fails with "Too many authentication failures".
  *   **Workaround**: This can occur if the SSH client tries multiple keys before the correct one. Use the `-i` option to specify the correct key explicitly:

      ```bash
      ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa user@hostname
      ```
* **Broken Pipe Errors**:
  * **Issue**: SSH session disconnects with a "broken pipe" error.
  *   **Workaround**: Increase the `ServerAliveInterval` and `ServerAliveCountMax` settings in your SSH config to keep the connection alive:

      ```
      Host *
          ServerAliveInterval 60
          ServerAliveCountMax 5
      ```

#### Additional Common Issues and Workarounds

* **SCP File Transfer Fails**:
  * **Issue**: SCP fails with "No such file or directory".
  * **Workaround**: Double-check the file paths on both the local and remote systems. Use absolute paths to avoid ambiguity.
  * Another common issue is not having the correct file/folder permissions to read and/or write the files in question.
* **SSH Hangs on Connection**:
  * **Issue**: SSH hangs indefinitely when trying to connect.
  * **Workaround**: Use the `-vvv` flag for detailed debugging output. Check for DNS resolution issues and try connecting using the server's IP address instead of the hostname.
* **Key Mismatch Errors**:
  * **Issue**: Public key authentication fails due to a key mismatch.
  * **Workaround**: Ensure the correct private key is being used and that the corresponding public key is present in the `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` file on the remote server. Verify the key format and regenerate the key pair if necessary.

## Resources

* [https://starkandwayne.com/blog/jumping-seamlessly-thorough-tunnels-a-guide-to-ssh-proxy/](https://starkandwayne.com/blog/jumping-seamlessly-thorough-tunnels-a-guide-to-ssh-proxy/) (ProxyJump)
* [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25084288/keep-ssh-session-alive](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25084288/keep-ssh-session-alive) (Keep Alive)
* [https://softeng.oicr.on.ca/chen\_chen/2017/06/27/Using-Jump-Servers-in-SSH/](https://softeng.oicr.on.ca/chen_chen/2017/06/27/Using-Jump-Servers-in-SSH/) (Jump Servers)
* [https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-unix-osx-bsd-ssh-run-command-on-remote-machine-server/](https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-unix-osx-bsd-ssh-run-command-on-remote-machine-server/) (Remote Commands)
* [https://medium.com/@ryanwendel/forwarding-reverse-shells-through-a-jump-box-using-ssh-7111f1d55e3a](https://medium.com/@ryanwendel/forwarding-reverse-shells-through-a-jump-box-using-ssh-7111f1d55e3a) (Reverse Tunnels)
* [https://0xdf.gitlab.io/2020/08/10/tunneling-with-chisel-and-ssf-update.html](https://0xdf.gitlab.io/2020/08/10/tunneling-with-chisel-and-ssf-update.html) (Reverse Tunnels)
* [https://www.howtoforge.com/reverse-ssh-tunneling](https://www.howtoforge.com/reverse-ssh-tunneling) (Reverse Tunnels)
* [https://blog.benpri.me/blog/2019/05/25/dynamic-reverse-tunnels-in-ssh/](https://blog.benpri.me/blog/2019/05/25/dynamic-reverse-tunnels-in-ssh/) (Dynamic Reverse Tunnels)
* [Comparing SSH Keys](https://goteleport.com/blog/comparing-ssh-keys/) (SSH Keys)
* [Which Host Key Algorithm is Best?](https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/131010/which-host-key-algorithm-is-best-to-use-for-ssh) (SSH Keys)

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