Unable to negotiate with IP port 22: no matching host key type found. Their offer: ssh-rsa

Secure Shell (SSH) is a cryptographic network protocol that is commonly used for secure data communication, remote command-line login, and other network services. The SSH command is used to remotely connect to a server or device and execute commands on that device. In this blog post, we will explain the following SSH command and when the extra parameters are needed.

ssh -p 22 -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa user@host;

Breakdown of the SSH command

• ssh: The command to initiate a Secure Shell connection to a remote host.
• -p 22: The -p option specifies the port number that SSH should use to connect to the remote host. In this case, the port number is 22, which is the default SSH port number.
• -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa: The -o option allows the user to set SSH options. In this case, the option HostKeyAlgorithms specifies the key exchange algorithm that should be used for the connection. The +ssh-rsa parameter adds the ssh-rsa algorithm to the list of acceptable algorithms.
• -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa: Similar to the previous parameter, this option specifies the type of public key that will be accepted for authentication purposes. The +ssh-rsa parameter adds the ssh-rsa key type to the list of acceptable key types.
• user@host: Specifies the username and hostname of the remote machine to connect to.

When are the extra parameters needed?

The extra parameters in this SSH command are used to specify the key exchange and authentication algorithms that are acceptable for the SSH connection. This is important because older, less secure algorithms can be vulnerable to attacks. By specifying only the more secure algorithms, you can help ensure that your connection is as secure as possible.

The specific parameters used in this command are not always necessary, but they can be useful in certain situations. For example, if you are connecting to an older SSH server that uses weaker encryption algorithms, you may want to specify only the stronger algorithms that are supported by both the server and your client. Similarly, if you are connecting to a server that requires a specific type of public key for authentication, you can specify that key type using the PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes option.

In general, it’s a good idea to use the most secure algorithms that are supported by both your client and the remote server. This can help ensure that your connection is as secure as possible and minimize the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.

In conclusion, the SSH command is a powerful tool for remotely connecting to and managing servers and devices. By understanding the different parameters and options available, you can customize your SSH connections to meet your specific needs and ensure that your connections are as secure as possible.